明代常平仓的变迁与新识

The Change and New Understanding of Ever-normal Granary in Ming Dynasty

明代常平仓不如预备仓地位显赫,也不如社仓、义仓设置广泛,但在地方仓储体系中从未缺位。从明前期的零星存在,到成弘间的一枝独秀,再到嘉万时期的广为扩展,数量由少到多,影响由微至著。从其设立初衷、运作方式、存在状态等来看,与预备仓类而不同,是明中后期重要的仓储形式,弥补了地方仓储体系的不足,在维护区域粮食安全方面起到了重要作用。尽管其长期由地方自设自管,在备荒仓储体系的夹缝中生存、发展,却为在清代的定制推广奠定了重要基础。

Ever-normal granary in Ming Dynasty had a lower status than reserve warehouse.It was not as many as public granary and charitable granary.But it was very important.Ever-normal granary was rarely distributed in the early Ming Dynasty,and had distinct advantage in Cheng-Hong years,and was widely distributed in Jia-Wan years.During this period,its number and influence had increased.From its basic purpose,operation pattern and existing state,it was different from the reserve warehouse.Playing an important role in maintaining local food security,ever-normal granary supplemented the shortage of local storage system.Although belonging to the local management,it laid the foundation for its customization in Qing Dynasty.