Provisional regulations governing the trademarks in China

This document presents a translated copy of the *Provisional Regulations Governing the Registration of Trade Marks in China*, promulgated by the Chinese government and scheduled to take effect on 23 October 1904. Published by the North-China Herald Office in Shanghai and distributed through the Shanghai General Chamber of Commerce, the text reflects the Qing dynasty’s early efforts to institutionalize intellectual property rights amid increasing domestic and foreign commercial activity. As one of the first state-led initiatives to formalize trademark registration, these regulations signify a critical step in China’s legal modernization, influenced by international trade norms and the demands of foreign business interests operating in treaty ports. The English translation underscores its intended audience—foreign merchants, legal practitioners, and diplomatic entities—highlighting the transnational context of legal reform during this period. The involvement of foreign media and commercial institutions in disseminating official decrees illustrates the hybrid mechanisms of legal communication and governance under extraterritorial arrangements. Although subsequent sections of the document are partially illegible or redacted, the extant portion provides essential details regarding the regulatory framework’s origin, effective date, and administrative provenance. This source holds significant archival value for understanding the convergence of state-building, colonial economic influence, and juridical innovation in late Qing China. It exemplifies how external pressures and internal reform agendas jointly shaped the development of modern commercial law, marking a foundational moment in the evolution of China’s intellectual property regime.