Russian Attempts at Establishing Diplomatic Relations with China II

Abstract

As noted above, one of the causes for the failure of the Baikoff’s mission was the conflict between Russians and Chinese on the Amur. After Russians began again to move into the Amur, new difficulties arose which led the Chinese frontier authorities to open communications with local Siberian authorities. In 1670 the Defense Commissioner of Ninguta sent dispatches to Nerchinsk, protesting against Russian encroachments on the Amur, and demanding the extradition of Gantimur, a Solon prince, who, with his tribe, had gone over to Russia. In reply Danilo Arshinsky, voevoda of Nerchinsk, who apparently had little comprehension of the real situation, sent a Cossack, Ignashka Milovanoff, to Peking with proposals that Emperor K’ang-hsi accept Russian suzerainty. Although the Chinese officials, or perhaps the Jesuit interpreters, must have suppressed the offensive passage, yet such a demand caused China to impose subsequent humiliation on Russia.¹ Chinese records reveal the event as follows: ² In the fourth month of the ninth year (of K’ang-hsi) Russia sent an envoy to present his piao (official letter) as a sign of submission, but the text of it was uncomprehensible; the script went from the bottom to the top, like the Taoist charm seals. Therefore, the Russian envoy was summoned to translate the document in order to present to the Emperor.