Journal paper

Issue No.	No. 34
Title	Interregional Traffic and Market Network from Warring States to Early Han dynasty: The Formation of Spatial Economy Structure in Ancient China
Author	Chen Yeng-Liang
Page	1-34
Abstract	This paper discusses the form of market construction and its limits in period from Warring States to Early Han dynasty. The question covers the nature of long-range transportation, space economy and market networks in regions. 　　The geographical features of continent in North China are a key factor in construction of ancient market and economy. From west Zhou, the feudal political system laid up space basis for itself. During Spring and Autumn (Chun Qiu) period, the routes of traffic were settled from political and economic interactions among various states. In general, the line of communication from Yellow River (Huanghe) to Ji River (Ji Shui) was the lifeline of transportation in North China, meanwhile Loyang was the center of “the world” (tian xia zhi zhong). From the later Spring and Autumn to Warring States, the canals were dug yet, and watercourses in North China were extended, the duty of shipping were assumed by Hong Gou (Hong Channel) and Ji River consequently. And this time Tao city became a first new economic hub. In general, Ji, Ying, Huai and Si these four rivers, circling a parallelogram, interflowed to a pivot or a hinge of transportation in the Warring States period. 　　The entirety of market constituted by cities or “metropolises” (du hui) spreading in plain of North China sprang up from this space and communication background in Warring States. We could catch sight of its landscape in numerous narrations in Shi Ji and other Ancient documents and records. In summary, the formation of nation-wide market was a new event in ancient economic history. Thus, a macro-view we could get from Chinese history was that the mold of transportation established in Ancient China, only by means of land routes and rivers and canals but not by seaway manifest that the market had its constructive limitation in this geographical basis.
Keyword	Warring States geographical features continental trade transportation construction of market spatial economy
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