明代王府食盐述论

Study on the Salt for the Palaces of Princes in the Ming Dynasty

明廷每年向诸王供应一定额度的食盐,称为"王府食盐"。王府食盐经历了设立、废止和再形成的过程,从食用物资嬗变为经济利权,这与诸藩奏讨息息相关。王府实际支盐区一般与就藩地所属盐产区一致,但也存在因谋取高额盐利而改支其他盐产区的现象。王府食盐的额度经历了膨胀、整顿和再膨胀三个阶段,呈现出易增难减和偏重近支的特点。王府食盐或支本色,或支折色,或本折兼支,这些方法各有优劣,长期共存。王府食盐的运输由盐务专署、地方政府、王府人员与盐区灶户负责,运价由盐务专署和地方政府承担。王府食盐加剧了国家财政危机,扰乱了基层社会的市场秩序,危害了盐法的平稳运行。

The princes of the Ming dynasty were supplied by the Ming government with a certain amount of salt,which was called"salt for the palaces of princes".The salt for the palaces of princes experienced the course of establishment,abolishment,and reestablishment,which gradually changed from edible resources to economic rights,and was closely related with the princes requesting for salt.The area supplying salt to the palace of a prince was usually in line with the salt producing area where the palace was located.But there were also instances of acquiring salt from other salt producing areas for the sake of making high profits.The quota of salt for the palaces of princes experienced inflation,rectification,and reflation,displaying the characteristics of easy to increase and hard to decrease,as well as a preference for acquiring salt from the near areas.The salt for the palaces of princes was paid by salt equivalent to silver,silver or a mixture of salt and silver.All the methods of payment coexisted with each other for a long time and had their own advantages and disadvantages.Salt administrators,local governments,the princes’servants and salt-workers were in charge of the transportation of salt for the palaces of princes,whose freight rate was determined by salt administrators and local governments.The salt for the palaces of princes intensified the financial crisis of the Ming government,disturbed the market order at the grass-roots level and undermined the operation of the salt policy.