从牙行至混业钱庄:民国清水江的木行

From the Broker Business to the Old-style Chinese Private Bank of the Blended Business: A Case Study on the Timber Business in Qingshui River in the Republic of China

1921-1934年清水江流域的茅坪、王寨、卦治三埠之木行、棉布商、杂货商兼营混业钱庄,均需水客提供信用,但水客所携带的汉票、洪兑,并未成为购买木材的主要支付手段,反倒是木行的“取票”、棉布商和杂货商所出的“兑条”,成为替代现金的重要支付手段,水客、木行、山客、棉布商、杂货商彼此信用对方的票据,形成了区域票据结算体系。财政主导型的地方金融制度,以及三埠商号分散资本以减少风险的经营策略是清水江三埠之混业钱庄没有迈向分业的重要原因。

During 1921 to 1934, the timber business, cotton business and grocers at the docks of Maoping, Wangzhai, and Guazhi around the Qingshui river also ran the private bank with Chinese old-style, which could provide the credit for the customers. However, the Chinese bills (Han Piao) and exchange bills (Hong Dui) taken by the customers did become the main mean for payment, while the taking bills (Qu Piao) in timber business and money exchange (Dui Tiao) in cotton business and grocers became the essential payment way instead of the cash. Therefore, trusting the bills from different business fields formed the payment system by utilizing bills. Local financial system oriented by finance and the running strategy of scattering capitals of business of three fields to reduce the risks have become the main reasons non-division of blended business of private bank at the three docks along the Qingshui river.