A Study Of The Xiangshan Gentry-merchants In Modern Times

Xiangshan County(now Zhongshan City and its surrounding areas in Guangdong Province),a small county-level city located in the south coast of China,has become an important birthplace of gentry-merchants in modern times.This paper studied how this group of people grew and developed from the late Qing Dynasty to the early Republic of China.The first part focused on the historical environment of Xiangshan from Ming and Qing Dynasties to the turning point of modern China.The geographical location of Xiangshan,which was close to Macao and Guangzhou-the business center of China and the west,has provided favorable conditions for the growth and development of gentry-merchants,and made Xiangshan people exposed to western language and culture for a long time.The second part investigated how merchants in Xiangshan became local gentries in the late Qing Dynasty.Xiangshan merchants not only obtained the title of traditional gentry through donation,but also participated in public affairs in the location society,which was recognized by the villagers.In the third part,the author studied how Xiangshan gentry-merchants went to the central city(Shanghai)by making use of their local resources.During this period,they used their experience and advantages in foreign business before,the language ability they gained through Western-style education,and the support of Xiangshan geographical organizations to achieve commercial success and further enhance their political status.