左宗棠与西北茶务

Zuo Zong-tang and the tea business of northwestern China

唐宋以来 ,西北茶务与财政、军事、国防关系密切 ,地位十分重要。清代雍正、乾隆以后 ,兴盛了千余年的茶马贸易走向衰落。受多种因素影响 ,咸同时期西北茶务更加残破不堪。左宗棠调任陕甘总督后 ,从巩固边防、筹集军饷的目的出发 ,大力整顿西北茶务 ,深刻分析了西北茶务十余年停滞的五个原因 ,采取了试办茶务的四个办法 ,在此基础上提出了整顿茶务的三大政策 ,产生了四大重要影响 ,最终使西北茶务摆脱了困境 。

The tea business has gained a vital position in the economy of northwestern China since Tang and Song Dynasty for its close relation with finance,military and national defense.After the ages of Yongzheng and Qianlong,two emperors of Qing Dynasty,the business to trade tea for horse,booming for a thousand years,now began to decay.Influenced by many factors,the tea business during the rule of the two emperor Xianfeng and Tongzhi worsened.At this very time Zuo Zong-tang was appointed the governor of Shanxi and Gansu.He set about to regulate the tea business,aiming at strengthening defense and collecting more war fund.He made a profound analysis on the standstill of the local tea business and found five reasons.He put forward four steps and three policies to promote the tea business,which produces four vital influences.The tea business eventually got out of predicament and began to boom.