A Study Of The Human Trafficking In Southwest China Of The Qing Dynasty

The Qing dynasty,as the last feudal dynasty in China,took on different forms and characteristics in its monarchy system,the development of the commodity economy,ethnic exchanges and conflicts,foreign communication and trade.And the issue of human trafficking was also different from the other dynasties.On the one hand,the large-scale reshuffling of land to the southwest further consolidated the region and led to changes in the social structure and distribution of power,and the emergence of new social conflicts.On the other hand,its special geographical location and the intermingling of Han and Yi brought challenges to social security and provided loopholes for unscrupulous elements to exploit.The human trafficking in the southwest China of the Qing dynasty had a long history and took on different forms during the Qing dynasty,with more different groups involved.Not only women and children,but also men were targeted.The targets and the ways used were varied.The problem was characterised by a long span of time,a wide area and the involvement of multiple ethnic groups,which posed a huge challenge to local governance.The main reasons for the rampant trafficking of people in the southwest region during the Qing dynasty were not only the profit it provided,the negligence on the part of local officials,and inadequate policies,but also the existence of stereotypes and outdated customs.The situation of human trafficking in the southwest region was too serious that the Qing government could not ignore it.It had a clear attitude of cracking down on the unlawful practices by making targeted measures and through better legislation and stronger governance.A series of strong measures taken by the authority in the southwest region reflected that it attached great importance to the region,and that it was an integral part of the dynasty’s territory.Cracking down human trafficking was an important step in ensuring the peace of the frontier.At the same time,however,the limited law of a feudal society and the ambivalent attitude of Qing government towards the human trafficking made it difficult to put an end to the practice of human trafficking.