On The Business Activities Of Shanxi Merchants In Shandong During The Ming And Qing Dynasties

During the Ming and Qing dynasties,the situation on the northern border of China provided a great opportunity for the Shanxi merchants.In the Ming dynasty,the Chinese northern minorities and han nationality was long-term in a state of military confrontation on the northern border,their war was frequently.For the sake of a large number of troops,Ming dynasty raised“the open expense system”,Shanxi merchants was in the right place and got ahead,set food dealer and salt merchants,and grew rapidly.On this basis,the development of Shanxi merchants in the Qing dynasty was more rapidly,become the first of "top ten business group",the latter business scope expanded to the Shandong region and acquired a huge success.During the Ming and Qing dynasties,from the point of the national traffic conditions,from south to north,from east to west,not only in Shanxi Province regional trade and other areas with adjacent exchange frequently,it provided the necessary conditions for Shanxi merchants to expand Shandong.The Shanxi merchants took the form of a joint operation and established a pavilion in the city of Shandong with the ties of region and blood,using the buddy system and top body shareholding system combined with officials to seek asylum.In the process of doing business,they were good at spotting opportunities,valuing credibility and reusing talents.All this provided the conditions for the rise of the Shanxi merchants.Shanxi merchants flocked to Shandong district,they set up shop,turned long-distance vendor,or established a guild and bank,in order to enhance business competitiveness,they also unitied fellow merchants building hall.Shanxi merchants had extensive operation,financial strength,and even monopolized some local industries,such as salt,grain,cotton,the pawn ticket.Political unrest in the late Qing dynasty,Shanxi merchants missed reform opportunity,combined with the junior life luxurious putrefication,early ancestor the arduous struggle and thrifty tradition has long gone,eventually end.Therefore,studied the operation and activities of the Shanxi merchants in Shandong district during the Ming and Qing dynasties,analyzed the effect of Shanxi merchants on population resources,architecture,folk customs and diet.Learned experiences and lessons of Shanxi merchants could be used as a reference for the development of new commercial activities in the new era.