明代における竈戸について

Abstract

In the Ming dynasty the most pressing political and economic problem was how to resist the invasion of the Mongolians and Manchus. In order to avert invasion a salt monopoly was enforced and merchants were given permission to sell salt supplied to them in the salt pans in return for delivery of war supplies to the border. This system was called the kaizhong-fa 開中法. In order to better the lot of Zaohu and guarantee the supply of salt the state instituted a number of policies giving preferential treatment to Zaohu. But as the state's financial situation deterioated these policies were abolished or survived in name only. When this happened Zaohu began absconding and the powerful among them and those backed by merchant investment took in the absconding households and by annexing salt pans and means of production they grew steadily stronger. Because they colluded with officials and salt bootleggers in order to sell salt produced illegally, the revenue the state derived from the salt monoply decreased drastcally. Thus they became a major factor in the collapse of the state salt administration. In the present article I study the development of this collapse from the perspective of changes in the production of salt during the period.