The Research Of Gansu Grain Prices(1796-1911)

Since JiaQing period,Gansu's grain price has displayed a clear trend that can be characterized in several stages. Although the grain price level was kept relatively stable and had little volatilities before 1850, it began to fluctuate thereafter. While the grain price level decreased in most provinces at the time, it rocketed in Gansu with the impact of insurgence of Hui people. Although the grain price began to fall as the insurgence was suppressed, its volatility remained and exhibited a geographic pattern of gradual lessening in fluctuation as it moves from east to west. 1796-1911, the prices of wheat, barley, corn, pea and corn millet showed certain gradation, in which corn and wheat were more expensive than barley, pea and corn millet.Factors affecting grain price of Gansu are so complex that natural disasters, social unrest and levels of national food storage, silver price and cultivation of economic crops were all involved. Natural disaster was the main cause for price appreciation and events such as Hui Uprising and He Huang Uprising also contributed considerably. While food storage had significant effect in stabilizing grain price, the number of population had little impact. Money and cultivation of economic crops also affected the grain price to some degree. To a certain extent,Grain price fluctuation best reflects the changes in the level of market integration.