Ming And Qing Dynasties Water Transport Soldiers

Since the flourishment of the tribute grain transportation by ship in Qin Dynasty and Han Dynasty, every cental fedual government had established different kinds of transportation troops. But untill Ming Dynasty, the true and independent tribute grain transportation organization, namely the tribute grain transportation troop had just came into being , which became the significant transportation power supporting the living of the capital of Ming and Qing Dynasties. During Ming and Qing Dynasties,the tribute grain transportation by ship had developed rapidly, with over tens of thousands of professional contigents in the offical trasportation. This special phenomenon was not only an inevitable historical outcome of the abnormal Chinese fedual economy, but of the special political demand of Ming and Qing Dynasties. The tribute grain transportation troop of Ming Dynasty mainly came from the base of armed civil guards; after that, the sole duty of the troop was to protect the safety of the tribute grain transportation as the way of doing coovee labour, without duty of militant actions and opening up wasteland.The troop took on the duty of protect the safety of the tribute grain transportation, and was responsible for the the no loss and going bad of the grain tranported by ship,otherwise would be punished. On the other hand, the troops lived in adverse surroundings, lower material treatment and living standard. For the sake of the betterment of the living, they did smuggling and private business, which bettered their own living surroundings and at the same time promoted the circulation of commodities, drived and flourished the industries and commerce and the commecial markets along the Great Canal.At the beginning of Qing Dynasty,the system of the tribute grain transportation troop of Ming Dynasty was kept. Later on, for the lack of the tranporting labours, it was difficult to sustain the transportation. Along with the loosement of traditional household register system, people had freedom to migrate, and a large amount of jobless farmers and handicraftsmen joined in the tribute grain transportation. In the 35th year of the reign of KangXi, the Qing government ordered that every ship in the tribute grain transportation should keep two transporting soldiers, the rest enlisted.From then on, the enlisted sailor became the main resource of the tribute grain transportation troop. As for harsh working conditons and the lower payment, the tribute grain transportation labours could not better their own economical circumstances, and could not solve their own polical status by the hope of mercy of the government. They could only depend on the power of the groups to protect themselves,better their present situation by organizing and joining in private secret societies, and revenge the unsatisfied society.