Study On The Foreign Spices And Perfumes During The Tang Dynasty

The paper through considering the question that how the volume of trade on the Silk Road were balanced, discovered that the import spices and perfumes of China in Middle Ages regardless of the total quantity or the value,comparing with the export silk was not inferior, furthermore the few hoards of Sasanian silver coin found in China were unable to prove the international trade then was paid by the currency. Therefore the author think that exchanging the silk with the spices and perfumes were the main propelling force of the international trade between East and West in Middle Ages. In addition, the author also studied the widespread application of the foreign spices and perfumes in the Tang society, all kinds of spices and perfumes introduced to Tang China from the wide western regions between Mediterranean Sea and the Onion Range. finally, studied the use of the business tax collected from the barbarian merchants. Obtained the following knowledge:Because no recordation of using the silver ingots in the historical documents and the notes in the first half period of Tang dynasty, the author consider that the theory that The massive Sasanian silver coin once have been recast as the current ingots Proposed by William Watson cannot be established. Through the researchment of having silver mountains in the Turfan district, the author think most of the silver coins in the turfan documents were cast by the local government,not from Sasanian Empire. the few hoards of Sasanian silver coins found in China were unable to prove the volume of trade between Iran and China were balanced by the silver. Through investigating the trade of spices and perfumes between east and west,the author think that the intermediary,the Persians and the sogdians when they bought the silk from China,didn't pay the silver,but transported the massive and expensive spices and perfumes for Chinese.Through the researchment of the widespread application of the foreign spices and perfumes,the author discovered that the exchange of civilization was benefit both. When we send the silk to the west,the western people also transported the massive spices and perfumes for the Chinese,which was used in the sacrificial offering,beauty and illness. The spices and perfumes were transported to China enormously enriched the Tang people's life,increased the Tang people's life appeal,promoted the Tang people's savor and relieved the Tang people's pain of illness. The reason which The Tang civilization had made the great development, should owe her success to the business intercourse as well as the civilization exchange.In addition, the advocation and affection for the foreign spices and perfumes also explained the Tang people had the open mind, could absorb all kinds of the civilization fruits created by the people of different countries and districts. From Mediterranean Sea to Indian Ocean, from Persian Gulf to Transoxiana, every famous spice and perfume could be found in the medical book of Tang dynasty.Simultaneously the Tang people are also rational. For the foreign spice and perfume, they didn't imitated their effect in the native place, after absorption and digestion, developed their new use and returned back to the districts along the silk road which could be found from the Dunhuang and Turfan documents.According to the historical records, collecting the business tax from the barbarian merchants began at the Beiliang Dynasty.The king of Beiliang was not Han people, but he liked the Confucian civilization,so the tax system was received from Zhou,Xijin and Qianliang,in his kingdom,there were so many Sogdians,therefore,the king collected more money and pearls from the barbarian merchants.Through investigating the Turfan Documents, the author discovered that the Volume of the spices and perfumes reached as high as 2933 Jin, if added the medicine,the total volume reached 4121 Jin, Couldn't be compared by the silk and gold, therefore the trade of spices and perfumes really held the pivotal status on the silk road. Through investigating the "Chenjiaqian" in the Gaochang Kingdom, the author find that the tax rate only reached 0.11%, so the author think it was not the business tax,but the fee because of using the official measurement. During the Gaochang kingdom, the Tiele collected the large amount business tax,used for the military expenses of Turk empire. Which was the economical basis of Turk empire.Through calculating of the military expenditure of Anxi and Beiting During the Kaiyuan and Tianbao period,the author believed that the business tax collected from the barbarian merchants in the western regions were above 100 thousand Wen, the business tax caused the military organization established at the western regions changing to the patially self-sufficient or the totally self-sufficient. It not only solved the military supplies,but also relieved the government burden, recovered the inland economy, also strengthed the border defense,in this sense,the mystery of Kaiyuan Golden Ages of the Tang dynasty, just was collecting the business tax from the barbarian merchants.Through the research for the Canton trade of spices and perfumes during the Tang dynasty,the author find that the merchants who engaged in the trade of spices and perfumes on the sea mainly were Persians in the first half period of Tang dynasty.But after 762 A.D.along with the Black Tajik(The Arabian empire)moved their capital to Baghdad,the golden ages of the marine trade between China and Arab came upon, and the Arabs began involved in the spices and perfumes trade which made great profit. Through the research for the time of the establishment and the function of Canton Shi-bo-shi,the author think that from 714 A.D,The Tang empire began to collect the business tax from the foreign merchants at Canton. Through the research for the tax rate during the Southern dynasty and the second half period of Tang dynasty,in addition,referring to the tax rate of Arabian empire,the author think the tax rate of Canton Ship-foot were about 10%.