东印度公司初涉尼泊尔—中国西藏贸易路线问题

Early Intervention on Nepal-China’Tibet Trade Routes by East India Company

东印度公司最初将中国西藏视为一个可以通往中国内地市场的贸易后门,而尼泊尔是接触这个后门的最佳选择,所以,18世纪下半期东印度公司通过派兵和遣使的方式试图控制尼泊尔路线。与此同时,黑斯廷斯对不丹与库赤·贝哈尔纷争的介入,既开辟了不丹贸易路线的前景,又收获了与中国西藏第一次交往的惊喜,但这并没有打乱东印度公司对尼泊尔贸易路线的执着,然而廓尔喀之役打碎了英国的算盘。这一时期的尼泊尔贸易路线问题不再拘囿于地缘因素,而是更多地体现出政治算计:廓尔喀的最理想目标是凭借相对优势的中转身份完全垄断穿越喜马拉雅的贸易财富,而东印度公司认为必须控制廓尔喀这个中转才能打开通向中国内陆市场的西藏之门。

British East India Company initially regarded Tibet as a back-door to Chinese mainland market,and Nepal was the best choice to approach this back door.Therefore,East India Company tried to control the Nepal route by sending troops and envoys in the second half of the eighteenth century.In the meantime,Hastings' s involvement in the dispute over Bhutan and Koch Bihar created the prospect of Bhutan's trade route and aroused his surprise for the first engagement with Tibet.However,it did not disrupt the East India Company's attachment to Nepal's trade route.As the matter gradually became clear,the battle of Gurkha broke the British wishful abacus.The issue of Nepal's trade route during this period no longer depends on geographical factors but more on political strategy.That is,Gurkha's ideal goal is to completely monopolize trade across the Himalayas by virtue of its relatively advantageous transit-status,while the East India Company believes it has to control Nepal in order to approach the back-door of Tibet.