A Study On Commerce And Trade Of Zhangjiachuan In The Republic Of China

Because of remote geographic location and the destructive result of war,Zhangjiachuan county had been kept in relatively isolated state with blocked information for a long time. Thus, the growth of social economy in this region was extremely slow.At the beginning of the Republic of China, foreign capital began to Invest into the northwestern market in china, and Hui nationality businessman headed by five famous family with same surname Ma in northwest of China, also took active role in trade market, their business activities latter spreaded nationwide. Meanwhile, Local landlords and wealthy merchants took up their former business, they set up firms and shops; those small retailers with rich business experiences also started their retail business, they purchase fur and wool throughout the country. With the settlement of foreign firms in China, confusedly, fur trade in Zhangjiachuan became popular, it attracted many fur purchasers from all over the country. Zhangjiachuan became one of well-known fur distribution centre in the northwest of China.The prosperity of fur trade had stimulated a rapid development in other local industries such as handicraft, restaurants and cattle and sheep trade. It formed a commercial circle which integrated the purchase, manufacture, transportation and consumption together. The fair trade once in Zhangjiachuan had been in a period of great prosperity during the Republic of China times. The commerce and trade had optimized resource allocation, adjusted industrial structure, and helped local people shake off backward and closed ideological shackles resulted from natural economy impact. Due to the frequent commercial transactions, it had changed a suspicious relations into a harmonious relation between Hui and Han. The causes of prosperity in fur trade lie in the external environment and local factors as well.This paper analyses the changes and characteristics of social economy resulted from the prosperous fur trade, and studies the development of various industries at that time.The writer focuses on exploring the causes of the prosperous fur trade, the impacts of the fur trade on regional economy and exportation, and especially the functions of such commercial activities in the improvement of national relationship. The writer tries to sort out some useful historical information which can be used in the development of national economy through studying the commerce and trade of Zhangjiachuan.