The Study Of Market Registration(市籍) In Qin And Han Dynasties

With the collation and publication of a large number of bamboo slips in Qin and Han dynasties in recent years,there are more and more materials about"market registration(市籍)"in Qin and Han dynasties,which provides an opportunity for the in-depth study of market registration.Based on the method of literature research and the method of double evidence,this paper discusses the definition of market registration in the Qin and Han dynasties,the identity structure of those who have market registration,and the situation of being officials and holding land of those who have market registration."market registration",as the registry in the market management organization,is the name of individual businessmen and is the proof of all businessmen to conduct business.The Qin government implemented the policy of stressing agriculture and restraining commerce from the perspective of considering the foundation and stability of agriculture,but it did not completely exclude the commerce in the actual social life.During this period,merchants engaged in trade activities had a wide range of identities,including both low-status slaves(隶臣)and high-status senior officials(大夫).Against the background of recuperation in the early Han dynasty,Kao-tsu carried out a series of specific discriminatory measures against merchants,which had a far-reaching impact on two Han dynasties.As to the situation of being officials of those who have market registration in Qin and Han dynasties,there was no regulation that merchants could not be officials in Qin dynasty,however,it was a rule in the West Han dynasty that merchants could not be officials.But the policy of getting the title through the grain from the period of emperor wen and emperor jing of Han dynasty actually gave the merchants special privileges,and the rule that merchants could not be officials was completely destroyed in the period of emperor wu of Han dynasty.As to the situation of holding land of those who have market registration in Qin and Han dynasties,they were given land according to their titles,so they could own land.However,in the middle and late Han dynasty,emperor wu of Han dynasty restricted the merchants’fields for the purpose of accumulating wealth,but this policy has been abandoned since then.