从自由互市到政府控驭:唐、宋、明时期汉藏茶马贸易的功能变异

茶马贸易本属汉藏民族间、农区与牧区间互通有无的经济交流活动,它本应遵循固有的经济规律。其发端的唐朝如此,其发展的宋亦大致如是。但至明朝,统治者希图借经济手段去替代政治、军事所无法完成的统治功能(“以茶驭蕃”),并“联番制虏”,隔绝传统的蒙藏联系,“壮中国之藩篱”。汉藏茶马贸易的原有功能发生变异,纯粹的经济活动被赋予了浓厚的政治内容。

From Free Trade to Government Control: The Functional Changes in the Tea-Horse Trade between the Hans and the Tibetans in the Tang, the Song and the Ming Dynasties

The tea-horse trade was originally a business activity for exchanging needed goods between the Hans and the Tibetans and between the agricultural area and the pastoral area and had its own economic law in the Tang Dynasty when it emerged and in the Song Dynasty when it enjoyed development. However, the rulers of the Ming Dynasty wanted to use the economic means to fulfil their rule and control which their political and military means failed to accomplish. Thus, its original economic functions changed with strong political elements added.