THE KONG-SOO. 343 



permitted to have access.* By association, Mr. 

 Pigou means no association of merchants with exclu- 

 sive privileges in connection with the European trade 

 — such as the Hong merchants were ultimately 

 enabled to establish by means of their Kong-soo. 



The term Kong-soo signifies an association, 

 company, or brotherhood. Every trade may be 

 said to have its Kong-soo, — the Hong merchants 

 among the rest ; which associations are not very 

 dissimilar to our ancient guilds. They have their 

 public halls, to which sometimes, as in England, a 

 garden for recreation or ornament is attached. 

 Here the standard weights and measures belonging 

 to the particular department of trade are deposited, 

 and kept for comparison and reference. It rarely 

 happens, too, that goods are bought or sold without 

 such reference being made. Thus the Kong-soo 

 weights belonging to the foreign Hong merchants 

 may be seen daily passing through the streets of 

 Canton to their warehouses, in order to test the 

 Hong merchants' weights, for the satisfaction of 

 the tea merchant before his teas are weighed. At 

 the Kong-soo house or hall, the rules and regula- 

 tions of the association are kept, as well as all 

 public documents connected with the trade. Here 

 meetings are also held, with their own body, to 

 discuss and frame new laws ; and with others, to 

 settle disputes and make arrangements of trade. 



* See Ship's Diaries, 1703. 

 z 4 



