Wanli 1592

Chapter 395 Chen Longzheng's Journey to the West ([-])

Not to mention the past, even in the next few hundred years, silk tea and porcelain are symbols of status and wealth, and they have an incomprehensible lethality to Europeans. In the past, what they bought were resold by merchants from various countries to the European land, because there was no Any country or caravan that establishes formal diplomatic relations with the Chinese government will naturally not have Chinese people coming to Europe to do business, and this time is the first time.

Matteo Ricci, as Chen Longzheng's deputy and translator, also wore silk and a top hat, stood up in a Chinese appearance, and announced to the people here that I am a missionary who came back from China, and they are all Chinese. They are businessmen who came here from China to do business. They brought Chinese tea, silk and porcelain from China to do business with you. These are real Chinese products, sold by Chinese people themselves, absolutely authentic!No kidding!

After Matteo Ricci made the relevant declaration, the enthusiasm of the Europeans was lifted. Chen Longzheng said that he did not understand what Matteo Ricci was saying, and the Europeans suddenly started cheering, and then men, women and children gathered together Coming forward, he took out all kinds of coins that Chen Longzheng didn't know and murmured something. Anyway, Chen Longzheng knew that they were made of gold and silver, which were different from Daming's gold and silver.

It has only been decades since Ming Dynasty used gold and silver as currency in circulation, and the market is basically dominated by copper coins. Unexpectedly, Europeans have already circulated gold and silver as coins. Mattou—are these foreigners richer and richer than Daming?No!Daming is the richest, okay?How could these people have more gold and silver than Daming?
Matteo Ricci explained that they were all poor, but this is a prosperous commercial area, and people without money can't hang out here. In fact, most parts of Europe are poor, but Genoa is richer.

How else could Ricci explain it?It is said that this is a large amount of wealth plundered by countries such as Spain and Portugal who colonized Africa and the Americas. What they have is only a small part, and then you Chinese earned it to China with silk tea and porcelain?
Xiao Ruxun couldn't stop laughing when he heard Matteo Ricci's complaints.

That's right, in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, most of the gold and silver obtained from the slave trade led by Spain and Portugal entered China through trade with China. China, based on the silver standard, obtained enough gold and silver as reserves, which prompted Zhang Juzheng to determine the currency function of silver in the legal sense for the first time.

In the following decades, the currency function of silver continued to be consolidated. It was not until the early and middle periods of the Qing Dynasty that due to the further inflow of silver and gold, silver finally became a currency that could be circulated in the market like copper coins, and China finally determined that Before the silver standard, gold and silver were only ceremonial precious metals circulated in the upper class, and ordinary people were absolutely out of reach.

It can be said that without the gold and silver accumulated by the bloody slave trade of Europeans, there would be no prosperity of gold and silver in China, and there would be no tax payment of silver in Zhang Juzheng's reform, and there would be no large number of Tang and Song heroes holding big ingots in film and television dramas. The shocking scene of Yin Zi going to the street to buy wine and beef.

The wealth accumulated by the Spaniards and Portuguese over the centuries has all made China cheaper!
This is an interesting historical tidbit.

It was only later that Chen Longzheng learned about these things. They received an extremely warm welcome in Genoa. After the initial sensation at the port, the sensation of the citizens and the arrival of the official Genoese army followed.

The arrival of the army brought people's frenzy under control to a certain extent. At least the incident of men, women and children holding gold and silver coins and asking them to buy porcelain did not happen, but then there were even more strange things.

The Genoese army escorted them to a magnificent building. Inside, Chen Longzheng met the rulers of Genoa—the governor and the bankers of Genoa. According to Matteo Ricci’s explanation, Chen Longzheng knew that the leader was the Genoese. Consulate for life", similar to the emperor of the Ming Dynasty, but obviously does not have the power and status of the emperor of the Ming Dynasty, because Genoa is a republic, not an empire.

Chen Longzheng didn't quite understand this strange appellation, but he still realized that this khaki-haired guy was a Genoa tycoon, a local snake here, and the pride of scholars did not allow him to speak to anyone other than his parents, ancestors, heaven and the emperor. When people knelt down and saw Matteo Ricci bow deeply to show respect, he just led the accompanying clerks to bow their hands, counting it as a courtesy to meet.

The Governor of Genoa was not unhappy at all, and expressed his friendly greetings to Chen Longzheng through Matteo Ricci - respected Chinese guests, you are very welcome here, and I hope you can spend a wonderful and unforgettable time here .

After speaking, a banquet was held.

A banquet is held when there is a disagreement. Chen Long has seen the customs of Europeans, that is, his mother's enthusiasm and unrestrainedness. Not only men, but also women are quite enthusiastic and unrestrained. Wearing strange dresses and strange makeup, they are with the hostess. Showing up in public and talking enthusiastically to Chen Longzheng, which made Chen Longzheng and the accompanying clerks look confused. At this time, Matteo Ricci explained to him the customs of Europeans, unlike Daming who forbids women to show their faces.

Chen Longzheng expressed his understanding, but his aloofness and pride as a disciple of a sage did not allow him to communicate with, or even touch, the female relatives of other families. The female relatives greeted Chen Longzheng, and stretched out their hands to accept his kiss. Chen Longzheng Quickly retreated a few steps to show avoidance, and didn't even look at the face of the other party's female relatives, which made everyone stunned, and then Matteo Ricci hurried forward to explain.

The customs of the Chinese are very strict, they are very serious and upright, in order to avoid unpleasant things from happening, they never touch the female family members of other men, unless on special occasions, they have to stay away to show respect to the master, otherwise it is It is a serious faux pas in China to fail to observe etiquette.

Only then did the Europeans present understand what Chen Longzheng did, and they all expressed their appreciation and respect for the serious style and etiquette of the Chinese people.

Chen Longzheng felt that these women were not respectful of women and these men were not polite. He also felt that their so-called food was very unpalatable. It seemed that in order to show their nobility and elegance, they actually used gold and silver to make tableware, and mixed some dishes from Ming Dynasty. Porcelain tableware, slowly nouveau riche style, no cooking and chopsticks, knives and forks, Chen Longzheng didn't know how to use these things at all.

What is this bread?Oh, similar to Daming's steamed buns!The meat is obviously still raw, so it's served, so you're not afraid of spoiling your stomach?beef?You eat so much beef?What a luxury!What are those rolls of noodles that look like noodles?Just noodles?Why haven't I seen it?What is this sauce?Bolognese?oh!Jam, a sweet sauce made of fruit, this sounds good, it should be edible... what the hell?Dip the meat?You didn't lie to me, Lao Li?

After Chen Longzheng, a typical oriental scholar, experienced the first cultural exchange and collision, his heart was seriously shaken!
(End of this chapter)