A Study On The Export Trade Of Chinese Medicinal Materials From Guangzhou To Europe And America In The Qing Dynasty (1685-1842

Chinese medicinal materials have always been one of the important commodities in Guangzhou’s export trade.The Chinese medicinal materials market in Guangzhou developed rapidly in Qing Dynasty and became the most important medicinal materials export market in China.The Foshan market plays an important role as an domestic trade center and processing and production of medicinal materials,while Guangzhou market is responsible for the exchange of medicinal materials in the domestic market and foreign markets.In addition,the drug trade network composed of major drug distribution centers and trade routes extending in all directions makes the drug circulation centered on the Guangzhou market more smooth.In the Qing Dynasty,the export trade of traditional Chinese medicine from Guangzhou to European and American countries was subject to strict tax management by the Guangdong Customs.The export trade of medicinal materials is managed and paid by the hong merchants,including the monopoly of some medicinal materials trade.Before the First Opium War,different countries had different requirements for medicinal materials.Rhubarb,quicksilver,chinaroot,cassia and cassia bark are the main commodity representatives of Guangzhou’s export trade of medicinal materials to European and American countries,.They have different uses in the importing countries from China.The development of export trade is also closely related to the Qing government’s foreign trade policy,the consumption demand of the importing countries,and the production of "substitute" commodities.The export trade of traditional Chinese medicine from Guangzhou to Europe and America during the Qing Dynasty was not only a commercial activity,but also a cultural activity.On the one hand,Guangzhou’s export trade of Chinese medicinal materials is an important commodity to maintain Guangzhou’s foreign trade.At the same time,export trade has promoted the exchange of pharmaceutical culture between China and European and American countries,further expanding the influence of Chinese culture.