近代澳门与内地的茶叶贸易

Tea Trade between Macao and the Mainland in Recent Time

近代澳门与内地的茶叶贸易以清末为盛,茶源以西江下游沿岸所产红茶为大宗。拱北口是最重要的贸易场,销往澳门的茶叶大部分转输香港,供港人和南洋华侨消费,一部分直接运销欧美市场。清末澳门一度成为粤茶出口之重镇,对于本地及内地的经济贸易产生了重要影响。后由于茶质疏于改进、洋茶的残酷竞争,以及澳门商务地位日降,至于民初,澳门与内地的茶叶贸易陷于湮没无闻。

Late Qing Dynasty witnessed the boom of tea trade between Macao and mainland. Tea, mostly black tea, came from the Lower Reaches of Xi River. At that time, Gongbei Port was the essential trading place. A majority of the tea to Macao would transfer to Hongkong to satisfy its citizens and the overseas Chinese in Southern Seas; while others would send to Europe and US market. In the late Qing, Macao, trading the tea from Canton, once turned to be the indispensable city for the local economy and trade, as well as that of the mainland. Owing to the quality and the competition abroad, Macao lost its power gradually. The tea business between Macao and the mainland nearly disappeared after the Republican of China.