Research On The Business Of Bamboo & Timber Of Yangtse River Valley In Qing Dynasty

As the mostly fundamental material of house-building, irrigation works-constructing and tools-making, bamboo and timber is one important kind of goods in the ancient Chinese society. The bamboo&timber business becomes booming little by little since the Song and Ming Dynasty. This thesis mainly makes research on the business of bamboo&timber of Yangtse River valley in the Qing Dynasty.The bamboo&timber thansport relies upon river in the traditional society. The rich rivers of Yangtse valley make up of perfect bamboo&timber water-by-thansporting net, on the base of which several-level bamboo&timber markets form. In the Qing period, many merchants are devoting themselves in the business in Yangtse River valley, of which Hui-merchants, Kiangsi-merchants and Lianghu merchants are especially prominent. The bamboo&timber business is significant for the government taxation income. During the whole Qing Dynasty the bamboo&timber taxation includes ya-shui, general tariff and li-jin, of which the general tariff is the most important. The bamboo&timber merchants make intimate relations with the local society by the business operating. It mainly behaves that hui-guan are generally build and the merchants make frequent conflicts with the local people. The local officials make decisive effect during dealing with the conflicts. The business of bamboo&timber owns the specifically commercial feature of itself. The business of Yangtse River is booming during the Jia-Dao period. The port opening in late Qing does not make attack to the traditional bamboo&timber business. A new development period comes again after the Tai-ping War.