The hypocrisy of the prosperous age of the Tang Dynasty: rising prices, polarization between the rich and the poor, rich families having good food and wine

When it comes to the Tang Dynasty, everyone associates it with adjectives such as grace and splendor, thinking that the Tang Dynasty was at the peak of prosperity of my country's feudal society. Agriculture, commerce, and internationalization have all developed greatly, but in fact, during the entire less than 300 years of the Tang Dynasty, the social, political and economic factors of turmoil were no less than those of other dynasties, and market prices fluctuated very dramatically. Even though the Tang Dynasty carried out reforms many times over a period of time, they all addressed the symptoms rather than the root cause, ultimately resulting in a more chaotic economy. If you were a member of the system in the Tang Dynasty, it was normal for rich families to enjoy wine and meat. If you are just an ordinary citizen, freezing to death on the road is not uncommon even in the prosperous Kaiyuan era.

The Tang Dynasty was naturally based on agricultural economy. Food has always been an important commodity in the national economy. Changes in food prices directly reflect the basic state of prosperity and stability of a society. And political stability, social enlightenment, and agricultural harvests are often closely related. However, in the event of a natural disaster or coup, the price of food in the Tang Dynasty would be 10,000 times higher than before, and this special situation was not limited to the Anshi Rebellion. There were only three stages of economic prosperity in the Tang Dynasty, but the longest of these three stages did not exceed 38 years. At other times, prices skyrocketed, or extremely low prices caused great losses to the industrial, commercial and agricultural sectors, eventually causing people to abandon their jobs. After prices became too low, uncontrollable price increases immediately broke out.

In the early years of the Tang Dynasty, prices were very high. This was not because of the Tang Dynasty, but because at the end of the Sui Dynasty, Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty sent troops on a large scale to conquer Goryeo, causing serious internal exploitation. It obviously overestimated its own national strength. Although on the surface, the Sui Dynasty had sufficient weapons and food, among the people, due to the rigidity and popularization of the Sui Dynasty's tax policy, there was no room for the people to operate. This reflects the completeness of the tax policy during the Sui Dynasty, and it is true that it is true. On the other hand, it also reflects that the social support capacity of the people in the Sui Dynasty was actually not as good as the government thought.

In order to continue to launch large-scale wars, Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty massively requisitioned labor and food in various places, which not only destroyed the enthusiasm for agricultural production, but also tied up a large number of labor forces. In the end, the only fate was the collapse of the dynasty. Of course, this was not the only factor in the demise of the Sui Dynasty, but it was a very important aspect. Therefore, in the early years of the Tang Dynasty, the price level was very high. In order to eliminate local forces and reunify China, Emperor Gaozu of the Tang Dynasty had to use large-scale military force in various places. Production cannot continue as usual, and many grain collections are subject to government military control. Generally speaking, people can celebrate the festival if they can have a full meal.

This long price crisis and food crisis lasted until the Zhenguan period. However, until the early years of Zhenguan, large-scale refugee uprisings and large-scale excitations caused by food shortages inevitably broke out across the country. The Tang government had to send force to suppress these local armed forces while furthering military and agricultural reforms. In some areas with relatively stable social conditions, they took the lead in implementing agricultural policies, which resulted in continuous bumper harvests. In this way, the high prices and poor agricultural harvests in the Tang Dynasty were alleviated. Subsequently, the Tang Dynasty carried out currency reform. Determine the currency and rectify the market economy. From Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty to about 38 years of the reign of Emperor Gaozong of the Tang Dynasty, prices in the Tang Dynasty basically remained stable.

This was also a rare period of stable economic development, and then during the Wu and Zhou Dynasties, prices rose again. Although Wu Zetian was an outstanding female politician who governed the country, economic laws cannot be violated. After experiencing nearly 38 years of economic prosperity in the early stage, the Tang Dynasty also experienced rising prices and currency depreciation. This time means that at that time in the Tang Dynasty, the cake could no longer grow bigger, and more people began to divide the cake, which was as inevitable as the political change of the Tang Dynasty. There were even floods, locust plagues and disease plagues in the Guanzhong area. It was regarded by Wu Zetian's political opponents at that time as a warning from heaven that Wu Zetian usurped the throne without authorization. In any case, there was a situation of cannibalism in the Guanzhong area at that time.

This situation improved during the Kaiyuan and Tianbao years. The Kaiyuan and Tianbao years were the period when Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty was in power, and it was also the most prosperous period of the Tang Dynasty's economy. The supply of goods during this period was sufficient, and the price level was naturally very low. But this period only lasted for more than 20 years. After the Anshi Rebellion, prices skyrocketed. The war in the north caused great damage to the complete system of industry and agriculture in the north and prices. It began to rise rapidly. At the same time, although there was an abundance of materials in the Jiangnan region, it mainly supported the finance and taxation of the Tang government.

Although my own economic situation is good, my financial burden is heavy. We also need to deliver a steady stream of supplies to various places experiencing war in the north. Therefore, due to the war, waterways were blocked. In order to open up these land and water routes, the costs and labor during the period were naturally borne by various places in the south. At the same time, there were natural disasters almost every year and the continuous military crisis in the north. The entire Tang government was in financial difficulties and inflation could not be curbed. After the Anshi Rebellion was basically put down, the Tang Dynasty carried out some currency reforms and began to implement full-money currency. It does stabilize the economy in the short term, but the final result is that bad money drives out good money, triggering another round of inflation. In the early stage, people were not only robbed of their property and land, but also waited until the bandit rebellion ended. The Tang government replaced the bandits and competed with the people for profit.

This situation has never been fundamentally changed. Instead, high prices lasted for more than thirty years, longer than the last period of stable prices. After that, the Tang government began to implement the Two Taxes Law. The Two Tax Law did not increase the material productivity of Tang Dynasty society, nor did it re-cast new currency. Instead, it changed the national taxation previously carried out by the Tang government from kind to currency, strengthening the currency's versatility.

At this level, farmers pay taxes on time, turning the original physical goods into currency. It increases the circulation of currency, thereby also curbing inflation. However, this is a measure that has obvious reform results in the macro economy. At the micro level, everyone in the Tang Dynasty has no fundamental feelings. Although the implementation of these two tax laws has made money more valuable than before, it has also brought about a widening gap between the rich and the poor and a heavier economic burden on the people due to falling prices. As a result, prices in the Tang Dynasty rose again.

During this period, the ruling group in the late Tang Dynasty was decadent and debauched, imposed excessive taxes and expropriations, social conflicts intensified, and peasant uprisings occurred frequently in various places. For ancient feudal dynasties, this was a bad phenomenon. At the same time, whether every dynasty was prosperous or troubled, it would be accompanied by various natural disasters. The reason why we have become prosperous in a certain period of time is because the government's execution and control capabilities have increased, and it can coordinate local management of local disasters.

In the last years of the dynasty, the government really did not have this ability, and local governments relied entirely on their own initiative. Even pushing the blame between each other. Because disasters are not managed, social unrest and destruction of productivity become the norm. After the people across the country had endured decades of high prices, Huang Chao captured Chang'an and food was completely cut off. The price of rice was as high as 30,000 yuan per dou. It lasted for decades until the fall of the Tang Dynasty, and the people at that time were not qualified to eat food at all. This is a historical fact, and it is also the cruelty of historical truth.

In addition to the contradiction between food and currency and various reforms, other prices in the Tang Dynasty also increased year by year. Whether it is silk or various daily life materials, it is even used as legal tender in extraordinary times. However, inflation was still unable to be controlled, and instead caused large-scale price increases and plummets for this physical material, which in turn brought a more serious crisis to the social economy at that time.

In addition, the prices of wine and gold also continued to rise at that time. In the Tang Dynasty, Buddhism was prevalent in society. Temples were built and Buddhist statues were built in various places, and a large amount of gold was consumed. At the same time, coupled with the development of foreign trade in the Tang Dynasty, gold was used as a large-scale means of payment to exchange rare treasures with foreign merchants. Domestic gold The quantity is decreasing day by day and the price of gold is rising. Many people think this is a good thing to invest in. But at that time, the Tang Dynasty had no concept of a gold market, and prices rose accordingly. At the same time, poets in the Tang Dynasty must have wine every day. Liquor also increased year by year in the Tang Dynasty, and the price will not fall due to the so-called Kaiyuan prosperity, just like our current liquor stocks.

Many businessmen and places have seen the role of wine in maintaining and increasing value, and have also used their own grain to make wine, thereby making huge profits. Since grain could not be produced safely, a large amount of grain was used to make wine, which satisfied the arty taste of the upper class. We can know a little bit about the outcome of the people at the bottom. In fact, in the Tang Dynasty, overall, food was not a problem from beginning to end. Even if there is no surplus in food production capacity, at least it is unlikely to cause widespread famine. When a large amount of grain was used to make wine to satisfy the enjoyment and creation of the upper class, food in the Tang Dynasty was in short supply for a long time.

In addition, the price of salt, which is directly related to the national economy and people's livelihood, was also very exaggerated in the Tang Dynasty, and was not even lower than the increase in grain prices. The price of salt returned to normal after being very high in the early Tang Dynasty.

Compared with grain, salt prices lasted at a low level for a longer period of time. However, after the Anshi Rebellion, in order to make money to make up for the huge financial deficit, the Tang government began to purchase salt, and the price continued to increase. Increased fiscal revenue and became the country's main source of tax revenue. It accounted for 1/2 of the Tang Dynasty's annual tax revenue, but the people suffered greatly. In some places, one grain can be exchanged for three liters of salt. Ordinary people in remote areas may not be able to eat salt for decades.

In terms of transportation, due to wars in the early Tang Dynasty, transportation infrastructure was seriously damaged. Subsequently, it was repaired, and for a long time, transportation costs were not high in the Tang Dynasty. But after the Anshi Rebellion, all places suffered huge damage. The basic materials and labor sent from the South to the North need to be borne by the South itself. The Tang government was also unable to maintain the road to the north and outsourced it to local governments. And all these costs are extracted from the people's taxes. If the extraction is not enough, taxes will be increased in various places.

It can be known from this that, in addition to salt prices, currency, etc., they mainly faced major crises after the Anshi Rebellion. Other economic fundamentals had many problems in the early years of the Tang Dynasty. Although each reform can ensure economic prosperity in a short period of time, the longest period is only more than thirty years. Then we have to repay the debt for the ills accumulated during more than three decades of rapid economic development. In addition, the Tang Dynasty was often faced with internal and external troubles at this time, and in the end it could only alleviate the financial crisis through tax increases. Although fiscal reform could make the Tang government function basically, it was all based on the blood and sweat of the people. The prosperous age of the Tang Dynasty only lasted a moment, and the real ordinary people in the Tang Dynasty lived a very miserable life.