AP World History
Tokugawa Japan’s Act of Seclusion, 1636
Tokugawa Iemitsu
In the 1500s, European merchants and missionaries began to visit Japan. At first, the strangers were
welcomed by the Japanese, who were curious about the Western ideas and products, especially the guns.
By the 1600s, Christian missionaries had converted many thousands of Japanese, and the Japanese
leaders began to fear and resent the European influence. The Tokugawa government launched a campaign to get rid of Christianity in Japan and closed the country to almost all foreigners, a policy that
would continue for over 200 years. The following selection is a statement of this policy by the Japanese
government, which was led by the shogun Tokugawa Iemitsu.
Analyzing Motives: The port at Nagasaki (Deshima) was the only Japanese port that remained open to
foreign traders. (In the Act of Seclusion, Laws 6 & 11 suggest that some foreign ships would still be
allowed to come to Japan.) Why do you think that the Japanese had this “loophole” in their closed-door
policy?
1. Japanese ships shall by no means be sent abroad.
2. No Japanese shall be sent abroad. Anyone violating this prohibition shall suffer the penalty of death,
and the shipowner and crew shall be held up together with the ship.
3. All Japanese residing abroad shall be put to death when they return home.
4. All Christians shall be examined by official examiners.
5. Informers against Christians shall be rewarded.
6. The arrival of foreign ships must be reported … and watch kept over them.
7. The Namban people (Spaniards or Portuguese) and any other people with evil titles propagating
Christianity shall be incarcerated in the Omura prison as before.
8. Even ships shall not be left untouched in the matter of exterminating Christians.
9. Everything shall be done in order to see that no Christian is survived by descendants, and anyone
disregarding this injunction shall be put to death, while proper punishment shall be meted out to the
other members of his family according to their deeds.
10. Children born of the Namban people (Spaniards or Portuguese) in Nagasaki and people adopting
these Namban children into their family shall be put to death; capital punishment shall also be meted
out to those Namban descendants if they return to Japan, and their relatives in Japan, who may
communicate with them, shall receive suitable punishment.
11. The samurai [warrior aristocracy of Japan] shall not purchase goods on board foreign ships directly
from foreigners.
Letter to King George III, 1793
(The Macartney Letter)
In the 15th century, the Chinese government significantly limited contact with the rest of the world.
Eventually, China resumed limited trading with other countries. By the late 18th century it still traded
with Europe through one port (Guangzhou) in southeastern China. In 1793, Lord Macartney, an English
nobleman, managed to gain an audience with the Chinese emperor Qian-long. Macartney brought a
request from King George III for increased trade between Britain and China.
THINK THROUGH HISTORY: Recognizing Bias
What was Emperor Qian-long’s view of the George III? What clues in the letter reveal his attitude?
You [George III], O King, live beyond the confines of many seas. Nevertheless, impelled by your
humble desire to partake of the benefits of our
civilization, you have dispatched a mission
respectfully bearing your memorial. I have perused
your memorial: the earnest terms in which it is
couched reveal a respectful humility on your part
which is highly praiseworthy.
In consideration of the fact that your ambassador
and his deputy have come a long way with your
memorial and tribute, I have shown them high
favor and have allowed them to be introduced into
my presence. To manifest my indulgence, I have
entertained them at a banquet and made them
numerous gifts. As to your entreaty to send one of
your nationals to be accredited to my Celestial
Court1 and to be in control of your country’s trade
with China, this request is contrary to all usage of
my dynasty and cannot possibly be entertained.
If you assert that your reverence for our Celestial
Dynasty fills you with a desire to acquire our
1
Qian-long’s seat of government
civilization, our ceremonies and code of laws
differ so completely from your own that even if
your envoy were able to acquire the rudiments of
our civilization, you could not possibly transplant
our manners and customs to your alien soil. Therefore, however adept the envoy might become,
nothing would be gained thereby.
Swaying the wide world, I have but one aim in
view, namely, to maintain a perfect governance
and to fulfill the duties of the State: strange and
costly objects do not interest me. If I have commanded that the tribute offerings sent by you,
O King, are to be accepted, this was solely in
consideration for the spirit which prompted you to
dispatch them from afar. Our dynasty’s majestic
virtue has penetrated into every country under
heaven, and kings of all nations have offered their
costly tribute by land and sea. As your ambassador
can see for himself, we possess all things. I set no
value on objects strange or ingenious, and have no
use for your country’s manufactures.