The system of public grain-stocking developed at the beginning of the Qing dynasty is no doubt unique in the history of imperial China, because of the size of the stocks involved, the complexity of its operational rules, and the...
moreThe system of public grain-stocking developed at the beginning of the Qing dynasty is no doubt unique in the history of imperial China, because of the size of the stocks involved, the complexity of its operational rules, and the multiplicity of its objectives. Yet this institution was in a state of crisis by the late eighteenth century, and lost all importance after 1850. This study seeks to show why it was increasingly difficult for public granaries to maintain their stocks at a constant level while insuring a steady turnover. This difficulty was largely due to factors such as the rigidity of price regulations, scheduling procedures, and purchasing methods, as well as to the cumbersome nature of transactions. The complex system of controls was powerless to prevent local officials from neglecting the problems of granary management, depleting stocks, and keeping only the cash equivalent of the reserves they were supposed to maintain.
For more details on the same topic, see the relevant chapters in P.-E. Will and R. Bin Wong, Nourish the People: the State Civilian Granary System in China 1650-1850 (Ann Arbor, 1991)