乾隆-道光年间的北洋贸易与上海的崛起

Northern Trade and the Rise of Shanghai in Qianlong-Daoguang Reign

康熙二十四年,清政府在上海设立江海关,定制为:南洋海船收泊上海大关,北洋沙船收泊刘河口,并由此形成南、北洋贸易的分隔局面。乾隆二十二年的"独口通商"政策使南洋贸易的发展受到限制,这无疑影响到上海的发展。不过,乾隆中叶开始的北洋贸易的一系列变化则为上海的发展提供了契机。其一,东北豆货输出开禁使北洋贸易得以大规模发展;其二,刘河的淤塞使北洋贸易中心向上海转移;其三,运河航运能力不足,越来越多的内地商货改由海道北上。这样,在乾隆后期至开埠之前的数十年间,上海迅速发展成为南北洋贸易、长江与沿海贸易的中转枢纽。各地商帮云集上海,相继建立各自的会馆,其中以闽广、江浙、山东等沿海商帮实力较强;沙船业、钱业、饼豆业、棉布业等是这一时期发展最快的行业。作为东部沿海最大的港口城市,上海的地位在嘉庆、道光年间已经确立。

Northern trade has changed dramatically during the years of Qianlong. First, since the ban towards beans-export has been lifted, Northern trade was able to develop on a large scale. Second, because of the silting up of River Liu, the centre of Northern trade transferred to Shanghai. Third, since the shipping capacity of the Grand Canal was not that effective, commodities of the hinterlands had to be transported by sea. Thus, during the few decades from Late Qianlong to the days before port-opening, Shanghai quickly boomed into a transport hub of Southern and Northern trade, as well as Yangtze River trade and coasting trade. Commercial groups from all over China have gathered at Shanghai and built their own guilds there. The ones from Fujian-Guangdong, Jiangsu-Zhejiang and Shandong Province were wealthier; large junk industry, bank industry, soya-bean cake business and cotton cloth industry proved to be the fastest developing industries.