A Study On The Changes Of Baifusi Market Town In Laifeng From Ming Dynasty To The Republic Of China

This paper takes Baifusi market town,Laifeng County,Enshi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture,Hubei Province as the research center,uses the research methods of Ethnology and historical anthropology,with the support of field survey data and literature materials,to clarify the three stages of changes in Baifusi town from the Ming Dynasty to the Republic of China,and carefully combs the changes in each stage,and advances the rules of changes Let's explore.Baifusi market town is the residence of Baifusi Town Government and a grassroots market.It is located in the southwest of Hubei Province,south of Youyang,Chongqing,east of Longshan,Hunan Province.Youshui passes through the town.The population of the town is mainly Tujia.Historically,several chieftains have established government offices in Baifusi market town.Moreover,before the hydropower development of Youshui,Baifusi market town was the starting point of shipping in the upper reaches of Youshui.The existing streets and lanes of Baifusi market town present the pattern of "three vertical and three horizontal".The market town has a permanent population of more than 8000 people,with a collection period of 10 days and 3 sessions,and every session of the 2nd,5th and 8th lunar calendar.In Ming and Qing Dynasties,Baifusi town was under the jurisdiction of Panshun chieftain,Maodong chieftain and Baihu chieftain.In Ming Dynasty,the chieftain of Maodong first established the government office in Baifusi market town.In the early Qing Dynasty,with the rise of Baihu chieftains,Baihu chieftains drove Maodong chieftain out of Baifusi market town,and moved their own government office to this place,which was also named "Baihusi".Later generations mistakenly called it "Baifusi".Chieftain is a highly autonomous organ.After they set the government office in Baifusi market town,their bureaucratic system works here,which becomes the administrative center of chieftain and the political center of the region.The great event of social and historical development in Wuling Ethnic Area was "changing the land and returning to the current" which was set off in Yongzheng period of Qing Dynasty.Under the strong pressure of the court,Baihusi asked to change the land and return to the current.After the change,Baifusi market town became the jurisdiction of Laifeng County and the most remote area from Xiangfeng town.As a result,it lost its status as a regional political center.However,due to the convenience of Youshui navigation and the land transportation connecting the border areas of the three provinces,as well as the rise of tung oil export trade,Baifusi market town soon became a port for mountain products and industrial products import in Southwest Hubei Province,transforming into a regional economic center.During the period of the Republic of China,as a trade port,Baifusi town still played an important role in the southwest of Hubei Province,but its economic development was also affected by the current situation and experienced three stages of fluctuation.The first stage is 1911-1932.During this period,due to the government's poor social governance at the provincial level,serious banditry,serious damage to social order and economic activities,the economy of Baifusi market town entered a depression period.The second stage is 1933-1945.During this period,due to the changes in the situation of the Anti Japanese War,Hubei provincial government moved to Enshi,some organs,enterprises and institutions moved to Laifeng.After these organs moved here,on the one hand,they strengthened grassroots governance,restored social order,and promoted the development of regional economy.On the other hand,they brought the increase of consumption demand and activated the regional economy.The function of Baifusi market town as a trade port was stimulated and entered the economic prosperity period.The third stage is 1946-1949.After the victory of the Anti Japanese War,with the relocation of provincial government departments and relevant enterprises and institutions,the grassroots society in the inter provincial junction returned to a state of disorder,and the economy of Baifusi market town entered a period of decline.In the process of studying the market and social structure of China's rural areas,Shi Jianya focused on the relationship between the change of population quantity and the change of grassroots market.From the perspective of the changes of Baifusi market town from Ming Dynasty to the Republic of China,the changes of rural grassroots market are not only related to the changes of population,but also related to the changes of political,social order and trade situation.