太史公论庶人之富--读《史记·货殖列传》札记

春秋之前的中国古代社会 ,财富按等级占有 ,所能私有的惟有家畜。春秋以后 ,社会发生空前动荡变革 ,巨富的工商业者越来越多 ;特别是到西汉武帝之时 ,富商大贾的势力已超轶王侯 ,庶人从不能富到能富 ,到能巨富 ,实为自古以来的一大变局。司马迁站在人民的立场上 ,在《史记·货殖列传》中对此巨变作了精彩的论述。

Sima Qian's Exposition about the Wealth of the Plebeians-- Notes Made While Reading Shi Ji: Biographies of Merchants

In China before the Spring and Autumn Period, wealth was possessed according ranks, and only livestock could be possessed privately. After the Spring and Autumn Period, because of the great turbulences and changes, there appeared more and more businessmen of great wealth. During the Reign of the Emperor Wu Di of the Han Dynasty, the powers and influences of the rich merchants surpassed those of the royal lords. It was the greatest change that the plebeians who had not had the right to own wealth before could possess great wealth. Sima Qian, from the point of view of the common people, gives wonderful expositions about this great change in his Shi Ji: Biographies of Merchants.