Business People And Modern Regional Social Changes

Nanxun town was famous for its trade of silk in Ming and Qing dynasty. During the period of late Qing dynasty and earlier Republic of China, with the opening of shanghai in 1840s, in "the way of silk trade between Nanxun and shanghai", there appeared a regional group with same relationship, regions and businesses. With its vivid regional characters, this group played an active part in Nanxun and the Jiangnan region, which centered in shanghai. From 1860s to 1920s, the Nanxun Shenshang (gentry--merchant) group completed the process of rise (first generation)--division and transit (second generation). Besides, the Nanxun society has also partly managed to transit to modern patterns of social economy, culture and politics from traditional ones. The transit of the group directed and at the same time was retrained by that of the society.