Kiukiang's Opening To The Foreign Countries, Establishment Of Maritime Customs And Its Trade

Kiukiang, as the north gate of JiangXi Province, became one of the Chinese trade centers since the appearance of DaYu lin trading road. But the status of Kiukiang in JiangXi was not as important as south of DaYu lin trading road before it became a trading city in 1861. The great Cannel-Yangtze River-the GanJiang river-DaYu lin-Pearl River-GuangZhou city was the main trading road in China. JiangXi province was seated in the prime road. It had a prosperous trading, especially around the GanJiang River. Five treaty ports were forced to open to trade with foreign countries after Opium War, which caused the changes of main trading road all over the country. Shortcomings of DaYulin trading road was increasingly obviously. Transit Trades around the GanJiang River were becoming harder and harder. Especially after Kiukiang becoming a city that could trade with the foreigners, south of JiangXi province declined immediately. As the fortress of JiangXi province in trading, trade status of Kiukiang was becoming more and more important. Instead of GanZhou and WuCheng, Kiukiang became the center of import and export in JiangXi province. JiangXi province formed a north trade area centere in Kiukiang and NanChang. After Kiukiang became a city which was forced to trade with foreign countries, new opportunities appeared. It brought plenty of new opportunities and challenges to agricultural products of JiangXi province. With the development of trade business, Kiukiang gradually became a re-exports port city in the middle of the Yangtze River. Because the products of inlands were not improved immediately, besides the competition from outside of the same kind, the needs of export products were decreasing. Development of land transportation changed business trading line of JiangXi province, which brought new challenges to Kiukiang port . Frequent natural disasters and long-term damage of wars made the business trading of Kiukiang face severe test. The dissertation makes full use of resources from Kiukiang Customs and JiangXi trading history in modern society. Analyzing the statistics and texts, it aimed to discuss the evolution of Kiukiang trade before its 1938's fall. It also tries studying the changes of inland economics from the aspect of Kiukiang port's evolution. The whole dissertation goes as follows:Introduction reviews the history of academic, give a brief narration about the come of this dissertation and sources used.Chapter one gives a brief account of Kiukiang's trade and changes of trade road before it was opened to foreign countries. It reviews the process of Kiukiang's open to foreign countries, especially analyzing the evolution of trade roads in JiangXi province and its tourist visitsChapter two analyzes the trade situation of Kiukiang before its opened to foreign countries and after. Here I expound the trade situation of goods produced in local and outside in details. Besides, the rise and decline of several kinds of goods in trading is also analyzed here.Chapter three mainly discusses the factors that influence the trading of Kiukiang. And discuss the challenges that Kiukiang faced at that time.Conclusion sums up the whole dissertation.