The Eighteenth Century Down Are The Consumption Of The Southern Residents

Economic history, as an interdiscipline spanning history and economics, concerns itself with economic phenomena in wider historical context. Its subject matter ranges from production, exchange, distribution to consumption. However, as to the recent research of economic history in Ming-Qing Jiangnan, consumption is comparatively less studied, making the research framework less integrated. In addition, due to the absence of this aspect, comprehensive estimations of actual developments in this field, as well as affirmative answers to relevant theoretic issues, are less convincing at present. This paper, based on modern economic conceptual categories and theories, examines generally and thoroughly inhabitants' daily, recreational, religious, educational, sanitary and ritual consumption behaviors in Jiangnan, especially its rural places. In the addressed topics, three time points are selected: middle 18th century, middle 19th century and 1930s', each of which is combined with data-oriented analysis. Judging from the consumptive level and structures in rural Jiangnan, it argues that inhabitants there and then, particularly in 18^th century, went beyond merely warm and satiation. Furthermore, from the economic point of view, it re-discusses the concept of luxury, and supported by a description about luxurious consumptions of urban and upper-class people, clarifies certain ambiguities in this field of research. The conclusion shows that luxurious consumptions in Jiangnan during Qing were reasonable economic phenomena that facilitated social production, employment and commercial prosperity, but on the other hand, were insufficient to trigger any profound social revolution. As response to recent academic controversies, such as that between Pomeranz and Philip Huang, the paper provides its comments as well. In the last chapter, with a view to consumption, reflections on theoretical research in Jiangnan economic history are presented.