A Study of Fan Yupin's Transport of Military Provisions to the North Frontier during the Early Qing Dynasty

Abstract

<p>清初內務府設立的官商中，最著名的是范氏家族。此家族自明末范永斗已活躍於滿蒙地區，清初則繼續經營邊疆貿易，在雍乾朝替朝廷北運軍糧。康雍乾年間與準噶爾戰爭，消耗鉅額軍費，其中以運輸軍糧為大宗。康熙時官運米糧，每石達40至120兩，而范毓馪運糧每石則在30兩以下，節省甚多銀兩，於財政上有重要意義。過去日本與大陸學界已有些許范毓馪的研究，探討他運米、採辦人參、經營鹽業、買辦洋銅等事業。然，近年來隨著中國第一歷史檔案館大量開放滿漢文檔案，將可補充、展開過去的研究。本文將討論范家在明清之際的邊境貿易，范毓馪的生平與官商角色、運糧的路線、數量，以及米糧來源等面向。范毓馪受到雍正皇帝的信任，故乾隆朝仍由其子侄輓運軍糧。最後探討范毓馪的政商關係，包括他被傅爾丹、伊都立需索銀兩，以及兵部尚書通智控告盤剝商人，提議北路運糧改為官運等。</p> <p> </p><p>The extended Fan family clan stands out as the most famous official merchant-household established by the Imperial Household Department during the earliest stages of the Qing Dynasty. One member of the family, Fan Yongdou, had been active in the Manchu-Mongolian regions since the late Ming Dynasty, and his descendants continued to engage in border trade during the early Qing Dynasty, delivering military supplies to the north frontier for the imperial court during the Yongzheng and Qianlong reigns. The military expenses, most especially the transport of military supplies drained down the coffers during the wars with the Dzungar Khanate in the Kangxi, Yongzheng, and Qianlong periods. In the Kangxi era, the official price for transporting rice was 40 to 120 taels per picul, while Fan Yupin transported it for under 30 taels per picul, resulting in substantial savings in silver that had a significant financial impact. Past studies of Fan Yupin’s activities in Japan and mainland China have explored his business of transporting rice, purchasing ginseng, overseeing the salt industry, and compradoring foreign copper. However, in recent years, with the extensive opening of Manchu and Chinese archives at the First Historical Archives of China, it is now possible to supplement and expand on previous research. This article will discuss the border trade of the Fan family during the transition from the Ming Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty, Fan Yupin’s life and his role as an official merchant, the routes and quantities of rice he transported, and the sources of this rice. Fan Yupin gained the trust of Emperor Yongzheng, which allowed his sons and nephews to continue carrying military supplies in the Qianlong era. Finally, we will explore the political and commercial relationships of Fan Yupin, including Fu Erdan and Yiduli ‘s demand that he gave them silver, as well as the accusation by the Minister of War Tongzhi that he was exploiting other merchants, which lead Tongzhi to propose a switch to official transport for the military rice along the northern route.</p> <p> </p>