平阳商人研究浅议

The Research of Pingyang Merchants

明清及民国时期,平阳商人成为一支晋商劲旅,在中国商业史上占有一席之地,临汾亢家曾被称为清代全国首富。与晋中商人及山西票号研究资料相比,平阳商人研究资料也有一定存量,但处于散落状态。现存的平阳商人研究资料以碑刻、书信、账簿、契约、合同、汇票、行商指南、杂抄、名帖、诉状等实物资料最有代表性。从现存的平阳商人资料可见,襄陵、太平商人多在西北五省从事杂货营销,曲沃烟商开通了一条中俄"烟叶之路"、翼城布商经营京师、洪洞盐商运销山东。在历史上,平阳商帮确实存在,大批平阳商人曾参与"一带一路"沿线商贸经营活动。

During the Ming and Qing Dynasties and the Republic of China(1912-1949), Pingyang merchants held an important position in Chinese business history. The Kang family in Linfen was once known as the richest man in the Qing Dynasty. Compared with the research materials of central Shanxi’s merchants and banks, the materials of Pingyang merchants also have a certain amount, but are scattered. The existing materials of Pingyang merchants are the most representative ones, such as inscriptions, letters, account books, contracts, bills of exchange, guidebooks, and indictments. From the existing materials of Pingyang merchants, it can be seen that most merchants from Xiangling and Taiping engaged in grocery marketing in the five northwest provinces, the tobacco merchants in Quwo opened a Sino-Russian "tobacco road", the cloth merchants in Yicheng ran business in Beijing, and the Hongdong merchants carried and sold salt in Shandong. In history, the Pingyang merchants did exist, and a large number of Pingyang merchants had participated in the business activities along the"Belt and Road".