Research on the Rise and Fall of Water Transport in the Middle Reaches of the Yangtze River and the Economy of Coastal Cities in the Ming and Qing Dynasties

Abstract

During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the middle reaches of the Yangtze River became the hub of the water transport network due to its unique hydrological advantages. The institutionalized development process of the water transport system from the “long-term transport law” in the Ming Dynasty to the “official collection and exchange” in the Qing Dynasty also enabled it to have the functions of political security and economic circulation. Coastal cities rely on the flow of people, logistics and capital brought by water transport to form a hierarchical economic system. Hankou, Shashi and other central cities have sprung up, forming commodity distribution centers, with rice, salt, tea and other industries as pillar industries; Commercial organizations and financial systems are becoming more and more perfect, and gangs and banks maintain market order; The urban form and population structure change with the development of water transport. Water transport not only promotes regional economic integration, but also provides historical enlightenment for urban development in the modern transformation.