%%*Hà N?i : Foreign trade began in Vietnam in the late 16th, early 17th century when the country was known as Ð?i Vi?t. Reportedly, traders from Portugal, Holland, Britain and elsewhere had already established ties. This corresponds with the discovery of the Cape of Good Hope and the Europe-Asia marine route, opening an historical period referred to as Grand Commerce. It is thought that the Ðàng Trong (southern) and Ðàng Ngoài (northern) Lords opened up the domestic market to Westerners because of their strong desire for armaments, especially cannons and ammunition. However, this was not the only reason. Western traders also benefited by exporting local products. Both military and economic profits helped the rival Lords understand the importance of foreign trade and they applied a policy of controlled ties with foreign traders. As such, buying and selling with foreigners was quite active. In 1626, a Portuguese team of traders and missionaries came to the North after successfully establishing ties with the South. The team's visit was aimed at establishing a route connecting Macao, Ð?i Vi?t and Japan. Northern Lord Tr?nh Tráng had already heard of the profits brought to the Southern Lord by Portuguese traders. However, he forced them to promise to give up that relationship before receiving them. A year later, French Christian missionary Alexandre de Rhodes was sent to the North to propagate the religion. He, however, was under the Portuguese Church which objected to the French Societe des Missions Etrangeres. In 1658, when the Society had been established, French missionaries came to Ðàng Ngoài under the sponsorship of Louis XIV. The first among them was Deydier, disguised as a sailor. He came to Ðàng Ngoài in 1666 and lived secretly in Ph? Hi?n in a house of an interpreter for a Dutch businessman from where he actively carried out his missionary work. In 1669, a French East India Company ship brought some French servers to Ðàng Ngoài, saying it only wanted to establish trade links between the East India Company and Ðàng Ngoài. All the missionaries wore businessmen's clothes and, as such, were allowed by Lord Tr?nh to open a trading house in Ph? Hi?n. Two of the missionaries stayed on in Ph? Hi?n where they concentrated on missionary work. But French businessmen were not satisfied. The busy Portuguese and Dutch traders affected them severely. They noticed that Ph? Hi?n - as well as Ðàng Ngoài - was like any other market they had entered, and it was unexploited. On the other hand, its silk and sugar were profitable for them on the world market, and the region was also a good supplier of ivory and sandalwood. The French businessmen thus lobbied vigorously to gain the right of doing business in Ph? Hi?n. This was strongly supported by the missionaries, since they also needed trading houses to cover their activities. Finally, the French East India Company was able to start its trading operations. In 1680, traders were sent to Ph? Hi?n on a vessel named Tonquin and sailing from Bantam (Indonesia) to Ph? Hi?n. The captain of the ship, Captain Chapelain, brought with him many goods and gifts. He communicated with Deydier and distributed gifts to the Lord and local mandarins. Goods were sold at low prices and, gradually, he gained the love of the Lord. Chapelain also prepared for the construction of a trading house in Ph? Hi?n and appointed a man to look after the business. He returned to Bantam with large amounts of Ðàng Ngoài silk which was highly regarded. Unfortunately, French business was not all smooth sailing. The Tonquin transferred its cargo to another ship upon reaching Bantam. This ship was ill-fated, however, and sank on its way back to Europe. In addition, commercial troubles arose because of Bantam's monopolisation by the Dutch East India Company - French business in Ph? Hi?n was only nominally conducted as a result, and trade turnover was unprofitable. However, the French missionaries were busily spreading the faith. In the words of Guillaume Dampier, the French missionary house was one of the most beautiful in Ph? Hi?n: The Bishop's residence was beautiful although it was a little bit low, lying on the river bank and to the north of the town. There were high walls around it with the main gate opening right on to the main road. A yard embraced the main building while the servant quarter was at the back of the compound. The main building was near to the gate which was opened round the clock to receive anyone. From this firm base in Ph? Hi?n, the missionaries moved to surrounding areas. The French had to make friends with local mandarins and satisfy all their requirements which would involve such things as repairing clocks or using scientific instruments. And, they knew how to make gun powder, a talent of particular interest to local officials. Guillaume Dampier also revealed that by the time he arrived in Ph? Hi?n in late 1688, two French missionaries were actively working there and that their activities were quite effective. They had trained three more local clergymen and gathered a large number of followers. But, most of the followers were poor peasants hungering for rice, taking on the faith just because of the rice distributed to them. These followers, or to put it correctly, the newly-led-back-to-Christ-and-the-Pope, would return to their old faith as soon as rice became cheaper. French activities in Ph? Hi?n differed strongly from those of other foreigners. They focused on their work as missionaries rather than on business, and their efforts were richly rewarded with a total number of 14,000 followers. At the same time, they introduced a new culture to local people, and a new influence that deepened in the centuries to come. (VNS)