明清铜钱流通体制的式微与重整

The decline and reorganization of the circulationsystem of copper coins in Ming and Qing dynasties

明中后叶形成的银钱并行格局一直延续至清代,但相同的货币格局下,两朝政府对钱法的管理能力却显现出很大的区别:明朝自成化弘治时期(1465—1505年)以后强力疏通钱法、屡开铸局挽救铜钱流通体制,然效果甚微,明晚期私钱泛滥、铜钱价值紊乱、银进钱退、铜钱流通范围大幅缩小,政府几近丧失对货币市场的干预能力;反观清朝,铸钱制度有序开展,钱价围绕官价上下波动、较为稳定。铜钱流通突破明代“行钱之地”的局限,出现广泛的“钱进银退”现象。政府对货币市场的干预能力相对较强。明清铜钱流通体制从式微到重整的转变原因在于明清商品经济既有基础不同,市场组织力量存在差异,民间对于小额通货的需求不断上升,以及最为关键的原因是清廷强有力的货币政策。

The parallel pattern of copper and silver formed in the middle and late Ming dynasty continued to the Qing dynasty.However,under the same monetary pattern,the governments of the two dynasties showed great distinction in the management ability of copper money circulation:since the ChengHong period of the Ming dynasty,efforts were made to establish the rule of copper coins and save the circulation system of copper coins,but it didn't work,in the late Ming dynasty,nongovernmental coinage was rampant,the value of copper coins was disordered,silver replaced copper coins,the circulation of copper coins was greatly reduced,and the government almost lost ability of intervening currency market.In contrast,in the Qing dynasty,the copper coin system was established in an orderly manner.The value of copper coins fluctuated around the official price and was relatively stable,the circulation of copper coins broke through the restriction of“places where coins can be exchanged”,and there was a widespread phenomenon of“copper coins replace silver”.The government owned a relatively strong ability of intervening the currency market.The reason why the circulation system of copper coins in Ming and Qing dynasties changed from decline to reorganization lies in the differences in the basis of commodity economy and the organizing power of market,the increasing demand of the people for small currency,and the most important is the powerful monetary policy of the Qing government.