A Historical Probe Into The Market Towns In Xin River Valley In Ming & Qing Periods (1368-1840)

Content: Xin River valley lies in the joint part of Jiangxi, Zhejiang and Fujian provinces, which makes its geographical position very important. The transportation in the valley is very convenient both on land and water. In Ming & Qing periods, the valley was not only an important passageway for the flow of goods among Jiangxi, Zhejiang, Fujian and Guangdong provinces, but also one of the districts in Jiangxi where commodity economy was most advanced and market towns were densest. This thesis makes a probe into the market towns in Xin River valley from Ming to mid-Qing periods. The author finds that most market towns in this district lie alongside the trunk or branch streams of Xin River, which shows the critical effect of water transport and water resources on the distribution and development of market towns. The author also finds that the market towns in the valley experienced a depression at the beginning of Ming dynasty, a slow development during early Ming dynasty, an initial flourishing during mid- and late Ming dynasty, a short decline at the transaction between Ming and Qing dynasties, a recovery in early Qing dynasty and then a complete prosperity during mid-Qing dynasty. Traffic pattern, social order, governmental policies and economical foundation were the main factors that influenced the development of the market towns in this district.