A Study Of Chen Customs And Circulation Of Commodities In The Yuan Basin During The Qing Dynasty

Chen Guan is one of the ministry of work customs during the Qing dynasty,located in the Yuan river basin,levied the timber tax and bamboo tax.Chen Guan have two timber ports and a salt port,responsible for Chenzhou prefect.After the late reign of Kangxi,with the exploit of the east-north of Guizhou province and the west of Hunan province,the timber through the Chen Guan increased gradually.During the reign of Yongzheng,Chen Guan fixed tax quote(Zheng'e??)to 12,500 tales,During the early reign of Qianlong,the tax of Chen Guan increased slowly,and then keep stable until the end of Qianglong.in 1799,add to 3,800 tales as Yingyu(??),and reach peak in the medium of Jiaqing.After the Xianfeng reign,the timber trade of Yuan river basin was affect by the Taiping rebellion and the Miao uprising which lead by Zhang xiumei,so the Chen Guan customs revenue was accordingly declined.During the reign Tongzhi and Guangxu,the revenue fluctuated greatly,and show the decline trend in general.The development of commodities economy during the Qing dynasty,promoted to establish the connection between the Yuan river basin and the Yangtze river.In the terms of circulation of commodities,from the downstream of the Yangtze river and Dongting Lake,trafficking to the Yuan river basin's commodities are salt,cloth,rice and groceries;and from the Yuan river basin,as well as part of Yunnan,Guizhou,Guangxi province,trafficking to the lower Yangtze region commodities are timber,tung oil(??),tea-seed oil,white wax,charcoal,paper,iron,lead,fresh and dried fruits,and so on.Long distance circulation of commodities,promoted the development of the Yuan river basin.The timbers of the Yuan basin are mainly from the Qingshui river area,through the Yangtze river,then was sold in Hankou,Nanjing and Jiangnan region.The long distance commodity circulation has promoted the economic development of the Yuan River basin.The upstream of the Yuan rive is the Qingshui river,where is the important artificial forest area,also is the major source of the output timber in Yuan river.From the tax quote of Chen customs,we can find that the timber output always keeping in high level.Besides the technology of plant,the clan and rural agreements,which formation in long history,also are the secure of the development of artificial forest.The clan have itself traditional custom in deal with internal disputes,borrowing,inheritance and separation etc.;at the same time,the common property also is an important resource for people living,which is a great help to maintain the stable develop of forestry.The rural agreements function is mainly show in protect Feng shui forest,punished the behavior of destroy trees,conduct fire prevention.