世界市场与苏嘉湖蚕桑丝织经济圈

World Market and Silk Economic Circle in the Borderland of Suzhou,Jiaxing and Huzhou

启动于15、16世纪的世界市场一直同中国保持密切的贸易往来,用白银换丝绸则是中西贸易的长期主题。与此同时,随着棉纺织技术在全国范围内的推广,蚕桑业日益收缩;明中叶至清中叶,在不适合植棉的苏、嘉、湖三府交界处,渐次形成了一个与世界市场遥相呼应的区域性蚕桑丝织经济圈。19世纪中叶,工业革命的成功使以西欧、北美为主导的世界市场体系开始重整,并强行在中国开埠通商,导致苏嘉湖蚕桑丝织经济圈在世界市场上的主动地位丧失殆尽。在太平天国战争的严重打击之后,这一经济圈步履艰难地开始了近代变迁。

In the 15 -16th century,the world market began to take shape and the cotton -weaving technology spread all o- ver China. During the process China kept close trade contact with the world market and the exchange of silk for silver had lasted for a long time. Although the silk industry declined day after day in China, a regional silk economic circle appeared gradually in the common boundary of Suzhou, Jiaxing and Huzhou, where the land was not suitable for growing cotton. The circle maintained close contact with the world market from the middle of Ming Dynasty to the middle of Qing Dynasty. After the Industrial Revolu- tion, the world market system dominated by West Europe and North America began to be restructured. China was forced to open its ports to the outside world for business. As a result, the regional silk economic circle lost its initiative in the world market. Se- verely damaged by the war launched by the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, the silk economic circle had to adapt itself to the outside conditions toughly.