Leaving The Hometown But Sticking To The Birthplace

Taking the“Genealogy of Liu’s 8^th Amendment in Qingshui,Ji’an”compiled in the 35^th year of the Republic of China as the principal data,also collecting the“Genealogy of Liu’s 9^th Amendment in Qingshui,Ji’an”and the content of the“Overall Genealogy of Liu’s in Daqiao”in the 36^th year of the Republic of China,supplemented by local chronicles and collected works,discussing the development trajectory of Liu’s merchants in Qingshui Village of Ji’an County,this paper focuses on the growth of Liu’s merchant community in the late Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China.According to the genealogical records,a small number of Liu’s people migrated after the Yongle government of the Ming Dynasty.After entering the Qing Dynasty,the Liu’s ethnic group sought wealth in Hunan,Guangxi,Guizhou,Sichuan and other places.During the Qianlong period,Liu’s family gradually developed,but there was no group of businessmen formed,which can be interpreted that Liu’s people were individually doing their own businesses following the traditional channels and patterns..Since Daoguang period,the Liu clansman has risen rapidly in commercial circles,the scenes of father and son,brothers,uncle and nephew getting together to go out business appeared.In the late Qing Dynasty and the early Republic of China,Liu businessman played an extraordinary role,with a large number of firms on the streets,active in Changsha,Hankou,Shanghai and other places.During the Anti-Japanese War,although the Liu clan suffered losses,they revived their vitality by their shrewder insight and powerful capital.The reason why Liu merchants conduct commercial activities by utilizing the existing ethnic hometown relations is obviously characterized by family-run operations,who always maintain close contact with their hometowns.After they became rich in business away from home,they actively engaged in family construction and public welfare though they left their hometown.And they gradually became the dominant power in the improvement of family construction.It can be said that it’s commercial activities provided the vitality for modern rural society.At the same time,they also enthusiastically participate in a series of local affairs in the county,the status of Liu’s family rising step by step in the process.And they started to play a pivotal role in local society.Liu family and their businesses were more and more prosperous since the late Qing dynasty.Their family’s history has provided us with the possibility to understand the history of business development.The study focuses on specific merchant families,and implement the businessmen and their behaviors into specific space and time to understand.Therefore,we can see a dynamic process of change.In the meanwhile,this case also show us a new perspective to discuss the transformation of rural society and the evolution of power at the grassroots level.