Evervday Life Of The Mountain Peonle At The Border Areas Between Fuiian,Zhejiang And Jiangxi,1600-1800

This essay is an investigation,combining the perspective of environmental history and socio-economic history,into a case study of the changes in ecology and life pattern in the border area between Fujian,Zhejiang and Jiangxi,form the 1600s to the 1800s.The natural environment made this area partially an "vacant land" while containing the potential for the development of commodity economy.Since the mid-Ming Dynasty,the expansion of the market in the Lower Yangtze Valley had been the fundamental driving force for migrants to move into this region,suggesting that economic power rather than state power achieved the exploitation of the "vacant land." The livelihood of mountain people relied on the continuous energy output of the upland ecosystem to the market in downstream regions.While transforming ecological resources such as bamboo,hemp and indigo into commodities,ecological elements also affected their everyday life.The diversity of dietary structure,the mobility of living space and the universality of sideline work had been main characteristics of such mountainous life.Yaomenjiao,a regional sect,performed a similar function in the absence of formal clan organization,showing how the everyday life experience of mountain people projected in their beliefs.Its rebellion since the late 18th century resulted from the ecological deterioration of the region which was caused by the livelihood model based on ecological exploitation.Facing the ecological crisis,the Qing government chose to sacrifice the livelihoods of mountain people,leading to the loss of its political legitimacy which the latter had identified with.