Tang Dynasty Jiangnan Road, Grain Circulation

Tang Dynasty (618-907) is a golden age in Chinese feudal society. Its splendour is based on the advanced agriculture at that time. And the advanced agriculture is highly relevant to production and circulation of the grain. Grain is not only the material base of the human society depending on, but also the daily necessities of people in their life. The circulation is the importance link in carrying out the transfer of grain from the producer to the consumer, and is the exchange between different ownerships. China has a vast territory, the economic development of the areas is unbalanced. In view of the important economic status of Jiang-nan Dao in Tang Dynasty, this paper chooses the grain circulation in Jiang-nan Dao in Tang Dynasty as the object of study, we can have the comparatively all-round acquaintance by the study on the grain problems of Jiang-nan Dao such as producing structure , circulation management , the condition and characters of circulation, the factors of affecting circulation and so on. This paper strives to collate and analyses the historical materials on base of the previous research results to make us have more thorough and all-round cognition about the grain circulation of Jiang-nan Dao in Tang Dynasty.This article consists of six parts as follows:PartⅠ: Preface. I have been narrated briefly the research survey of the grain circulation in Tang Dynasty, and point out the previous research on the grain circulation has been not enough to go deep into. The article studys mainly the related problems of the grain circulation and difines the concepts of Jiang-nan Dao and circulation on the base of the Jiang-nan Dao in Tang Dynasty.PartⅡ: The structure of grain production and the output of Jiang-nan Dao in Tang Dynasty. I discuss the structure of grain production and the output of Jiang-nan Dao in Tang Dynasty based on the exhaustive information, and point out that the structure of grain production of Jiang-nan Dao has been improved after Tang Dynasty. Rice, wheat and millet are planted in this area, and the multi-cropping of rice and wheat appears, which increase grain yields per mu of Jiang-nan Dao's many areas. This area becomes the main grain production base of Tang Dynasty, which makes it possible to transport southern grain provisions to northern areas.PartⅢ: Management system of the grain circulation of Jiang-nan Dao in Tang Dynasty. The government of Tang Dynasty controls strictly the grain circulation of Jiang-nan Dao which is not indulgent .The setup of Forwarding Magistrate, the Jianghuai Forwarding Magistrate and tour-inspection department is an important management measure. Forwarding Magistrate and the Jianghuai Forwarding Magistrate are in charge of grain circulation in Tang Dynasty. And tour-inspection department doesn't participate directly in grain circulation, it presides over the safeguard of the roads of transportation to keep the water transport unblocked.PartⅣ: The concrete conditions and the characters of the grain circulation of Jiang-nan Dao in Tang Dynasty. Under the government of Tang Dynasty, the Jiang-nan Dao's grain circulates among the country in many different uses. I analyze it from four aspects: the use of nation, the military, the relief, the commercial trade and so on, and have got the following three characters of Jiang-nan Dao's grain circulation: the export of Jiang-nan Dao's grain is more than the import; The grain circulation of the early Tang is more than that of the late Tang; The grain circulation of Jiang-nan Dao is controlled strictly by the government.PartⅤ: Influncing factors of the grain circulation of Jiang-nan Dao. The influncing factors include many aspects, such as natural factors, social and economic factors. Various natural disasters have a direct and wid effect on grain production and circulation. The wars also influence the export of grain from Jiang-nan Dao to Chang'an and the areas of engagement. The development of the productive forces, the technique of production, the relationship between demand and supply, the price of grain and the government regulation impact on production and circulation of the grain. The traffic problems also have an important influence on Jiang-nan Dao's grain circulation.PartⅥ: Concluding remarks: This part generalizes the main viewpoint of this article.