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About Ancient Economy
The term Jinshang is a tribute given to merchants from Shanxi Province for their achievements in building China's commercial culture. Jin is the shortened form for Shanxi Province. Although they lived in closed residences, their sense of business possibility was not restricted. It was the Shanxi merchants who first established the Piaohao trade exchange shop in China.
Huishang, or Huizhou merchants, was one of the ten merchant confraternities in ancient China. Huizhou merchants generally referred to businessmen from the six counties under the Huizhou Prefecture -- Shexian, Xiuning, Qimen, Yixian, Jixi, and Wuyuan.
The first objects to be used as money by the people of China were natural seashells. As goods began to be exchanged with increasing frequency, the supply of seashells often lagged behind the demand for them, and so imitation shell money began to be manufactured from various materials including stone, jade, bone, and copper. Around 200 BC, various metal coins appeared as a result of the rapid development of the commodity economy.
People in old times created various ways of advertising to prosper their businesses. Today you can still find traces of the ancient advertising signs in commercial streets or in front of stores and restaurants.
Both traditional and modern banks served China during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). Most traditional banks were called Shanxi banks, also known as Piaozhuang or Piaohao. The first Chinese government-owned modern national bank, Hu Bu (Board of Revenue of the Qing Government), was not established until 1905. The Hu Bu Bank was renamed the Da Qing (Great Qing) Bank in 1908. The Da Qing Bank set up 20 branches in cities such as Shanghai, Tianjin, and Hankou. Later it changed its name into the Bank of China in 1911.
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China, with its economic ups and downs over the
long history, had its unique commercial culture in ancient times.
Culture of Jinshang
Culture of Huishang
China's Earliest 
Forms of advertising in ancient
times |