博弈与妥协:咸同之际江西借销邻盐始末

Negotiation and Compromise:The Borrowing and Sale of Neighboring Salt in Jiangxi during the Xianfeng and Tongzhi Periods

清咸同之际,太平天国运动导致旧的盐运体制崩溃,地方督抚欲打破传统的引岸界限,借销邻盐以纾困顿。淮盐运道梗塞后,江西盐务陷入混乱,江西地方官员为此先后设法借销粤、闽、浙盐,但效果不佳。此后曾国藩强势介入,进行以盐抵饷、化私为官的运作,江西盐务渐次复苏。然而,借销邻盐终究只是时局与市场的短暂变奏,太平天国运动失败后,江西引地重归两淮,未能逃脱复归旧制的命运。在尝试构建食盐运销新体制的过程中,利益各方以盐课分配为中心进行博弈,又在共同受益的前提下相互妥协,维持各方利益的动态平衡,这充分显示了晚清盐政变革和地方财政的复杂性。

During the Xianfeng and Tongzhi periods,the Taiping Rebellion led to the collapse of the traditional salt transportation system.Local governors sought to break the traditional boundaries of salt distribution and borrow neighboring salt to alleviate the crisis.After the obstruction of the Huai salt route,Jiangxi’s salt affairs fell into chaos,prompting local officials to successively attempt to borrow salt from Guangdong,Fujian and Zhejiang,though with limited success.Subsequently,Zeng Guofan intervened strongly,implementing strategies such as using salt to pay troops and converting private salt into official sales,gradually revitalizing Jiangxi’s salt affairs.However,borrowing neighboring salt was ultimately a temporary adjustment to the situation and market dynamics.After the failure of the Taiping Rebellion,Jiangxi’s salt distribution rights were returned to the Lianghuai regions,reverting to the old system.Throughout the process of attempting to establish a new salt transportation and sales system,the various stakeholders engaged in a game centered on the distribution of salt taxes.They also reached compromises under the premise of mutual benefit,maintaining a dynamic balance of interests.This reflects the complexity of salt administration reforms and local fiscal policies in the late Qing Dynasty.