论唐后期私盐现象与盐铁、度支使之关系 = A study of the relationship between Illegal Salt and Yantieshi & Duzhishi in the later period of Tang Dynasty

• Main Author: 盧虹伶 Loo, Sandie Hong Ling
• Other Authors: Qu Jingyi
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: Chinese
• Published: 2016
• Subjects: DRNTU::Humanities::History::Asia::China
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/66108
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

私盐活动贯穿中国历史，但历来私盐研究多是倾向明、清与近代时期的私盐活动，唐代私盐资料寡少凌乱，不受研究者青睐。本文盼借此良机补充这方面的学术欠缺。通过盐铁使与度支使对待私盐行径的双面态度，探析唐代后期私盐现象的兴起与猖獗。盐铁使与度支使设置的主要职责是掌管盐业，缉捕私盐。唐代后期，中央朝廷的政以贿成之风与喧宾夺主之势，颠覆盐铁、度支使的实质职司，变成放纵私盐，私取盐利。整体而言，本文主要依据史书《新唐书》、《旧唐书》与《资治通鉴》，参照唐代诗文窥探盐铁使与度支使对待私盐问题的真实面纱。本文先概述唐代盐法、私盐犯类型与私盐盛行之地。第二章，从谏官独孤郁的策论，探讨私盐昌盛的主要原因。第三章，探究中唐前期盐铁使李巽，推行的压制私盐措施，并以白居易的诗文互证在地方的实施效果。第四章，以中唐后期的盐铁、度支使在压制与放纵私盐的双面态度，推论当时私盐现象的猖狂。唐朝末年的宦官专权、藩镇割据与百姓暴动问题，分析盐铁、度支使沦陷于私盐活动中，导致唐代榷盐制的崩溃。The phenomenon of illegal salt trafficking has always been present throughout China's history, yet current research is limited to the Ming, Qing and Modern periods. Hence, this paper seeks to investigate salt smuggling in the late Tang Dynasty through close analysis of historical sources New Book of Tang, Old Book of Tang and Zizhi Tongjian as well as Tang poetry and prose, thereby taking the opportunity to address this previously neglected field of academic research. A key focus of this thesis will be the relationship between imperial officials and illegal salt trafficking. Yantieshi and Duzhishi are court-appointed officials designated to manage China’s salt market, yet rampant corruption and the waning power of the Central Government prompted them into collaborating with the salt smugglers. This thesis first summaries the Tang Dynasty’s salt legislation, types of illegal salt trafficking as well as the geographical regions such trafficking is usually conducted in. Chapter 2 analyses the causation factors behind this phenomenon from the perspective of imperial advisors Dugu Yu. Chapter 3 examines the policies implemented by Li Xun, Yantieshe, to control salt trafficking, and cross-references the Chinese poet Bai Juyi to determine the effectiveness of such policies. Chapter 4 highlights the paradoxical nature of Yantieshi and Duzhishi in simultaneously suppressing and enhancing such trafficking, thus resulting in a historic high of illegal salt activities. Lastly, this paper analyses the critical problems encountered by the Central Government such as militant governorship, commoner riots, and eunuchs’ power monopolies, thus resulting in the collapse of the Tang government’s salt market monopoly.