Ming And Qing Dynasties, Shexian Emura Businessmen Study

The merchants of Jiangcun village in She country were the represent of Huizhou merchants and the main force of the construction of the Jiangcun village during Ming and Qing Dynasty.During the Ming Dynasty ,the merchants rose to prominence in commercial circles From Jajing(1522-1566) to Wanli(l573-1620).These were some reasons for this prominence, such as the influence from the popularity of carrying business at that time,the impel of heavier population pressure, the promotion of advantageous culture foundation of Jiangcun village, and the promotion of the new beneficial policy of salt business. Although the wars in the last stage of Ming Dynasty gave a big blow on the business of Jiangcun merchants, a series of beneficial policy ueged them to rally their forces and develop rapidly, and reached their zenith during the period of the Qianlong. But, owing to the limitations of the time, these merchants consumed plenty of money on contributing the government, building the ancestral halls, recording the family trees, the denotation to the public affairs and on luxuries. Beside these factors, the great change of the salt business policy during the period of Daoguang and the ravages of wars during the period of Xianfeng and Tongzhi caused these merchants to be caught in the failure gradually until they disappeared from commercial circles. The asserts earned in the developing period had greatly improved the living condition of Jiangcun village, promoted the development of jiang clan of Jiyang and brought about the prosperity of the folk culture. Jiangcun village and Jiang clan decayed with the declination of the merchants. The process of the Jiangcun merchants from full development to declination would be conductive for us to analyze the Huizhou merchants and the society in Ming and Qing Dynasty.