Linxia Hui Commercial Economy Research

Linxia where our ancestor lived and reproduced five thousand years ago has a long history. Two thousand years ago, during Qin and Han dynasty, there were county, state and shire established in Linxia after people started writing to record things. And Linxia had been called Baohan which later was changed into Daohe, Hezhou. Since Xihan dynasty when ZhangQian was sent to visit Serindia, Linxia had become a key stronghold on the southern part of ancient silk road, an garrison town for the tang-tibet ancient road, and a bridge connected politic, economy and culture between Zhongyuan and Serindia.As the silk road, Tang-Tibet ancient road and GanChuan ancient road interlaced with each other and streched in Linxia area, therefore many merchants gathered, also various trades based on horse tea trade were made prosperously. So Linxia had been recognized as "Hehuang powerful town" as well as collecting and distributing centre of goods and materials and logistics center in western China. This made it a place of military and strategic importance. After new China was established, Linxia entered a new era.Linxia Hui lived in transitional zone between Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and Loess plateau, this zone is part of Han-Zang road’s transitional zone. It is the frontier region where Hang and Zang made their trades and exchanged their culture in many ways. No matter in the past or now, multiculturalism and multi-religion’s clash, exchanges, and integration will be always involved in Linxia Hui’s development. Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and Loess plateau connect there, Inland farming civilization and Nomadic civilization exchange there. Hui, the local people, explores and develops frontier areas together with other ethnic group with their own unique wisdom and the will to survive. They have made a historic contribution for local exploration and development.Commercial activity in Linxia which started at Ming dynasty,has over600years of history. Although being surrounded by Han-Zang culture, Hui still keeps their Muslim culture tradition and spirit, such as their own traditional culture, religions and daily expressions. Those traditional culture becomes one of the most viable national culture form to the east edge of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, it shows many profound and unique features of the times. Until now, Linxia Hui merchants are spreading everywhere doing so many kinds of businesses, and the number of Hui merchants reaches the highest in their history, thus they become a commercial group which is innegligible but is ignored by academic circles. This paper introduces the history and present situation of Linxia Hui’s business economy, which is of great significance to help make full use of Hui’s traditional advantages(they are good at doing business) to boost local ethnic group economy in socialist market economy condition.