Research On Commerce In Liao Dynasty

Liao Dynasty emerged from the SongMo area, established a unified regime in907, created the reign title as Shence in916, destroyed Bohai in926, and thenoccupied the Northeast area. In938, general Shi Jingtang in Later Tang Dynastyoffered the Yan and Yun sixteen prefectures to Liao Taizong Yelv Deguang, the areaincluding the northern part of Hebei Province, Beijing, Tianjin and most of ShanxiProvince belonged to the Khitan. The vast grassland area, in the hinterland of LiaoDynasty was a paradise for cattle and sheep. Therefore the traditional animalhusbandry economy was the foundation of Liao Dynasty, while the drop of Bohaiand ownership of the Yanyun region infused fresh blood to the development ofagriculture. The difference and imbalance of the economic development made strongpower of the commercial development in Liao Dynasty.About the study of commerce in Liao Dynasty, the previous researchers onlyresearched on one respect, for example, domestic commerce in Liao Dynasty, themarket in Liao Dynasty, the trade between Liao and Song Dynasty etc. No one had asystematic research on the issue. This paper tries to carry on the comprehensiveelaboration about it, which makes full use of the dual evidences method, namelycorroboration literature data with stone material, and combines with other researchmethods in ethnology, anthropology, archaeology and so on. In addition to theintroduction part, the whole thesis is made of five chapters.The first chapter is the basis of commerce in Liao Dynasty, includingagriculture, animal husbandry, handicraft industry and traffic etc. The development ofagriculture, animal husbandry and handicraft industry provided the materialbasis for the commerce in Liao Dynasty, the remaining products which launched onthe market would become commodities. Therefore the development of the three couldsurely promote the commercial development. While the traffic in Liao Dynasty under the conditions at that time was developed, not only the Post Road from Liao toSong, the Straight Road from Liao to Xia, the Eagle Road from Liao to Wuguobu, butalso grassland Silk Road and waterway, which provided traffic guarantee for thecommerce in Liao Dynasty.The second chapter expounds the currency in Liao Dynasty, which must bethe medium of exchange. The currency has its own characteristics, namely the coin ofthe country less, and Tang, Song coins more. They constituted the monetary system ofLiao Dynasty. One part of Tang and song coins were the Liao Dynasty government orprivate imitation cast. But this did not affect the monetary operation in Liao Dynasty.The phenomenon of inflation was short and just appeared at the end of Liao Dynasty.At the same time, the cellaring coins in Liao Dynasty were huge, and it happenedwhich the private destroyed coins to cast bronze ware. These factors hindered thedevelopment of commerce in Liao Dynasty to some extent.The third chapter mainly concerns the domestic and foreign commerce in LiaoDynasty. The domestic one covered five Capitals and their counties, at the sametime, there were business activities in the Woluduo, tribes, Touxia states, and the PostRoad side. It can be side that commercial outlets throughout, making mutual exchangeof needed products among the ethnic and regional, so it brought convenience for thelife of the people. The traders in Liao Dynasty as a group, included the noblemen, thegeneral officials, Yunweihu and the upper class monks. Under the guidance ofthe policy focusing on agriculture instead of business, the traders were restricted tobusiness, especially the officials. But the traders still made unremitting efforts to fightfor political rights. The foreign trade was initially between Liao Dynasty and the FiveDynasties and ten states. During this period, the business was still in an initialstage, more was an intergovernmental diplomacy and trade. Quechang trade boomedafter Northern Song Dynasty established, especially Chanyuan Treaty concluded. Itnot only brought huge economic benefits to Liao Dynasty, but also was convenient forthe military defense to Song Dynasty. The folk trade between Liao and SongDynasty had developed into a highly level, smuggling trade was pervasive, includinghorses, grain, salt, books, population etc. It added new content to the life of Liao Dynasty people. The grassland Silk Road in Liao Dynasty which connected the nativeto the northwest and northern tribes, ethnic groups and the western regions, was ableto get through in Liao Dynasty. In order to control the trade way, Liao Dynasty carriedon the effective control and management, therefore the business on the Silk Road wasvery prosperous, and also had important influence on the world.The fourth chapter mainly concerns business policy and commercial institutionscontinue to improve. The tax law began in Taizu period. LiaoShengzong period was acrucial role for Liao Dynasty commercialpolicy adjustment, notonly were signbusiness activities creasing the range gradually, but also strengthened the tariffgovernance, and contributed to stabilizing the market. So the commercial maturity andperfection in Liao Dynasty was in this period. The commercial organizations in LiaoDynasty including business tax institute, various taxation institutions and monetaryinstitutions. The government taxed to the salt, wine, porcelain and other importanthandicraft industry department, of course, and set the corresponding mechanism. Thispaper, combined with a large number of stone inscriptions, has carried on thecomprehensive framework.The fifth chapter concerns the influence of the commerce in Liao Dynasty. It wasin many aspects, involving political, military, economic, cultural and many otheraspects of daily life, and to produce all-round influence on society in Liao Dynasty.The commerce in Liao Dynasty played an important role in the whole society, itgenerated a cohesion and centripetal force, which promoted the formation of theChinese community. And through the close economic and trade contacts, KhitanDynasty exposed to the world background as ever, not only on the world at thattime, also had a profound impact on future history of Jin and Yuan Dynasty.