Vocabulary Related to the Unequal Treaty Period

This short vocabulary list provides essential terms related to the Unequal Treaty period.

General Vocabulary

English Chinese Meaning
Coolie 苦力 Unskilled manual laborer, worked either locally or overseas.
Century of (National) Humiliation 百年国耻 The century that followed the First Opium War.
Imperial Maritime Customs 中国海关，
大清皇家海关总税务司		 A Chinese governmental institution for maritime customs collection and other duties established and initially mostly controlled by foreigners.
Likin 厘金 Local government tax levied on goods on an ad valorem basis.
Longhairs 长毛 Taiping Rebellion members named after their long hair.
Manchu 满洲(人)，满族 Chinese ethnic group that founded the Qing dynasty.
Pidgin English 洋泾浜英语 Language derived from English and influenced by Chinese, early on used for communication between Chinese and foreigners.
Sampan 舢板 Traditional Chinese wooden boat.
Sedan Chair 轿子 The Sedan Chair carried by Coolies served as a means of transport in and around many treaty ports.
Taotai 道台 Local high official rank. The Taotai often stood in direct communication with the foreigners.
Treaty Port 通商口岸 The treaty ports were opened through the Unequal Treaties and initially comprised Canton, Xiamen, Fuzhou, Ningpo, and Shanghai.
Unequal Treaties 不平等条约 The series of treaties enforced on China after the First Opium War.
Zongyli Yamen 总理衙门 The Chinese Foreign Office which was established in 1861.

Pre First Opium War Vocabulary

English Chinese Meaning
Ban on Maritime Trade 海禁 During the Ming dynasty and the begin of the Qing dynasty, the Chinese government disallowed maritime trade.
Canton System 一口通商 Restriction of foreign trade to Guangzhou (Canton).
Cohong 公行 The guild of Hongs which controlled the trade via the Canton System.
Hong Merchant 行 Merchants appointed by the government to trade with foreigners under the Canton System.
Thirteen Factories 十三行 The trading houses of the Hongs located in Guangzhou (Canton).