A Study On The Bridges And Ferries Of The Hainan In Ming And Qing Dynasties

As a significant period in the development of Hainan Province, the Dynasty of Ming and Qing was prominent in its social and economical progress, which enabled common people going out more and more frequently.The population of Hainan got increased, cities built up, post roads threaded trough and cultural education flourished; additionally, the topography condition of Hainan was very unique, forming its distinct traffic pattern.As a result of the two factors, the construction, management as well as operation of bridges and ferries became an important component of social and economic development. Not only were they a constituent part of the transport infrastructure, but the scene of officials interacting with common people during the construction, management and operation revealed how local governments had dealt with the folk since Ming and Qing Dynasties. Bridges and ferries served as local public affairs, attracting excellent officials as well as elites from the folk. These two forces were closely related to each other, one aspect waning while the other waxing due to their competition of benefits, thus the influences they exerted upon the local were diversified. To draw a conclusion, the research on bridges and ferries in Hainan will definitely be useful to the in-depth survey of Hainan's social development in Ming and Qing Dynastis.