一六二二年前後荷蘭東印度公司有關東亞貿易策略的轉變--兼論荷蘭文獻中的Lamang傳聞

The Legend of ”Lamang”and the Strategic Transition of the Dutch East India Company in Its East－Asian Trade Policy in 1622

一六二二年四月，荷蘭東印度公司派遺武媴船隊前往中國沿海，佔領澎湖，最後轉據臺灣島，開啟在中國沿岸的貿易活動。本文想探討的是，什麼原因促使荷蘭東印度公司做此決定，亦即在一六二二年時，東印度公司領道者出兵的思維是什麼？本文認為，東印度公司出兵的行動，涉及該公司在東亞貿易策略的轉變。原因在於原本的海上劫奪策略，沒有達到壓抑西班牙在東亞的商業經營，以及增加公司貿易的預期目標，迫使荷蘭人希望在中國沿海找到貿易基地，直接與中國貿易。然而，對荷蘭人來說，更直接的危機，是西班牙人佔領臺灣島上Lamang的傳聞，致使他們匆促出兵。本文亦試圖考證Lamang即是當時臺灣島上著名的貿易地點－－北港，因為北港貿易在十七世紀初期的崛起，吸引了西班牙人的注意；換言之，荷蘭東印度公司出兵中國沿海的原因，除了與西班牙競爭這類歐洲因素外，亦受到臺灣周遭海域貿易發展此種東亞在地因素的影響。

In 1622，the Dutch East India Company（i.e. VOC）dispatched a fleet to the China coast and occupied the Pescadores Islands（also Known as Peihu Islands）. Afterward they established a fort in Taiwan and operated a business with China and Japan. Why did those leaders of VOC launch a war against the Ming dynasty in that year, 1622, and not earlier or later? What happened to VOC when they hurriedly recalled those warships at that time? This article argues that the East-Asian trade policy of VOC fell into a difficult position around the early 1620’s because the leaders of VOC found that their blockade policy couldn’t prevent ships from going to the Spanish Philippines, especially Chinese traders who were willing risk a voyage to Manila. But the key factor that forced VOC to change the policy from blockade to war was the the “Lamang” rumour. In the letter robbed from a Spanish ship in 1621, the Dutch read a rumour that the Spanish had attempted to seize a harbour called “Lamang” in Formosa / Taiwan. The second point of this article is to discuss the meaning and location of Lamang. The author suggests that Lamang may be Peikang (北港), as named by the Chinese, otherwise known as Pacan by the Spanish in the early 1600’s.