What were the four rice markets in ancient China?

China's "Four Big Rice Markets" came into being in the process of underdeveloped agricultural commodity economy in the old society, which played a positive role in promoting grain production and circulation at that time and greatly improved local social development, farmers' life and commercial trade. Wuxi, Changsha, Wuhu and Jiujiang, as the four "rice markets", have the advantages of convenient transportation along the river, rich grain production and developed trade circulation. As for the ranking of the four "rice markets", Wuxi and Wuhu each ranked first, which is meaningless now. Wuxi Wuxi is located in the south of Jiangsu Province, bordering Taihu Lake in the south, Huishan Mountain in the west, Taihu Lake water network plain in the north, and the intersection of Shanghai-Nanjing Railway, Beijing-Hangzhou Canal, Xicheng Highway and Xicheng Canal. Wuxi Jianxian County began in Qin and Han Dynasties and has been in use ever since. Historically, it was once the famous "Land of Fish and Rice" in China, known as the head of "Four Big Rice Markets" in China, and also one of the earliest birthplaces of national capitalists in China. As early as the heyday of grain transportation in Ming and Qing dynasties, Wuxi was already a famous grain market in the south of the Yangtze River, a concentrated place of grain transportation in Taihu Lake Basin and Zhejiang Province. During the Qianlong period, Wuxi's grain throughput reached 78 million tons. At the beginning of the 20th century, at the end of 65438+, the grain accumulation was the highest in southeast provinces, and the grain processing industry became the five major rice milling centers in China. Since the reform and opening up, Wuxi rice market has been active and its business has spread all over the country. In order to meet the needs of the reform of grain circulation system and the new round of market reform and development, the function and taste of Wuxi rice market will be comprehensively improved, and the national market signboard of "Wuxi Grain and Oil Center Wholesale Market" will be restored. "Wuxi Rice Market" is mainly composed of two markets: North and South. South Market is based on Wuxi Grain and Oil Transfer Reserve, which has the advantages of railway grain and oil dedicated line and Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal rice wharf, and mainly deals in bulk grain such as rice, wheat, soybeans and corn. The northern market is dominated by the existing Wuxi grain and oil market, and the spot trading of finished grain and oil mainly meets the needs of residents in Xicheng and surrounding areas. Sanliqiao, the suburb, is the largest grain and oil market in China, 1990, ranking first among the four rice markets. Wuxi is a subtropical monsoon climate, warm and humid, with many places of interest. There are Chong'an Temple in the Northern Song Dynasty, Xi Hui Park under Huishan Mountain has the Tang site "The Second Spring in the World" and Mingjichang Garden, and there are Longguang Temple and Longguang Pagoda in Xishan Mountain. At the beginning of the 20th century, Liyuan, Meiyuan and Yuantouzhu (also known as Hengyun Park) were built in the lakeside area. From Taibo to Wu, from being the first of the four great painters in China, from representing the integrity of China intellectuals to writing China's only top ten world famous song "Two Springs Reflecting the Moon", Wuxi has a written history of civilization for thousands of years. As for China's modern famous figures such as Xu Beihong, Qian Zhongshu and Sun, everyone will be familiar with them. In modern times, there were national industrial giants Rong Desheng and Rong Brothers, and red capitalists Rong Yiren and Rong Zhijian. In the 1970s, Wuxi was one of the main birthplaces of Chinese township enterprises, and its economic development has been among the best in cities of the same size in China. Second, Changsha Changsha is located in central and eastern Hunan, the lower reaches of Xiangjiang River, and the east of Hunan. Since the Qin and Han Dynasties, it has been the political, military, economic, cultural and educational center of Huxiang region, with a long history, splendid culture and a gathering of celebrities. Changsha is characterized by "the land is jade, the water is pearl", Yuelu Mountain is the screen, Xiangjiang River is the belt, the land and water mainland floats in the heart of Bijiang River, Liuyang winds in the suburbs, lakes and mountains alternate with each other, and the city walls are scattered in the meantime, forming the landscape of the Tang Dynasty. Changsha has a recorded history of more than 3000 years, and the formation and construction of the ancient city of Changsha also has many characteristics. Changsha itself is a historical relic, with ancient and modern city sites and ancient and modern city centers overlapping. There are only a handful of cities in China that have continued from the Warring States Period to the present. Ding Wangtai and Jia Yi's former residence in Han Dynasty, gardens and temples in Tang and Five Dynasties, academies in Song Dynasty, Wang Fu and Chengge in Ming Dynasty all have their own characteristics and styles. Although Changsha suffered from Wenxi fire, its unique ancient buildings, gardens, temples, ancient city ruins, ancient streets, ancient post roads and ancient rivers are still vivid. Changsha rice market occupies an important position in the commercial history of Changsha, and its embryonic form can be traced back to the late Northern Song Dynasty. At that time, Tanzhou had been able to build large ships to carry rice and transport rice to and from Xiangjiang River. In the early years of Yongzheng in the Qing Dynasty, there was a "thousand boats carrying rice" on the Xiangjiang River, which was sold directly to Hankou and then to Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces, and it was very popular. The Yisu River near Changsha has become a gathering area of 100 valleys. "Compared with granaries, rice bags are closed, and the annual trade volume reaches more than 2 million tons." 1726 (the fourth year of Yongzheng), the Qing government issued a document by the vassal department to open various dental shops and provide trading places, and the rice market was formally formed. There are 35 tooth shops in Changsha Town, of which 24 are grain shops. The prosperity of Changsha grain store attracted Xiaomi Town near Changsha to gather in the provincial capital. At the same time, there have been artificial mills, cattle mills and even machine mills that process rice into rice for sale. During Guangxu period, there were 500 shops in Changsha, most of which were located along the river from Bixiang Street to Caochaomen, especially Chaozong Street, so it was called "Mi Street". At the end of the Qing Dynasty and the beginning of the Republic of China, Changsha's grain industry began to divide into four natural industries: rice milling based on processing, grain depot based on grain storage, grain store based on valet trading and pure retail rice store. 1908, Zeng Guofan's son-in-law Nie Jigui opened Xie Feng Grain Depot in Changsha. The prosperity of Changsha rice market is mainly based on the relatively developed grain production in Hunan Province, in addition to Changsha's special geographical and economic status. At that time, the total grain output ranked third in the country, second only to Guangdong and Sichuan. The rice market declined after the Wenxi fire in Changsha. After War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression's victory, it gradually recovered. By 1947, there were more than 700 enterprises in Changsha's grain industry. The climate in Changsha is changeable in spring, with abundant sunshine in summer and autumn, short cold period and long hot summer period. There are many places of interest and revolutionary memorial sites in Changsha, including Mawangdui Han Tomb, Yuelu Academy, Lushan Temple, Qingshuitang, Chuanshan Society and the First Normal University. Attractions include Orange Island and Love Night Pavilion. Changsha's commerce has flourished since ancient times, and its handicraft industry has developed. In the 30th year of Guangxu in Qing Dynasty (1904), Changsha officially opened its ports for trade. During the Republic of China, Changsha rice market and its industries of gold, money, silk and paper were famous all over the country, and many commercial streets and time-honored brands appeared in Changsha, which was known as "land of plenty", "land of fireworks", "land of Hunan embroidery" and "land of pottery".