Chapter 6 Section 3 Money, Usury, and Land, Person, and Labor Buying and Selling

The frequent exchange of commodities promoted the development of the monetary system.Metal currency, which originated very early, was more widely used in the middle and late Spring and Autumn Period, and the monetary economy became more and more active during the Warring States Period.There are four types of copper coins in the Warring States Period: one is the shovel-shaped "cloth coin", the other is the knife-shaped "knife coin", and the third is the ring-shaped "won coin", each with its different popular areas in the north; the fourth is the copper coin Bei, popular in Chu State in the south, called "ant nose money".Major cities minted money one after another, most of which had place names on them, and rich families and merchants also minted their own money.A large number of copper coins have been used in folk transactions, and the price of the main agricultural product millet is calculated with copper coins; taxes in some areas are also collected in currency, which is the so-called "knife and cloth collection"; copper coins are also used to pay the wages of "uncommon people"; The phenomenon of physical delivery of millet out of divination has become rare.Gold replaced pearls and jade, and was used as a "shang currency" among countries.Some precious commodities such as ivory beds, Maxima horses, swords, and fox furs are traded in gold.Gold is also often used by the monarch to reward his subordinates, and bureaucrats give gifts and bribes to each other, often costing a thousand catties or ten thousand yi (one yi 24 taels). It is also a small number of cases comparable.The extensive application of metal currency is the result of commercial development, but the more developed the currency, the more convenient the exchange procedures, which in turn creates conditions for the further development of commerce, and at the same time provides convenience for merchants to manipulate prices and accelerates the accumulation of commercial capital. .

The development of the commodity currency economy has created a strong idea of ​​worshiping money in the society.According to "Historical Records", Su Qin's sister-in-law was "previously arrogant" to Su Qin because he "run out of gold, raccoon dogs and fur" went to Qin to lobby, and made an empty trip; Fanrong returned, "high position and rich gold".Some of those diners who eat people's food, worry about people's worries, and kill revenge for their masters are the targets of being bought with money, and many of them are dog butchers, pulp sellers, and market merchants.The Yang Zhu school of self-interest has also appeared in the academic world, which "plucks a hair and benefits the world without doing it".Rich people not only love money during their lifetime, but also hope to have money and enjoy themselves after death. It is becoming more and more common to bury a large number of ghost coins with them.Some people are also buried with commercial tools such as balances, weights, counting chips, bamboo slips, pens, etc., as if they are going to do business to make money after death.

With the development of the commercial money economy, usury also became popular.Lord Mengchang loaned money to farmers in the feudal city, and the interest could be as much as 100,000 yuan at a time.Wealthy businessmen do not show weakness. They often grant usury loans to farmers when they are poor, and then buy agricultural products at lower prices when farmers pay off their debts, thus carrying out double exploitation.By the end of the Eastern Zhou Dynasty, even King Nan of Zhou became a debtor who was heavily indebted. He could not repay his debts, so he had to hide on a high platform to avoid debts. From this story.

Land was involved in the wave of commodity money, and its free trade became more and more popular. The old system of "no vending in the field" has become a relic of history.During the Warring States Period, Zhao Kuo, who was usually boastful and was annihilated in the first battle of Changping, when Zhao Wang worshiped him as a general, his mother objected.One of the reasons is that Zhao Kuo did not share the gold and silk given to him by the king of Zhao with his soldiers, but "hidden it at home, and Rishi facilitated the purchase of fields and houses" ("Historical Records Biography of Lian Po Lin Xiangru").Land sales made wealthy merchants become merchant landlords by purchasing a large amount of land. Many merchants even merged the land of farmers who could not repay their debts during the usury, integrating merchants, landlords, and usurers.

Slaves were also traded as commodities during the Warring States Period. "People who have no food [zhan felt, thick porridge], sell their sons" ("Guanzi Kuidu"), "marry wives and sell their children" ("Han Feizi Six Antis"), the small farmers Bankruptcy and usury caused a kind of "debt slaves" (slaves in slave society were mainly captured criminals).The Qin State set up a market for slaves and maidservants, who were in the same pen as cattle and horses.However, the source of slaves is less than before, and the price has also risen because of this. One hundred gold is redeemed for a fugitive slave, and three thousand gold is bought for a beautiful woman.Slaves were mainly used for domestic labor, commerce and handicrafts.Later in feudal society, remnants of the old system of buying and selling domestic slaves remained.

The phenomenon of buying and selling labor force also increased day by day during the Warring States Period, which was called "yong" (commission) at that time; commission sales often passed through the market, which was called "market commission".There are also hired workers in industry and commerce, called maids and maids; hotel workers are called bartenders.When Jing Ke went to assassinate the King of Qin, Gao Jianli, his drinking friend, sent him off. After Jing Ke failed, Gao Jianli "changed his name and surname to become a servant protector", which is a famous example in history ("Historical Records: Biography of Assassins").

The development of the monetary system, the prevalence of usury, and the commercialization of land, slaves, and labor are all social phenomena under the active commodity economy.It can be seen from this that the commerce of this period (especially the Warring States period) was indeed beyond comparison with the low-level commerce of the slave society in the past.