滇铜、汉铜与清代中期的汉口铜市场

Yunnan Copper, Hankou Copper and Mid-Qing Copper Market in Hankou

金属铜的生产贸易,是清代全国市场体系中的重要组成部分。本文依据档案和其他文献资料,考察了清代中期汉口铜材市场的来源、规模、价格、用途等情况,尤其着重分析了1766—1779年间汉口的铜业危机。从研究可知,汉口商铜规模在乾隆朝中期已经达到了每年100万乃至200万斤以上,除部分供应政府铸币外,用途主要还是民间铜器加工业。其来源主要是云南私铜,这说明云南私铜的规模很大。非法的私铜从云南来到汉口,变成了合法的汉铜,这表明商铜的存在有助于钱法的顺畅流通。汉铜市场的存在和发展,表明了当时全国统一的商铜市场的存在和规模,也说明了当时中国经济的发展对于自由的全国性金属市场的需求。

The production and trade of metals was an important part of the Chinese market system in the Qing period. With a special focus on the crisis of 1766-1779, this article investigates the supply, scale, price and usage of copper in Hankou in the mid-Qing period based on historical archives. The study shows that the amount of copper in Hankou market was one million to two million fin （600-1200） in the mid-Qianlong period （1736-1795）. The major demand for copper was to meet the growing needs of the handicraft industry. The fact that this copper mainly came from illegal mines in Yunnan demonstrates the scale of the illegal copper trade. Illegal copper from Yunnan became legal copper in Hankou which meant that there was a certain balance maintained between marketable copper for utensils and the government procurement for the minting of cash. The existence and development of the Hankou copper market not only proves there was a uniform national copper market but also shows that the requirement of the development of China＇s economy for free national metal market at that time.