521. Washington regarded Europe as only a sideshow

Washington regarded Europe as only a sideshow that must not divert attention from the permanent strategic interests of the US . He had not wanted to do business with England after the revolution. In October 1783, six months before the Empress of China started her virgin voyage to China, Washington made it clear in his letter to Marquis de Lafayette, a general in the American Revolutionary War and later a leader of the Garde Nationale during the French Revolution, that "I do not incline to send to England (from whence formerly I had all my goods) for anything I can get upon tolerable terms elsewhere." Where could the Americans trade for what they needed? His solution was for the newly founded US to develop its commercial relationship with China.

Even before the departure of the Empress of China, Washington had discussed the possibilities of this engagement with people like Ezra Stiles, the president of Yale College. Washington had realized that the American merchants "will carry the American flag around the globe itself, and display the thirteen stripes and new constellation, at Bengal and Canton, on the Indus and Ganges, on the Whang-ho [the Yellow River] and the Yang-ti-king [Yangtze River], and with commerce will import the wisdom and literature of the East." While the Empress of China was still on her way to China, Washington told Thomas Jefferson that "from trade our citizen will not be restrained".                 

423. George Washington Sorounded by the Imports from China

In the early morning of a day in the late 1780s a patrician gentleman stood in his house in Mount Vernon, his feet cushioned by straw carpeting from China. As he relaxed, he enjoyed Chinese Hyson tea from a Chinese porcelain cup and watched his golden Chinese pheasants strutting on the lawn. Before he ate breakfast, which was served with Chinese porcelain wares, he sat at his table reading news on American trade with China. Later, as he went for a walk around his property, he checked on his geese and pigs also from China. In the afternoon, he would survey his Chinese flower gardens on his farm.

The man was George Washington, first President of the United States. He has a true appreciation for Chinese imports. He personally involved in spearheading U. S. trade with China.

341. George Washington Loved Blue-White Chinese Porcelain Wares

Among Chinese porcelain wares, Washington had a special fondness for blue-and-white porcelain. I have found at least nine recorded references to his purchase of blue-and-white Chinese porcelain in Washington's Papers. Samuel Fraunces (ca 1722-1795), realizing that Washington loved this, found an assortment of blue-and-white china for Washington. As the War of Independence came to an end and the focus of American officers and troops turned toward their civilian futures, Washington began to search for a large set of chinaware for Mount Vernon.

Washington wrote to Daniel Parker (a partner with William Duer and John Holker in a company formed to provision the Continental Army) in occupied New York and requested "a neat and complete sett of blue and white table China" With the help of Samuel Fraunces, Parker collected 205 pieces of blue-and-white porcelain before September. Edward Nicole, Jr. also provided some blue-and-white pieces for Washington. Washington learned through an advertisement in The Maryland Gazette and Baltimore Advertiser on August 12, 1785, that the Pallas, which was coming directly back from China, would be selling its cargo, including blue-and-white Chinese porcelain. He wrote to Tench Tilghman, his former military aide, and asked him to inquire about the conditions of sale and price.Five days later Washington, at Mount Vernon, learned that "the Cargo is to be sold at public Venue, on the first of October," and wrote a letter to Tench Tilgman in which Washington asking him to buy “a set of large blue and White China Dishes with the badge of the Society of the Cincinnati" and the best Hyson Tea, one dozen small blue-and white porcelain bowls and best Nankeens.

In July 1790, when two ships had just arrived in New York from Canton, Tobias Lear asked Clement Biddle to purchase and send to Mount Vernon blue-and-white china tea and coffee services for twenty-four persons with three or four matching slop bowls for tea dregs. A week later Biddle sent to Mount Vernon a box marked GW containing 3 dozen china cups & saucers, 2 dozen coffee cups & saucers, & 4 slop bowls by the sloop Dolphin, Captain Carhart, on 6 August, 1790.

337. George Washington Supported US Trade With China

George Washington regarded Europe as only a sideshow that must not divert attention from the permanent strategic interests of the US . He had not wanted to do business with England after the revolution. In October 1783, six months before the Empress of China started her virgin voyage to China, Washington made it clear in his letter to Marquis de Lafayette, a general in the American Revolutionary War and later a leader of the Garde Nationale during the French Revolution, that "I do not incline to send to England (from whence formerly I had all my goods) for anything I can get upon tolerable terms elsewhere."

Where could the Americans trade for what they needed? His solution was for the newly founded US to develop its commercial relationship with China. Even before the departure of the Empress of China, Washington had discussed the possibilities of this engagement with people like Ezra Stiles, the president of Yale College.

Washington had realized that the American merchants "will carry the American flag around the globe itself, and display the thirteen stripes and new constellation, at Bengal and Canton, on the Indus and Ganges, on the Whang-ho [the Yellow River] and the Yang-ti-king [Yangtze River], and with commerce will import the wisdom and literature of the East." While the Empress of China was still on her way to China, Washington told Thomas Jefferson that "from trade our citizen will not be restrained".

335. George Washington's Vision on the Trade between the United States and China

In 1789, when George Washington was elected as the first president of the United States, he fully stated the significance of the China trade to his still-young country. He told the Marquis de Lafayette that the national revenues had been considerably more productive than had been imagined they would be because of the China trade. He then listed some examples: "A single vessel just arrived in this port pays $30,000 to government. Two vessels fitted out for the fur trade to the northwest coast of America have succeeded well. The whole outfits of vessels and cargoes cost but $7,000. One is returning home loaded with India produce, the other going back to the coast of America; and they have deposited $100,000 of their profits in China."

Since 1784, the value of American trade with China increased greatly. In 1790, it was estimated that trade with China accounted for about one seventh of US imported goods. By 1792, the value of the American trade with China had surpassed that of Holland, France and Denmark, and was second only to Great Britain, which had had established commercial relations with China for over 100 years. In 1840, American business with China amounted to nearly US$75 million, a sum greater than the total debt of the American Revolution.

333. George Washington's Tea Culture

We don’t know when George Washington started to drink tea. However, we know that his first recorded order for tea dates to December of 1757, when he wrote to England seeking "6 lb. best Hyson Tea" and "6 lb. best Green Ditto.". From Dr. Dave Wang’s paper CHINESE CIVILIZATION AND THE UNITED STATES: TEA, GINSENG, PORCELAIN WARE AND SILK IN COLONIAL AMERICA, Virginia Review of Asian Studies, one can find the photo, George Washington’s teapot and tea cups in his Valley Forge Headquarters. (Courtesy of Valley Forge National Historical Park.)

My friend, Jeffrey Bingham Mead, the President of Hawaii Historical Education Council, send me Tea, a paper by Mary V. Thompson, Research Historian, Mount Vernon Estate and Gardens. Mary finds that Washington drank tea throughout his life. She presents us a vivid picture of how Washington enjoyed Chinese tea. She explored the kinds of Chinese tea Washingtons drank and also teapots and cups very intersecting, Mary told us that even Washington’s slaves have tea ware. Possibly George allowed his slaves to enjoy tea. It needs more research to find out if the slaves really enjoyed tea. A reader will find from her paper two beautiful photos showing you Washington’s teapot and tea bowl imported from China. Thank Mary, who presents us a Washington tea culture. Enjoy Mary's paper based on her 37 years of research now.

291. George Washington and US Trade with China

In order to obtain first hand knowledge of the materials on the China trade and its influence in the US , Washington visited Captain John O'Donnell (died c 1805) in August 1785, when the owner and master of the Pallas sailed to Baltimore with a cargo from China and bought about 2,000 acres on the Baltimore waterfront east of Fell's Point where he built a mansion and named it "Canton". Washington planned to expand the China trade from New England to Virginia.

In 1787, he instructed David Stuart to inspect the Potomac River and to find a place where a warehouse for the objects needed in trade with China could be constructed. In order to observe the advancement of the America trade with China, he requested his subordinates to provide with him the previous year's list of the ships that were in Canton, China in July 1789. In 1789, when Washington was elected as the first president of the US , he fully stated the significance of the trade to his still-young country.

Washington told the Marquis de Lafayette that the national revenues had been considerably more productive than had been imagined they would be because of the China trade. Since 1784, the value of American trade with China increased greatly. In 1790, it was estimated that trade with China accounted for about one seventh of US imported goods. By 1792, the value of the American trade with China had surpassed that of Holland, France and Denmark, and was second only to Great Britain, which had had established commercial relations with China for over 100 years.

In 1840, American business with China amounted to nearly US$75 million, a sum greater than the total debt of the American Revolution. Trade with China helped revitalize the US and port cities like Salem, New York and Boston hugely benefited from it. The trade brought back hard money that capitalized new industry. Factory towns sprang up, and Americans began to experiment with the techniques of mass production. Soon the groundwork had been laid for the greatest industrial expansion the world had seen.

277. Washington Loved Blue-and White China

Among Chinese porcelain ware, George Washington had a special fondness for blue-and-white porcelain. I have found at least nine recorded references to his purchase of blue-and-white Chinese porcelain in Washington's Papers. Samuel Fraunces (ca 1722-1795), realizing that Washington loved this, found an assortment of blue-and-white china for Washington.

As the War of Independence came to an end and the focus of American officers and troops turned toward their civilian futures, Washington began to search for a large set of chinaware for Mount Vernon. He wrote to Daniel Parker (a partner with William Duer and John Holker in a company formed to provision the Continental Army) in occupied New York and requested "a neat and complete sett of blue and white table China." With the help of Samuel Fraunces, Parker collected 205 pieces of blue-and-white porcelain before September. Edward Nicole, Jr. also provided some blue-and-white pieces for Washington.

Washington learned through an advertisement in the Maryland Gazette and Baltimore Advertiser on August 12, 1785, that the Pallas, which was coming directly back from China, would be selling its cargo, including blue-and-white Chinese porcelain. He wrote to Tench Tilghman, his former military aide, and asked him to inquire about the conditions of sale and price. Five days later Washington, at Mount Vernon, learned that "the Cargo is to be sold at public Venue, on the first of October," and wrote a letter to Tench Tilgman in which Washington asking him to buy “a set of large blue and White China Dishes with the badge of the Society of the Cincinnati" and the best Hyson Tea, one dozen small blue-and white porcelain bowls and best Nankeens.

In July 1790, when two ships had just arrived in New York from Canton, Tobias Lear asked Clement Biddle to purchase and send to Mount Vernon blue-and-white china tea and coffee services for twenty-four persons with three or four matching slop bowls for tea dregs. A week later Biddle sent to Mount Vernon a box marked GW containing 3 dozen china cups & saucers, 2 dozen coffee cups & saucers, & 4 slop bowls by the sloop Dolphin, Captain Carhart, on 6 August, 1790.

269. George Washington and Chinese Porcelain

George Washington used Chinese porcelain as precious gifts to his friends and guests. In 1797 he gave Mrs. Samuel Power, a Chinese porcelain cooler, liner, and cover, underglaze-blue river scene with gilt handles and rims. On June 9, 1798, Mrs. Washington made Julian Ursyn Niemcewicz, a Polish journalist then visiting Mount Vernon, a gift of Chinese porcelain cup with her name and the name of the United States.

As Washington’s reputation in then North America during the formative age of the United States, his appreciation for Chinese porcelain ware produced a great influence on other people since a stream of visitors to the headquarters had been served with the ware at the Commander in Chief's table. George Washington once called his home as a well-resorted tavern” and existing records confirm his statement.

According to household documents, Washington dined with his wife alone only twice in the last 20 years of his marriage. Ordinary American citizens and friends “flocked to see the President, and with customary grace, he welcomed them to home, not only for meals but to spend the night.” More about Washington and Chinese Porcelain is available through reading this paper, The Founding Fathers of the United States and Chinese Porcelain Ware

253. The Influence of Trade with China during the Early Period

Encouraged by the success of the China Trade, George Washington expressed his feeling thus: "the Maritime Genius of this Country is now steering our vessels in every ocean ..." In September 1796, he told the American people that the US "will more and more find a valuable vent for the commodities of which it brings from abroad" - namely through trade with China. In the same year, he invited Thomas Handasyd Perkins, the pioneer of China trade in Boston, to Mount Vernon to drink tea and to spend the night there.

The China trade helped change America's political map. It helped the US to move its political center from Virginia to New York City and New England. Hamilton decided to build the national bank in New York. The political center of the United States would be in New York, the commercial and financial center of the new nation.

The significance of the China trade in the early development of the US was crucial to Washington's thinking about American foreign policy. On September 1796, Washington in his Farewell Address told his fellow American citizens that "the great rule of conduct for us, in regard to foreign nations is in extending our commercial relations".

230. Sun Zhongshan: George Washington of China

This year marks the centenary of the 1911 Revolution China. This is the epoch-making event that changed the history of the world. The leader of the Revolution, Sun Zhongshan, also Sun Yat-sen (1866-1925)is called the "George Washington of China." Both Sun Yat-sen and Washington were anti-monarchical figures: each had the chance to enthrone himself as an emperor.

For Dr. Sun,it seemed natural to continue the political tradition of imperial rule; however, he overthrew the imperial system and changed the direction of Chinese political history. Because of him, China turned from an empire to a republic. Similarly, George Washington, together with other founding fouders of the United States, created a new country in North America that was different from the traditional monarchial systems in Europe.

210. Restore Washington's Chinese Flower Garden

February 22 is George Washington's birthday. From reading Dr. Wang's Paper, George Washington and Chinese flowers I have learned that Washington worked to build a Chinese garden in Mount Vernon, his bucolic estate in Northern Virginia. After reading his paper, I feel that we should reconstruct Washington's Chinese Garden in order to realize Washington's dream to let Chinese flowers beautify the lands of the United States of America.

From his diary we know that on July 8, 1785 Washington chose a good place next to the garden wall in his “well cultivated and neatly kept” botanical garden and sowed “one half the Chinese Seed given by Mr. Porter and Doctor. James Craik. Washington, for the purpose of making sure the Chinese flowers blossom, took very detailed notes, including the procedure how he planted the seeds of the flowers. For more information concerning how Washington planted the flowers, please reader Dr. Dave Wang's Paper, George Washington and Chinese Flowers

190. George Washington and American Trade with China

In its May 2010 Issue, the well-known E-Magazine edited by the World Federation of Huaren, published Dr. Wang's paper, George Washington and the China Trade. You can read the opening paragraph of his paper below:

The great rule of conduct for us, in regard to foreign nations is in extending our commercial Relations.----George Washington

Embodied Americans’ hope to “break through” the British blockage and revitalize “the depressed postwar economy,” the Empress of China, the first American commercial ship after its independence, left New York for Canton on February 22, 1784.

Not long before the departure of the Empress of China Washington discussed China trade and its impact on the United Stats with Ezra Stiles, the President of Yale College. During the discussion he conveyed the following ideas with Washington, “Navigation will carry the American flag around the globe itself, and display the thirteen stripes and new constellation, at Bengal and Canton, on the Indus and Ganges, on the Whang-ho and the Yang-ti-king, and with commerce will import the wisdom and literature of the East.” About a month after the Empress of China sailed to China, George Washington told Thomas Jefferson that “from trade our citizen will not be restrained.”

You can read the whole article through this link.

153. "George Washington and the China Trade" in Salem

On June 26 2009 in the world famous Peabody Essex Museum Dr. Wang gave the presentation on how George Washington supported the United States trade with China in its inception in 1784, when he recommended the competent business manager for the Empress of China, the first American commercial ship owned and outfitted by the revolutionary veterans in an attempt to bring the fledgling United States to enter international commerce. When the trade started, Washington monitored its development carefully, paying attention to the Ginseng trade in Virginia and visiting the business leaders engaging the China Trade. He also invited Peter Perkins, an important businessman who was head of the China Trade, to spend a night at Mountain Vernon. In 1789, Washington stated the significance of the trade. He told Marquis de Lafayette, one of his French generals from the Revolutionary War, that "our revenues have been considerably more productive than it was imagined they would be.” Washington, in his farewell address, told his fellow American citizens that “the great rule of conduct for us in regard to foreign nations is in extending our commercial relations.”

150. George Washington and China

So far, Dr. Wang has published three papers on the historical connection between China and George Washington. Thanks to his research, we know that George Washington supported the United States' trade with China. We also learned that Washington wanted to introduce Chinese flowers to the United States. His love of Chinese porcelain ware helped popularize the ware in colonial period and the early periods of the United States.

A. George Washington and the China Trade

Even before the departure of the Empress of China, Washington had discussed the possibilities of this engagement with people like Ezra Stiles, the president of Yale College. Washington had realized that the American merchants "will carry the American flag around the globe itself, and display the thirteen stripes and new constellation, at Bengal and Canton, on the Indus and Ganges, on the Whang-ho [the Yellow River] and the Yang-ti-king [Yangtze River], and with commerce will import the wisdom and literature of the East." While the Empress of China was still on her way to China, Washington told Thomas Jefferson that "from trade our citizen will not be restrained". More on how George Washington supported the China Trade can be found throuth this link.

B. George Washington and Chinese flowers

You can read Dr. Wang's paper, George Washington and Chinese Flowers and found how the founding father worked hard to plant Chinese flowers in his garden at Mount Vernon.

C. George Washington and Chinese Porcelain Wares

Like other founding fathers, such as Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson, George Washington loved Chinese Porcelain. I have found that among Chinese porcelain ware, Washington had a special fondness for blue-and-white porcelain. I have found at least nine recorded references to his purchase of blue-and-white Chinese porcelain in Washington's Papers. Dr. Wang's paper, The Founding Fathers of the United States and Chinese Porcelain Ware, revealed Washington's life long pursuit of Chinese porcelain wares.

128. How Did the Founding Father Lead the Fledgling United States Over its Economic Crisis?

Dr. Dave Wang will talk George Washingon and the China Trade in Salem

According to his findings, Washington supported the United States trade with China in its inception in 1784, when he recommended the competent business manager for the Empress of China, the first American commercial ship owned and outfitted by the revolutionary veterans in an attempt to bring the fledgling United States to enter international commerce. When the trade started, Washington monitored its development carefully, paying attention to the Ginseng trade in Virginia and visiting the business leaders engaging the China Trade. He also invited Peter Perkins, an important businessman who was head of the China Trade, to spend a night at Mountain Vernon. In 1789, Washington stated the significance of the trade. He told Marquis de Lafayette, one of his French generals from the Revolutionary War, that "our revenues have been considerably more productive than it was imagined they would be.” Washington, in his farewell address, told his fellow American citizens that “the great rule of conduct for us in regard to foreign nations is in extending our commercial relations.”

123. George Washington's China

George Washington loved Chinese porcelain. I here collect online information concerning his Chinese porcelain wares.
A. George and Martha Washington's China
B. Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Chinese Porcelain Ware
C. The Blue China Book The Blue-china Book: Early American Scenes and History Pictured in the Pottery of the Time ; with a Supplementary Chapter Describing the Celebrated Collection of Presidential China in the White house at Washington D.C. and a Complete Checklist of Known Examples of Anglo-American Pottery , By Ada Walker Camehl, Published by Tudor, 1916, Original from the University of Michigan Digitized Aug 18, 2006
307 pages.
D. Chinese Export Porcelain for the American Trade, 1785-1835, By Jean McClure Mudge, Published by University of Delaware Press, 1981. This revised edition of a book first published in 1962 is still the only work that goes to fresh, primary shipping sources to tell the story of America's trade in export Chinese porcelain. There are over one hundred photographs in the book covering all the major types of export porcelain both common and uncommon, made for America. Illustrated.
E. The George Washington Collection: Fine and Decorative Arts at Mount Vernon, By Carol Borchert Cadou, Mount Vernon Ladies' Association of the Union, Published by Hudson Hills, 2006
F. George Washington's antiques at Mount Vernon
G. Chinese Canton Porcelain

066. Martha Washington's Chinese Porcelain Wares

In this website you can find the information on the Chinese porcelain wares that George Washington and Martha Washington collected during their long life.