A Study on the Wencao in the Southern Song Dynasty: the Activity of Pirates, the Trans- port and Sale of Illegal Salt and the Development of Coastal Shipping
Resource
臺大歷史學報, 47, 001-059
Journal
臺大歷史學報
Journal Issue
47
Pages
001-059
Date Issued
2011-06
Date
2011-06
Author(s)
Liang, K.Y.
Abstract
The term "wencao" (溫艚，ships from Wenzhou) appeared in official documents of the late Southern Song dynasty. Officials of Quanzhou and Guanzhou, used the term to refer to the sea rovers which raided their realm, and pointed out that the rovers came from Zhetong. This article probes the historical meaning of this term deeply in four sections. Section One describes the activities of wencao, and points out that these rovers sailed from Zhetong to Fujian and Guantong, raided mercantile ships on the sea and people living on the seashore. Section Two infers that these rovers at the sea time were mercantile ships, which transported the illegal salt produced in Zhetong to Fujian and Guantong, and cooperated with natives to sell smuggled goods. Section three discusses the problem of illegal salt along the coastal region of Zhetong, especially in Wenzhou and Taizhou, and shows that this was the the reason why the wencao came from this area. Section four explains that the activities of wencao. Viewed from a broad perspective, they were part of the development of the coastal shipping in Tang-Song period.
Subjects
溫艚
南宋
海盜
私鹽
航運
wencao, ships from Wenzhou
Southern Song dynasty
Pirate
Illegal saltShipping
Type
journal article
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