Analysis Of Lianghuai Yanzheng From Kang Xi To Qian Long

During the Qing Dynasty, salt monopoly system of the administrative managementwas considered as one of the most important matters to both state taxation and thelivelihood of the people particularly in Lianghuai salt zone. Because salt taxation ofLianghuai covered one fourth of the whole income of the state. Salt engagement wasdifferent from other slat zones. Salt administration is the most difficult to salt politicaldepartment. According to the importance of Lianghuai salt taxation, the imperial Qingdesigned an senior official，named Yanzheng, that differed fundamentally from saltmonopoly officials of previous dynasty. So the article was divided into three parts toobserve the yanzheng of Lianghuai to comprehende Lianghuai salt policy.Part one is a introduction to historical origins and its features of the senior official(yanzheng).Author argues that the emergence of the salt official was shaped mainly bythe political circumstances not by economic considerations during the period fromkangxi to Qianlong. Salt merchants suffered exploitation from both government and thesenior officials.The second part of the paper explored the operational aspects of the senior official(yanzheng) focusing on his effects in the modes of salt price. On the other hand, thepaper analyzed another significant element of salt price was economic development.The third part was an analysis the relationship between the senior official (yanzheng)and Qing government, Emperor, salt merchants. Government controlled and utilized saltmerchants by the senior official (yanzheng); Yanzheng supported large sum of money forEmperor southern inspection tour and luxury from local salt taxation and salt merchants.So salt merchants had to curry favour with the senior official (yanzheng) and at the sametime they suffered exploitation government and emperor.