Abstract
Merchants have played many roles of varying importance in the economy of China. Since the second millennium B.C. they have served to create economic links within Han and Inner Asian worlds, and this economic role has been of critical importance in forming a long history of specialization and exchange in the Chinese economy. The lower Yangtze valley, especially Suzhou, Hangzhou, Songjiang, and Nanjing, was the centre of textile production in the Ming, and its products were transported and sold throughout the country. The merchant network which put these products into circulation existed as a series of networks of different scope and at different levels in the economy. Zhang's argument for a successful lightening of commercial taxes comes from Mencius. Zhang's argument for lightening of taxes is backed by his own experience that it strengthens the economic power of the state. Such arguments had little appeal for Ming officials. Keywords: Asian worlds; China; commercial taxes; lower Yangtze valley; merchant network; Ming Officials; Zhang Han
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: Journal of the Economic and Social History of the Orient
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
