Preliminary Study Of Suzhou Civil Revolts In Late Ming Dynasty

As an important industrial and commercial city in Ming Dynasty, Suzhou was also the economic center of Jiangnan Area. During the middle and late Ming Dynasty, great changes took place in Suzhou social environment, which were promoted by fast development of agriculture, handicraft industry, and commerce, the growth of civil class and the appearance of social stratification. Meanwhile, the misuse of national policies not only damaged social orders but also caused dissatisfactions from civil people. As a result, various revolt movements sprung up in Suzhou, which were called Suzhou Civil Revolts.Suzhou Civil Revolts in late Ming Dynasty could be divided into three classes according to contents and features. The first class was an economic fight, led by the weaver Gexian during Shenzong Period, to show opposition to Tax-collectors who caused great damages to local interests. The second class was the Open Reading Movement during Xi Zong Period, which aimed at fighting against the atrocity of Evil Party and saved eunuchs. The third class was the movement of anti-tyrannical and evil gentry, including movements of Tax-strike and Rent-strike, Slave-rebelling, Rice-panic and fighting against squires. Handicraftsmen, merchants, peasants, and squires, who participated in the local even the national social life to jointly protect the local interests.The civil revolts in Suzhou Area had much to do with the application of policies and changes of social relationship of that time. One was in Wanli Period, mining-supervisors were dispatched to different areas because of financial crisis and greedy of the Emperor. Sunlong who was appointed to Suzhou colluded with local spalpeens to disturb local politics and levied extra-tax, which made bad effects to local order. Another was in middle and late period of Ming Dynasty, the centralize of wealth in Suzhou gradually not only widened the gap between the rich and the poor, but also deepened class division and class contradictions, which contributed to civil revolts. In addition, social symbiosis became more and more enhanced in Suzhou since the middle of Ming dynasty. Relationship became more intensive among inside same or different professions, and different classes, who together faught for protecting local interests.Suzhou Civil Revolts in late Ming Dynasty had two distinct characters. One character was that civic class mainly played a leading role, which was the result of fast social and economic developments. Another character was the combination of intellectuals and common people. They had common interests'requirements, so they could combine together. Since civil revolts targeted at fighting against eunuchs and squires instead of launching direct movements against national politics, royal officials took soft measures when solving civic revolts. They often took placating policies and even sympathized and supported civil revolts. However, civil revolts took important effects. On one hand, it impelled rulers had to change polices to alleviate damages to local area; on the other hand, it maintained local profits in certain way and expanded local decision-making right. However, the whole social situation had no radical changes. Instead, frequent natural calamities aggravated revolts and conflicts, which sped up the ending of Ming dynasty.