Merchants Traveling Mongolia And Economic And Cultural Change In Inner Mongolian Western Areas

Mongolia traveling merchant was one of the five famous merchant groups during Chinese history. It arose at the end of Ming Dynasty and the beginning of Qing Dynasty, developed in the middle of Qing Dynasty, began to decline due to the invasion of foreign countries and civil strife after Opium War , and completely disappeared until the foundation of PRC. Mongolia traveling merchant was once of great prosperity in civilian trade in China, meanwhile, it was world famous as a powerful international trading group which almost monopolized economy and commerce of the whole Mongolian area.The western area of Inner Mongolia was the cradle of Mongolia traveling merchant . If it wassaid to be the aircraft carrier in those years'business circle , west Inner Mongolia was its base. Nowadays when we are advocating the development of western area, we are expected to study the prosperity and decline of Mongolia traveling merchant and draw on the experience of it and carry forward its spirit.Before the appearance of Mongolia traveling merchant, live-stock raising industry had been the main and single economic structure in west Inner Mongolia. Business and handicraft industry ,were under developed and there was hardly any agriculture. It was poor and backward there. After the appearance of Mongolia traveling merchant , great economic changes took place in the western area of Inner Mongolia . Agriculture, handicraft and business rose and developed fast in succession with an improvement in city building and population concentration. Significant changes took place in the economic structure and joint-stock system such as"Da Sheng Kui"and"Fu Sheng Gong"was formed which was the beginning of monopolized stores run by groups, which poured a new vitality into economic development and cultural progress of western Inner Mongolia and pushed the organic combination of farming and nomad civilization, and the culture of Central Plains and grassland. Hence, Mongolia traveling merchant was not only an effective strength advancing economic prosperity of Inner Mongolian western area during Qing Dynasty, but also an important messenger who imparted and inherited the civilization of Central Plains as well as activating the culture of western opening.During the three hundred years of its existence , Mongolia traveling merchant made a historic contribution which couldn't be obliterated and which stabilized our country's northern boundary, promoted harmony of Meng and Han people, developed the economy of Inner Mongolian western area and pushed the cultural foundation of western opening. However, as the product of times, it had a very negative effect, e.g. economic exploitation of western Inner Mongolia, resources pillage, environmental pollution and ecological damage and so on.Nowadays there is a closer and closer cooperation of economic globalization , and China is paying more and more attention to the economy of ethnic minorities in the border areas. So the construction of economy and culture in the western area of Inner Mongolia should be accelerated. The government should encourage foresighted and outstanding new aged"Mongolia traveling merchant"into Inner Mongolia, and attract people , materials, capitals of developed areas to the west Inner Mongolia in order to guide the economic prosperity of the whole region and the improvement of the society. At the same time, it should establish ecology protecting policy , transfer resources scientifically , make full use of resources, save resources practically and bring material benefits to our future generations.