西汉前期的蜀商在中外文化交流史上的贡献

The Important Role of the Sichuan Traders in the Civilization ExchangesBetween China and Foreign Countries in Han Dynasty

西汉前期的巴蜀商人活动能量十分惊人。他们把蜀地的商品远销至中亚、印度、东南亚、东北亚等地。他们充当了南方走私贸易的主角。岭南和西南地区成为走私行为蔓延和滋生的温床。南印度迈索尔出土的公元前 138年的古汉钱 ,似应与蜀地的走私商人有关 ,正与《史记》所记载的蜀身毒道相印证。汉武帝消灭南越国 ,平定西南夷 ,蜀商走私活动赖以生存的环境和土壤荡然无存。在中国历史舞台上纵横捭阖数百年的巴蜀商人集团从此黯然失色。

Before 111BC,Sichuan Traders were particularly famous for smuggling Sichuan’s goods to the Southwestern Barbarian,Nanyue Kingdom,India and other foreign countries.With Nanyue Kingdom and the Southwestern Barbarian conquered by Han Wudi,the environment for smuggling was wholly changed.The important role in the civilization exchanges between China and foreign countries,which the Sichuan Traders once acted,died out thoroughly.