華北糧食市場與流通網絡的構造——其「對外依存性」、「動態性」及「前現代性」(1928-1937)

Structure of North China’s Food Market and Circulation Network: Its“External Dependency”,“Dynamic”and“Pre-modernity”(1928-1937)

本文透過考察民國時期華北糧食作物的運銷實態及中介組織，廓清華北地區糧食糧食市場的構造，並歸納出其流通網絡的三大特徵。學界對華北糧食經濟的理解，多著眼於一城一地，對其整體運作的認識仍然有限。本文利用中央市場（京津）、中轉市場（石門）、產地市場（冀東）的相關史料，由上而下地梳理糧產品在都市、棉作地帶、糧作地帶間流動的實態。在民國時期華北農業經濟商品化漸趨顯著的基礎認識上，進一步歸納出華北糧食市場的整體的「對外依存性」、一地盈虧「動態性」以及流通樣態上的「前現代性」。
民國時期的華北糧食市場的發展處於過渡階段。一方面，在沿海、沿路地區，都市化、現代製粉工業及鐵路網絡的發展，助長了長距離糧食貿易的發展，也改寫了華北地區的糧食經濟。都市地區及部份農村因此發展出對外地，甚至外國糧食的依存性。當然，這種對外地糧食的依存性，亦是會隨農情變動、物價波動而出現調整，一地之糧食產銷是「黑字」抑或「紅字」，是消費更多的外國糧、外地糧或本地糧，始終是動態的。這種動態性，又由於當時糧食流通網絡新舊技術、制度、組織並存，而更趨不穩定。一般而言，都市本位的知識份子，均認為前現代集市網絡的諸多交易慣習及中介組織，削弱了華北農產品的競爭力。不單知識份子提倡農村復興，國府也積極尋求於國內糧食產運銷擔當更大角色。

The article examines the circulation network and market organizations in some critical nodes of the grain distribution network to clarify the food economy of North China. The history of the grain market and food economy in North China during the Republican period remains unclear. This article examines how grain products move between urban, cotton-and grains-producing areas. Food markets of the central market (Beijing-Tianjin region), the transit market (Shimen) and the producing area (Jidong) will be examined. Recognizing the division of labour occurred within the region, three characteristics of the food economy of North China could be summarized: (1) the 'external dependence' of the grain structure in urban and cotton-crop areas, (2) the 'dynamism' of the food balance of one village and the whole region, and (3) the 'pre-modern' nature of the rural grassroots market, including transportation, organization, and even institutions. Villages.
The project captures the transitional character of the food market and the circulation network of North China between 1928 and 1937. In coastal and roadside areas, urbanization, industrialization, and the development of railroad and port networks stimulated the commercialization and the growth of mechanized food industries. On the other hand, the pre-modern organizational, transportation and institutional infrastructure. Rural markets, grain stores and paddlers were still the 'underpinnings' of the grassroots rural market network in the rural areas of northern China. The coexistence and combination of railways, roads, river transport and rural market networks formed a unique food transportation and marketing system during the 1930s. The pre-modern nature of the grassroots markets increased the purchasing prices of the flour mills and limited the further development of food markets in northern China. Intellectuals of the time called upon the governor to play a greater role in the revival of the countryside and the removal of barriers to domestic trade to alleviate the food insecurity of the cities.