Howqua and the Ewo Hong Born in Quanzhou,Fujian,China,he was known to the West as Howqua(the second).His father,Wu Guorong was also Howqua(the first)and was founder of the family company.Because his Chinese name was too difficult for western traders to pronounce,the name Howqua comes from his Chinese Business Name.He became rich on the trade between China and the British Empire in the middle of the 19th century during the First Opium War.Perhaps the wealthiest man in China during the nineteenth century,Howqua was the senior of the Hong merchants in Canton,one of the few authorized to trade silk and porcelain with foreigners.According to historic records,there was a fire in 1822 and many of the cohongs were burned down.The melted silver allegedly formed a little stream almost two miles in length.Of the 3 million dollars of compensation that was required to pay the British from the Treaty of Nanking, he single-handedly contributed one million,one third of the total sum.He later died in Canton the same year.Howqua and the Ewo Hong • Born in Quanzhou, Fujian, China, he was known to the West as Howqua (the second). His father, Wu Guorong was also Howqua (the first) and was founder of the family company. Because his Chinese name was too difficult for western traders to pronounce, the name Howqua comes from his Chinese Business Name 浩官. He became rich on the trade between China and the British Empire in the middle of the 19th century during the First Opium War. Perhaps the wealthiest man in China during the nineteenth century, Howqua was the senior of the Hong merchants in Canton, one of the few authorized to trade silk and porcelain with foreigners. According to historic records, there was a fire in 1822 and many of the cohongs were burned down. The melted silver allegedly formed a little stream almost two miles in length. Of the 3 million dollars of compensation that was required to pay the British from the Treaty of Nanking, he single-handedly contributed one million, one third of the total sum. He later died in Canton the same year