Confidential.
My Lord,
537
February 28th, 1921.
In accordance with the instructions contained
in Your Lordship's despatch No.505, Confidential, of 10th Septem
ber last, I have the honour to report as follows on Chinese
custom in relation to *mui taai" or slave girla.
The answer. to the questions asked in the Colonia)
L
office despatch of September 3rd to the Foreign office that the
i
practice of purchasing human beinge is illegal in China but that
it persists.
The buying and selling of human beings has con-
stituted a technical branch of the law for many hundreds of
years. In spite of this lawa and legal pronouncementa issued
under the Manchu dynasty contained many provisions which recog—
nized the practice, even providing, for instruce, in the cɛaS
Kueichow province an official method of registering such acta
The practice was a common one and eren
of purchase and sale.
Right Honourable,
The Earl Curzon of Kedleston, K.G., Q.c.8.1.
etc.
etc.,
etc.,
Poreign
office.
now/
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MORRI
1967