A Study on the Functions of the Tea-Horse Agency in the Ming Dynasty
The Tea-Horse Agency was a specialized institution in the Ming Dynasty responsible for manag-ing the tea-horse trade,primarily overseeing the barter trade of tea and horses along the Sichuan-Shaanxi bor-der.The first Tea-Horse Agency was established in Qinzhou,followed by similar agencies in Hezhou,Taozhou,and other regions,where"officially collected and stored tea"was exchanged for horses.The agency was staffed with officials such as Tea-Horse Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners dedicated to overseeing tea-horse matters.Based on a reevaluation of relevant historical documents,this paper reexamines the functions of the Tea-Horse Agency in the Ming Dynasty,arguing that its primary roles included bartering tea for horses,deter-mining tea-horse exchange rates,and prohibiting the trafficking of private tea.Furthermore,the study provides a comprehensive discussion on the establishment timeline,locations,and administrative structure of the agency.
Ming DynastyTea-Horse Agencyfunctionstea-horse exchange rates
万方数据
