From "Fragrant Medicine" To "Fragrant Spices":Piper Nigrum And Chinese Society In Ming Dynasty

Piper nigrum-Foreign product,imported from Han and Jin Dynasties,was dubbed"luxury goods" in the Sui and Tang Dynasties,and was initially promoted during Song and Yuan Dynasties.To the Ming dynasty,Piper nigrum appeared in the diet of the general public and became "daily products".This process is not only a simple change of appellation,but also contains a profound recognition of Piper nigrum.This article takes Piper nigrum as the key word,focusing Piper nigrum how to achieve the transformation from "fragrant medicine" to "fragrant spices","luxury goods" to "daily products",and then further elaborates the intrinsic link between the Piper nigrum and Chinese Society in Ming Dynasty.Firstly,using time as a clue,this part respectively sorts out the input and usage of Piper nigrum in the three periods of Han and Jin Dynasties,the Sui and Tang Dynasties,and the Song and Yuan Dynasties,and the explores the cognition degree of Piper nigrum for people.Secondly,this part is divided into three stages to discuss how Piper nigrum for people.Secondly,this part is divided into three stages to discuss how Piper nigrum is imported into China under the special overseas trade policy of the Ming Dynasty.Stage 1:the fluctuation period of Hongwu,Piper nigrum input was mainly through official tribute trade;Stage 2:the golden period of Zheng He's voyages,Piper nigrum was partly brought by the tributary countries,and part of it was brought back by Zheng He's team;Stage3:the normal period during the middle and late Ming Dynasty,Piper nigrum input contains the official and private channels.In the end,it analyzes the Piper nigrum finally achieved the transaction from "luxury goods" to "daily products" was through three promotions and its popularity.The first promotion was that people recognize the medicinal properties of Piper nigrum more comprehensively and systematically,which leading to the understanding of Piper nigrum for people's goes from "legend" to "scientific" and to reveal its mystery.The second times promotion from "scientific" and to reveal its mystery.The second times promotion from the Imperial Palace to the residence of officials,the Ming rulers used Piper nigrum as part of the official pay and reward officials or generals to ease the country's financial problems.Thus,Piper nigrum was promoted to the residence of the bureaucrats and gradually lost its noble symbolic status.The last time promotion from the house of the officials to the home of the civilians,influenced by previous two promotions and the spread of scholars' books,Piper nigrum was consciously contacted,understood,accepted and used by the general public,which appeared in the public's eating habits gradually and became daily necessities eventually.All in all,the article provides the view is that shift in Piper nigrum identity a progress which is a long interaction and mutual stimulation based on the social background,the consumers and the commodity.Chinese Society in Ming Dynasty is the key point of its transformation.It was initial driven by the ruler's artificial power,and the forward was the inevitable nature of pepper itself.