The financial structure of the rule of China and the Yunnan copper administration of the Qing Government: the same source of prosperity and decline

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K16920
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: History of Asia and Africa
• Research Institution: University of Tsukuba
• Principal Investigator: Ueda Hiroyuki 筑波大学, 人文社会系, 助教 (70581586)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 貨幣史 / 清朝史 / 財政史 / 档案 / 雲南省 / 雲南銅 / 銅政 / 制銭

Outline of Final Research Achievements

From the middle of the 18 century to the first half of the 19 century, the monetary system that used both silver and copper coins in China became unstable and shook the governance of the Qing dynasty. The purpose of this study is to examine the transition of the copper coins supply policy of the Qing dynasty in this period from the viewpoint of finance.The following facts were clarified by this study.
In the latter half of Qianlong (1736 -1795), the production cost of copper rose in Yunnan, and the large amount of silver paid by the provincial government in advance to the copper mine became uncollectible. The provincial government tried to increase the purchase price by additional casting of copper coins to gain profit, but the supply of copper to Beijing and other provinces was given priority by the order of the central Qing dynasty, and the solution of the problem was hindered.

Free Research Field

中国貨幣史

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

19世紀前半の中国において銀が騰貴したことはよく知られているが，単純にアヘン流入と表裏をなして銀が流出して騰貴したとみなす古い理解がいまだに根強く残っている。しかし，銀の騰貴とは第一義的には銀の対銅銭レートの騰貴であり，18世紀後半から銅銭流通が次第に弛緩していったことと的確に関連付けることが不可欠である。そして，18世紀後半とは清朝の全盛期に相当する。本研究は，清朝の繁栄をもたらした財政システムの内側から後の混乱の契機が芽吹いた経緯を明らかにし，それによって近世から近代にかけての中国史に関して多面的な見方を提供しようとするものである。