What is the difference between the small workshops in the south of the Yangtze River in the late Ming and early Qing Dynasties and the small and micro enterprises now?

China's commercial development reached its peak in this link from the maritime ban in the early Ming Dynasty to the Wanli New Deal in the late Ming Dynasty. At that time, the prosperity of economy and trade represented the rise of countless factories and workshops, and these countless commercial projects were like mushrooms after rain; Most of them have organizations behind them: business gangs.

It was the rapid economic development that brought the special law of the imperial court. They use business gangs to classify regional economies, and they also use business gangs to exercise jurisdiction. From now on, these rules seem too familiar, so what's the difference between them and micro-enterprises now?

1. Commercial prosperity in the late Ming Dynasty

/kloc-In the late 5th century, Zheng He sailed for the Atlantic Ocean with the sails of the Ming Dynasty, with China's silk, wood carvings and countless jewels and jade articles. These precious utensils, which originally belonged to Daming, went to the two sides of the Atlantic and flowed into the hands of nobles, becoming treasures they could not put down.

During the Wanli period, tens of thousands of pieces of silk porcelain were sold, and a large amount of money and silver flowed into canal towns, which brought brand-new economy and trade to Jiangnan. Handicraft and textile industry in Jiangnan began to flourish, and businessmen from all over the country gathered in Jiangnan to contribute to the establishment of commercial towns in the future.

Among the trading vessels in circulation, Jiangnan merchants always keep their position in the warehouse with their unique skills and vision; The business empire belonging to Daming has just been established.

Wanli New Deal, the economic peak of China in the past three thousand years, is also the brilliant governance of Tang and Song Dynasties in history books; What he advocated was not only the establishment of the business gang system, but also the "capitalist bud" studied by scholars.

2. Commercial transactions in Qing Dynasty

When the Qing soldiers entered the customs, the economic development system in the late Ming Dynasty had gradually matured, so after the political stability gradually, the rulers at that time decided to follow the small-scale peasant economy in the Ming Dynasty.

This decision led to the rapid economic growth of the Qing government, and economic stability brought about the rapid expansion of the population. Therefore, in order to increase the reserve of grain products, the Qing government at that time not only ordered the reclamation of wasteland, but also vigorously developed economic agriculture, paying more attention to the development of textiles and porcelain in traditional handicrafts.

This made the output and quality of cotton and linen products far exceed the base of silk, and painting enamel on porcelain became the trend at that time. When Jingdezhen's handicraft workshop stood in Jiangxi province, the commercial towns centered on it rose rapidly. While continuing the small-scale peasant economy in the Ming Dynasty, the Qing Dynasty also retained their unique business gang system.

1. Advantages and disadvantages of business gangs

/kloc-In the mid-6th century, in the Ming Dynasty, where silver accounted for 30% of the world, huge commercial potential and prosperous economy led to the construction of factories and workshops in one town after another. Especially the towns near the canal enjoy extraordinary economic dividends, thus giving birth to the famous economic distribution center in southeast China.

Because the canal route in the Ming Dynasty was relatively wide, the economic distribution center was divided into different regions and divided into business gangs according to the origin, which was later the "Top Ten Business Gangs".

With the mutual support of business gangs, they have rules and regulations and local guilds allowed by the imperial court, selling different specialties in different areas and then circulating them to other towns. Under the protection of business gangs, more and more businessmen have tasted the sweetness, while those scattered businessmen are the opposite; They are not qualified to join the business gang, and the big deal is managed by the business gang, with internal circulation. Unqualified businessmen can't get lucrative business orders at all.

But trivial purchases are not on the list of business gangs, so they can't get special treatment. With the absolute advantage and the support of the imperial court, the business gangs are getting bigger and bigger, while the profits earned by trivial commercial goods are getting less and less. Join or give up. Even in the economic and trade center, business gangs are the necessary choice for most businessmen.

2. Regional development under the background of big economy

With the gradual maturity of the economic system, commercial transportation has gradually taken shape, and only rice from Hubei can be sent to Jiangsu and Zhejiang for sale, which was tantamount to wading through mountains and rivers at that time; The arrival of these crops not only makes people in Jiangsu and Zhejiang feel different tastes, but also makes local crops change from melons and fruits that are difficult to grow into high-yield crops such as potatoes and cotton.

In the south of the Yangtze River, most government-run businesses are shrinking. Because of the developed trade, most businessmen have long since got rid of the government's control and switched from selling salt to handicrafts. Therefore, the blue and white porcelain in Ming Dynasty and Jingdezhen in Qing Dynasty became the pinnacle of craftsman's career. There are more than 10,000 textile machines in the Jiangnan Canal area, not to mention porcelain factories and various refining technologies.

With the continuous development of economic strength and the high prosperity of towns, commercial market towns began to appear. In Nanjing, countless ways of making porcelain began to rise. Each factory relied on its own craft until the appearance of colored porcelain, which pushed Jiangnan porcelain to the peak and Jingdezhen became the porcelain capital of the world.

1. Urban economic development

In the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, the small-scale peasant economy developed the most because of its geographical advantages, and small commercial workshops blossomed everywhere in commercial towns in the south of the Yangtze River. Some are family businesses: several people in the family run a commodity together, and some are personal investments: make money by their own skills and hire several helpers when necessary; There are also some special goods: for example, special handicrafts or food that are not very popular. Only a few people are running workshops, and the income level changes with the particularity of the market.

2. The geographical advantages of Shuicheng

Fortunately, the Jiangnan area is close to the canal, and an endless stream of merchant ships has become the source of survival for businessmen; A large amount of real money flowed into Jiangnan, and foreign businessmen also lived in these cities for a long time. Surrounded by large trade markets, small vendors, workshops and handicrafts around them have also been nourished.

In addition, the local market is the source of survival for these small workshops. They sell handicrafts, food, silk and satin to the market, just like retailers now. A large number of people come and go every day, which will at least bring good turnover to businesses with high product quality. If you are lucky, you will meet foreign businessmen, and it may not be sold out today.

Jingdezhen, the famous porcelain capital of the south of the Yangtze River, has also nourished the business of a large number of craftsmen. Numerous foreign ships and even foreign businessmen have met many relatives and friends, and at least got some profits from them, which has been enough for a long time. For a long time, from the economic rise in the late Ming Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty, the Jiangnan Canal has always been the dream place for most businessmen to live.

Large and small workshops rise and fall in this land. They took root in the economy and trade brought by the canal, and prospered by handicrafts and porcelain that gradually became famous throughout the country.

For hundreds of years, the blockade along the canal has been reopened, and commercial sales have shifted from offshore to domestic sales. The only thing that hasn't changed is the essence of their eating by craft; In the 3,000 years since the heyday of China, cargo ships carrying the Atlantic Ocean have docked at the canal, and businessmen who yearn for the legendary Silk Country come and go. They brought commodities, oil paintings and different cultures and customs.

In this beautiful city in the south of the Yangtze River, they brought silver and economy, and also let the people in the south of the Yangtze River find another way to survive. The rise of large and small workshops marked the core economic position of Jiangnan in the history of China at that time.

Although these characteristics are very similar to the modern micro-enterprise economy, they are quite different when you look closely. In modern times, all shops, enterprises and workshops need business licenses, even need the approval of the chamber of commerce, and some will be included in the local government system for enforcement; However, the only similarity between these small workshops is that they are not under the jurisdiction of the Chamber of Commerce, and they are all self-employed. Some workshops that are scarce and lack people are not even sure whether they need a "business license".

In Jiangnan, where workshops are everywhere, the establishment of the top ten business gangs helps large enterprises to support and grow, but those "small workshops" are not within their jurisdiction; Although this has not been affected by too many interests, the domestic sales of goods have always been in the hands of the Chamber of Commerce. Those small workshops are not supported by the court and are only under the jurisdiction of the government, but their profits are meager and their costs and markets are out of control. Compared with modern micro-enterprises, it is inevitable that there is less protection and less system.

References:

Mingshi

Wanli fifteen years

The story of Yongning Temple