Characteristics of Commodity Trade in Song and Liao Dynasties

The characteristics of commodity trade in Song and Liao Dynasties are as follows:

The ancient society of China was based on agriculture, and the natural economy was dominant. In order to bind farmers in the fields, protect agricultural production, maintain social stability and consolidate their rule, rulers of past dynasties implemented the economic policy of "emphasizing agriculture and restraining commerce". The development of commodity economy is slow, but it has also experienced several climaxes of commercial development. During the Song Dynasty in China, commercial development was very prominent.

First, the commercial development is unprecedentedly prosperous.

The Northern Song Dynasty ended the long-term war and separatist regime in the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms. National unity and social stability provide a prerequisite for commercial development. The traditional agriculture and handicraft industry in ancient China experienced more than 1000 years' development, which provided raw materials, commodities and market base for commercial development.

In order to increase fiscal revenue, the Song government implemented a relatively loose commercial policy, which promoted commercial prosperity. Song Taizong once wrote "Let the two systems know how to discuss politics and prosperity", and let officials learn how to manage money and seek wealth. Song Shenzong, on the other hand, believed that "financial management should come first" and issued the imperial edict that "political affairs should come first and financial management should be urgent".

These policy orientations have promoted the prosperity and rapid development of business. At the same time, the social status of businessmen improved, and the Song Dynasty began to allow businessmen to take the imperial examination, which was a great change.

Due to the unprecedented prosperity of commerce, it promoted the rich development of currency forms and types in the Song Dynasty. The coins of the Song Dynasty were the highest and best coins in the ancient history of China in terms of variety, quantity and quality.

The prosperity and development of commerce has caused changes in the form of money. The earliest paper money "Jiaozi" appeared in Sichuan around 998 AD (the first year of Xianping). This is the earliest paper money in China and the world. There are several kinds of banknotes printed and issued by the Song government, such as Jiaozi, Yin Qian, Guanzi and Huizi.

Second, the government's control over commercial activities is gradually decreasing.

The market in Song Dynasty broke through the original time and space restrictions, commercial activities were no longer directly supervised by the government, and commercial management was relatively loose.

The development of commerce promotes the disintegration of the classical market system and the establishment of the modern market system. Before the Song Dynasty, cities above the county level generally set up markets in specific places to gather and trade goods. There is a wall around the city, which is strictly isolated from the residents. The government establishes a city order or mayor, strictly manages market transactions, opens and closes the market on time, and no transactions are allowed after the market is closed.

In the Song Dynasty, the boundary between the square and the city was broken, the city was scattered in the city, and the city changed from the separation of the square and the city to the integration of the square and the city. In the past, the operating time limit of the Japanese-Chinese market was also broken. Grass market, night market and dawn market became more common, and trading activities were no longer directly supervised by the government.

It is recorded in the Dream of Tokyo in the Northern Song Dynasty: "The night market was reopened after midnight. Play for one night. " Reflects the prosperity of the night market in the Song Dynasty. These loose commercial restrictions have promoted the development and prosperity of business.

Third, commerce has developed rapidly in cities. After it penetrated into rural areas, the small-scale peasant economy and commodity economy have become more closely linked.

Urban commerce developed rapidly in Song Dynasty, and Zhang Zeduan's Riverside Scene at Qingming Festival reflected the prosperity of commercial activities in Tokyo, the capital of Northern Song Dynasty. The general rise and development of rural and suburban commercial towns is a remarkable feature of social and economic development in Song Dynasty.

More than a dozen big towns have developed under the impetus of commodity economy. Hankou Town, Foshan Town, Zhuxian Town and Jingdezhen are the four most famous commercial towns. With the development of commodity economy, there are more and more kinds of commodities in the market, and the industry is more and more subdivided. The main agricultural and sideline products needed by ordinary people and the large and small commodities produced by urban handicrafts have significantly improved their status in the whole circulation circle.

Pan Shuzhi's Sixteenth Lecture on Chinese Studies: "At that time, there were more than 20,000 households in Kaifeng, including 640 merchants with abundant capital, belonging to 160, with rice, salt, tea and other commodities." It reflects the deepening commercialization of agricultural and sideline products and handicrafts, and the relationship between small-scale peasant economy and commodity economy is increasingly close.

Fourth, the commercial market has many forms.

In the Song Dynasty, not only the boundary between the square and the city was broken, but also the market transactions flourished, and the grass market, night market and dawn market gradually developed and prospered. Wu's "Liang Lumeng" records: "In the rest of Qiaodaofang Lane, there are also night markets selling fruit candy and other things, and there are also divination sellers on the street, such as carrying food on stretchers until midnight. Although it rains and snows heavily in winter, there are also night markets to sell. "

It can be seen that the night market is prosperous. According to Meng Yuanshen's Dream of Tokyo, the phenomenon of selling cold food in the capital Tokyo is very common, which reflects the diversity of urban commerce.

During the Song Dynasty, daily necessities became the bulk of merchants' business, and the business methods were also classified from merchants to merchants. According to each link of commodity circulation, different business processes and industry classifications such as acquisition, transportation, warehousing, wholesale and retail were formed.

At that time, there were fixed commercial and entertainment places such as "Wazi" and "Goulan". Meng Yuan's "Dream in Tokyo" records that Jingwa's geisha "looks at people not from the wind and rain, but from the shed every day." Hundreds of operas were staged, and citizens rushed to watch them.

Verb (abbreviation of verb) border trade and foreign trade are developed.

In the Song Dynasty, markets were set up at the border to develop trade. For example, the Song Dynasty established close commercial and trade relations with Tibetan tribes in the northwest through border trade, and formed a relatively stable common market, which enriched the economic life of Tibetans, not only made Tibetan areas in the northwest a prosperous commercial area, but also promoted the development of national economy;

In the Southern Song Dynasty, pavilions were set up at the junction with Jin and Dali to exchange needed items. Song Dynasty exported medicinal materials, tea, cotton, rhinoceros horn, ivory and so on. And imported goods such as North Pearl, ginseng, fur and horses. There is also a lot of trade between people.

Foreign trade was quite developed, and the Song Dynasty had trade with dozens of countries in Southeast Asia, South Asia, Arabian Peninsula and even Africa. Foreign trade income became one of the main sources of government income in the Southern Song Dynasty.

In the third year of Yuanfeng, in order to adapt to the prosperous foreign trade, the Song government formulated the first trade law in the history of China, the Guangzhou Maritime Law. The foreign trade ports also set up "Fan Shi" in the city to monopolize foreign goods; Set up a "dining room" for foreigners to live in; Set up "Xue Fan" for foreign children to receive education.

There are still many tombs of princes in Guangzhou and Quanzhou, which proves the prosperity of overseas trade at that time.

In addition, the commercial traffic in the Song Dynasty was also relatively developed, and the degree of traffic development in the Song Dynasty was the highest in the feudal history of mankind.

In ancient China, the economy was dominated by natural economy. In order to maintain social stability and their own rule, feudal rulers.

The economic policy of "emphasizing agriculture and restraining business" runs through, and the restrictions on business always exist and cannot be completely broken. The commercial development in Song Dynasty can only be developed through restriction and breakthrough.