Location And Vicissitude: The Study Of Individual Case Oriented To Linqing Customs Post (1429-1930)

Linqing, in Shandong province, is a famous historic and cultural city. In ancient times, it was located in Yanzhou, and became a county since the Western Han Dynasty. By taking full advantage of its role as transportation hub of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, Linqing had emerged in Yuan Dynasty, and later developed into a national well-known business center during Ming and Qing dynasties. It was on a par with Suzhou, Hangzhou and Zhangqiu. In modern history, as transportation hub, the role of Linqing has been declining because of such reasons as too much silt in canal and changes of trade routes. This thesis takes the Grand Canal transport as a breakthrough point, and Linqing customs post as individual case to briefly outline the development of society, economy and culture in five hundred years from 1416 to 1930, Combined with the theories and methods of history and regional economics. What's more importantly, circulation of commodities in regions or even the whole country and role it plays should be paid much attention to.This thesis is divided into three chapters:Chapter I through introduction of different development phases of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal and the whole story of the establishment of Linqing customs post, this thesis has focused on important strategic position of Linqing in excellent transport location in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, so as to demonstrate that Linqing's boom owned to prosperity of the canal , that is, Linqing customs post is a mirror which has witnessed the prosperity and decline of Linqing.Chapter II takes Linqing customs post as an individual case to study Linqing's prosperity in society, economy and culture. By analyzing types of commodities in and out Linqing customs post and flow of bulk stock in Linqing market, it demonstrated the prosperity of Linqing's transit trade and focused its role of economic complementarity between different economic zones and optimal allocation of resources so as to reflect pageantry of society, economy and culture of Linqing at that time.The third chapter mainly discusses the gradually declined and marginalized trend of linqing in recent history. Through interpreting the changes of trade route, the advances of transportation and the new economic zone in modern times, the thesis discusses the root causes of the decline of Linqing customs post, and then explores the patterns of the location rise and fall of Linqing.