The Research Of Distribution And Trade Of Guangdong Medicinal Materials In The Ming And Qing Dynasties

The superior natural and geographical environment of Guangdong has given birth to a variety of medicinal herbs.It needs to be pointed out that these medicinal herbs are not only natural resources but also agricultural products,tributes or commodities.When the local ecological environment changed the distribution and quantity of medicinal herbs would also be effected.Meanwhile,along with the continuous progress of Guangdong's medical and cultural health in Ming and Qing Dynasties,people's cognition,utilization and development of local characteristic medical herbs were also promoted.As a part of the central government,Guangdong had the obligation to present to the court courtesy of local production including medicinal herbs.However,with the increasing commercialization of agricultural products in Guangdong,medicines,which are the primary agricultural products,had been placed on the market as commodities,the government began to shifted its attention to the tax revenue generated by trade.In the later period,due to the improvement of the degree of openness to the outside world and the strengthening of cultural exchanges between Chinese and foreign medicines,medicinal herbs were exported to foreign countries as bulk commodities and gradually participated in international trade.Among them,Betel nut and Amomum vulgare L.are two kinds of Guangdong medical herbs that are more representative.They are highly authentic and have a long medicinal history.Besides,their distribution was affected by different natural environments as well as their trades also showed many differences due to different backgrounds of the times.Therefore,to some extent,these two medicial herbs can be regarded as a microcosm of Guangdong's medicinal herbs.