明清时期的镇江商业

Zhenjiang’s Commerce in Ming and Qing Dynasties

镇江因长江、运河之利,商业向来发达。明清时期,镇江地处江南两大经济中心——苏杭和南京之间,商业发展受到发达的江南商品经济的辐射和影响,镇江发展成为“舟车络绎之冲,四方商贾群萃而错处”的区域中心市场。中转贸易、米粮业、丝绸业、木材业和水上客运业是明清时镇江商业的主要组成部分。作为区域中心市场,明清时期的镇江商业在江南商业经济中占有一席之地,但由于中转贸易的特殊性、本地商品生产水平和手工业水平的限制,与苏杭、南京等商品经济发达的商业都市相比,镇江商业水平逊色不少,影响了近现代镇江商业经济的发展。

Zhenjiang has always been prosperous in commerce because it lies at the confluence of the Yangtze River and the Grand Canal. In Ming and Qing Dynasties, as it was located between Suzhou ＆ Hang- zhou and Nanjing, the two economic centers to the south of the Yangtze River, Zhenjiang, whose commerce was radiated and influenced by the developed economy to the south of the Yangtze River, became the center market of the region where boats and carts streamed in and businessmen flocked. Zhenjiang＇ s commerce chief- ly dealt with transfer trade, rice and corn, silk, timber and passenger transport by water. It played an important role in the commerce to the south of the Yangtze River, but it was also restricted by its transfer trade, and the lower level of the local commodities Hangzhou and Nanjing, and its further and technology. It was outdone by that of the more developed Suzhou, development was thus shackled.