The Formation And Operation Of Overseas Teochew Commercial Networks

This thesis considers Penang Teochew Merchants Association to be my study object, by taking research on the meeting records, revenue and expenditure accounts, documents of Shantou Chamber of Commerce and so on, this paper combs the historic development of Penang Teochew Merchants Association from 1933 to 1957, then, analyzes the operating mechanism of Penang Teochew Merchants Association and its commercial intercourse between Teochew merchants in Shantou, Hong Kong of China, Singapore and Thailand. On this basis, this paper makes a thorough analysis on the formation and operation of Overseas Teochew commercial networks.Full text is divided into three parts : introduction, main body and conclusion. On basis of the description of the social and historical background of the establishment of Teochew Merchants Association of Penang, the main part contains two aspects: one is the development history of Teochew Merchants Association of Penang. This part’s main content begins with the development of Teochew Merchants Association of Penang by analysis on the meeting records, which tries to discuss the business operating of Teochew Merchants Association of Penang and the improving of its operating mechanism. The other is the formation and operation of Penang Teochew commercial networks. This part is explained through the analysis of the construction process and operating mechanism of Penang Teochew commercial networks, to show the adjustments of Overseas Teochew commercial networks after World War II.This study shows that, from 1933 to 1957, members of Penang Teochew Merchants Association first started as peddlers who sold cargoes and merchandise from Shantou and Hong Kong in Penang. Until 1949, Penang Teochew Merchants Association amended its articles of association, expanded its members and broken the boundaries. Then, Penang Teochew Merchants Association became the association for all Teochew merchants in Penang, the commercial networks among Hong Kong, Singapore,Thailand,Shantou and Penang were finally established. In 1950 s, along with the adjustments of the operation mechanism of Penang Teochew Merchants Association, the alteration of the international system and the transformation of the Penang Chinese social, and the commercial networks of Overseas Teochew were also in constant adjustment.