The Change Of Land Rights In Cong Jiang Of Southeast Gui Zhou From Qing Dynasty To Republican Period

The contracts of Cong Jiang area in southeast of Gui Zhou grew out of nothing and changed from white style to red style,the transformation of whose content,form and type reveal the rich details of the regional social changes and the process of "inland" of Cong Jiang area from the Qing dynasty to the Republican period.Before Miao Jiang was opened,the local Miao people didn't have the concept of exclusive land ownership in the Han society.Their land concept is closely related to kinship and ancestor belief.The so-called "first come,first served" principle mean that the founding ancestor who discovered and first used a piece of land can represent the rights to land by planting tree and erecting stones.Others can share land rights with first come,but only can use the land to make a living.After Miao Jiang was opened,the imperial administrative system was quickly established in Cong Jiang.A large number of Han people entered the area,bringing with advanced agricultural techniques and land tenancy customs.The Miao people's concept of land ownership was gradually established in their interaction with the Han people.The popularity of land contracts,especially white style,indicated that the contract order was established based on specific social network.The combination of the government administrative force and the organization of "burying rock" further ensured the normal operation of the local contract order.A large number of red style,taxes and other contract with the government's stamp appeared in the republican period,which showed that the guarantee of contract order operation was changed from the organization of "burying rock" to the governmental administrative system.With the development of local commodity economy and the prosperity of agricultural economy,the commercialization of land rights has deepened,which has led to the polarization of the rural social classes.Some people became the direct beneficiaries of the commercialization of land rights and grew into the emerging class of the rural society.Others who were mired in debt constantly sell off their property and became sharecroppers or even landless refugees.Generally speaking,the ways and customs of contract were introduced into southeast of Gui Zhou by Han immigrants and gradually accepted by Miao.The operation of contract order benefited from guarantee of local cultural system.When the administrative power and market factors penetrated into the operation of contract order more and more deeply,the further transformation of social structure was promoted.