朝贡与海禁:明代海外贸易政策述论

Tribute and Maritime Trade Restrictions:an Analysis of Ming Dynasty’s Overseas Trade Policy

海上朝贡贸易与海禁政策相辅相成是明代海外贸易政策的最鲜明特征。“朝贡贸易”是“华夷秩序”理念在经济领域的表达形式,“海禁”是“华夷之防”在海防管理方面的具体体现。明代海上朝贡贸易是统治者根据海疆客观环境变化不断调适的必然结果,如果将中国封建社会长期停滞不前的原因完全归咎于朝贡贸易和海禁政策,显然与事实相悖。

The complementary relationship between maritime tribute trade and maritime trade restrictions was the most distinctive feature of Ming Dynasty’s overseas trade policy.“Tribute trade”was the expression of the concept of“China and Barbarian”in the economic field,while“trade restrictions”were the specific manifestation of defense management in maritime affairs.Maritime tribute trade during the Ming Dynasty was the inevitable result of rulers continuously adjusting according to changes in the objective environment of the maritime frontier.If the long-standing stagnation of Chinese feudal society is solely attributed to tribute trade and trade restrictions,it would obviously contradict the facts.