Study On Jiaodong Merchants And Local Society In Modern Times

Jiaodong is located east of the Shandong peninsula and it was the first place where the Eastern Marine Silk Road began. Since Yantai and Qingdao opened their doors to the world, Jiaodong had been in the forward position of economical and cultural exchange of the East and the West. Its commodity economy developed unceasingly, and became one of the most prosperous areas of Shandong Province. At the same time, the Jiaodong merchant group was also growing steadily, and promoted the further development of local economy. They took an active part in the local public affairs, infiltrated and influenced each other with the local society in culture and life. They played an extremely important role in the social development of Jiaodong. Therefore, this dissertation takes "study on Jiaodong merchants and local society in modern times" as a topic, attempting to analyze the overall character of Jiaodong society in modern times, through this unique view of Jiaodong merchants.Benefit from the superior geographical environment and the rich product resource, the commerce of Jiaodong was developed very well in early times. In modern times, depending on their good harbor conditions, Qingdao and Yantai had become the important commerce centre of Shandong. The people conventionally consider that Yantai and Qingdao were only small, wild fishing villages before they opened. But according to the material, the commerce of Yantai and Qingdao had already developed to a certain degree before they opened. Along with the development of Jiaodong commerce, the merchants of Jiaodong also rose. In modern times, the Jiaodong merchants had went over the country, and went out to the foreign countries.Since Yantai and Qingdao opened up, the foreign trade had developed rapidly. In pursuit of economic profits, the merchants entered the new commercial area immediately, organized trade companies, engaged in foreign trade about local and special products, and further impelled the development of farming industry, plant industry of economic crops and handicraft industry of weaving. Under the direct participation and impetus of the merchants, some traditional agricultural products and handicrafts were brought into the more extensive economic system. Meanwhile, the modern merchants of Jiaodong began to invest in modern industry, basing on their accumulation of funds. They had made great contributions in the development of modern industry, especially in the watch industry, winemaking and refined salt manufacturing. The modern industry appeared in Jiaodong at that time had begun to take the shape of modernized enterprise. They adopted advanced technology and equipments, imported advanced management system and methods, which made them have main characters of modernized enterprise. They represented the rise of new emerging forces and promoted the social economy further development. Based on their economic strength, the Jiaodong merchants took direct and valid effect on the development of rural economics of farming, fishery industry, and so on. In turn, the development of rural economics promoted the development of commerce, increased merchant's income. In modern times, many merchants of Jiaodong engaged in business activities in the northeast of China and the majority of their wealth back flew to Jiaodong. The injection of the capital stimulated the prosperity of traditional financial industry directly, and provided the capital resource for the development of local economy in Jiaodong area.Along with the enhancement of their economic strength, the Jiaodong merchants began to throw themselves into the more wide public sphere. The appearance of modern chamber of commerce provided a broader platform for merchants to participate local public affairs in Jiaodong. They took an active part in local business management and municipal affairs, maintained national rights and dedicated to the public undertakings. They made considerable achievements and promoted the progress and development of local society. Particularly in Yantai, when the local government couldn't maintain administration effectively, the local social organization could gain more public management space. On the one hand, as a new social organization representing the newly developing merchant stratum, the chamber of commerce hoped to gain the opportunity to participate in the public affairs, which owned a group of commerce elite who had certain social status, popularity, considerable economic strength and capability to take on this responsibility with local government. On the other hand, the local government and officials also accomplished the cooperation positively. That made the chamber of commerce of Yantai could participate in many regions and levels in municipal administration. Because the loss of independent sovereignty, the chambers of commerce of Qingdao and Weihai were inferior mostly to that of Yantai in depth and extent.During its long developing period, the Jiaodong culture had formed unique culture gradually which had been influenced by Qi culture first and edified by Lu culture then. Because of the double characteristic that the Jiaodong culture owned, the spirit of Jiaodong merchants had the characteristic of containing and innovating of ocean culture and value pursue of confusion, official and merchant integration of traditional confusion culture. The chivalric spirit of helping others reflected the harmonization of the two cultures. The combination of honesty, sagacity and hardworking in the business activities of Jiaodong merchants, manifested the unique influence from the Jiaodong culture. In modern times, the merchants from everywhere brought different cultures into Jiaodong, the depth and extent of cultural communication strengthened, the more opening and multiple culture of Jiaodong took shape gradually.Because more and more people joined in the business troops in modern times, merchants had played an important role in influencing local society life. Merchants had been the main section in the movement of population in Jiaodong area and the numbers of population that were brought along by merchants were much more. The expansion of the scope of merchants' business activities led to the expansion of the range of marriage in Jiaodong, while more marriages beyond county and province appeared. The marriageable age were influenced by the merchants' activities, too. In Jiaodong, the marriageable age of male and female were in their 20s more or less, that formed obvious contrast with the south and west south region in Shandong province. The demonstration effect of the successful merchants attracted more people to join in the business army. This not only made the business tendencies more current but also brought the appearance of new education. In the real life, the influences which were brought about by the merchants' behavior in local society were variable. We can't find them in the written records, but I can feel the changes everywhere which were brought about by merchants when I was investigating in Jiaodong.Along with the enhancement of economic strength and the raising of social position, the Jiaodong merchants played a more important role in local society in modern times. They became an important strength to move the society of Jiaodong forward. Their business, social and individual behavior and the whole development of Jiaodong society had infiltrated and influenced each other, and manifested the tendency from tradition to modern. But the harmful behavior of some merchants became the unharmonious notes during the process, and damaged the whole image of Jiaodong merchants.