What is the difference between "Shang" and "Jia"? What is business? What is Jia?

Speaking of businessmen, this is an ancient name for businessmen in China. However, in the history and culture of our country, the original "Shang" and "Jia" are different, and there is a saying that "Shang sits on Jia". Walking around selling goods is called "Shang", there is a fixed place, sitting and selling, and others come to buy it is called "Jia". It was only later that "Shang" and "Jia" were used together to refer to people who do business.

There were commercial activities as early as the Three Emperors and Five Emperors, and Yan Di and Huangdi were the founders of commercial culture.

The Book of Changes records: "Japan and China are the city, with the people of the world, with the wealth of the world, and with the retreat of business, each has its own place."

At that time, trade activities were held at noon, and people gathered in a fixed place to exchange things and get what they needed.

Some scholars believe that Shun Di was the first businessman in history.

The Chronicle of the Five Emperors records that when Shun was young, he went to Lishan to farm, fish, make pottery on the banks of the Yellow River, make utensils in Shouqiu and do some small business in summer.

In the early years of the Zhou Dynasty, the court restricted the actions of Yin adherents, but allowed them to do business, so they were called "businessmen". The activities of businessmen were restricted and monitored by the imperial court, and their status began to decline.

During the Spring and Autumn Period, merchants were listed as "one of the four big ones" because of their improved status.

"Zuo Zhuan" records: "Scholars, peasants and workers are invincible."

During the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, merchants in Qi, Lu, Zheng and wuyue were more active.

At the end of the Warring States period, the social status of businessmen began to decline.

In the pre-Qin period, businessmen occupied a high position among all the people.

Later, the State of Qin reformed Shang Yang, severely cracked down on commerce, and adopted the national policy of "emphasizing agriculture over commerce" to raise people's attention to agriculture.

Since the Qin and Han Dynasties, merchants were in a very difficult situation after Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties.

During the Tang and Song Dynasties, with the gradual prosperity of national strength, commerce began to prosper again, and the status of businessmen was slightly improved.

Businessmen's trade activities are active again. In the fixed market, businessmen from all over the world gather in Beijing, and people come and go, exchanging needed goods, which is very lively.

During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the status of merchants was further enhanced, and group forces such as families and township parties were formed, such as the famous Shanxi merchants and Huizhou merchants.

These businessmen gather together, criss-crossing north and south, forming their own spheres of influence in various places.

The Qing dynasty adopted a closed-door policy, which restricted the activities of businessmen. With the collapse of the Qing dynasty, the activities of businessmen flourished again.