Boundaries-Prelims.indd

232 Boundaries and Beyond

Year Locality of Uprisings Identity or Origin of the

Participants

1639 Changpu bandit attack on the walled city

1642 Nan’an, Pinghe,

Zhangzhoufu, & Nan’an

tenant uprisings

1643 Changpu & Zhao’an disturbances begun by local bandits

1644 Pinghe, Longyan,

Zhangping, Nan’an, &

Yongchun

turmoil staged by bandits

Earlier the plunderers had come from the neighboring areas. However, in
the later period more “local bandits” were involved. As a local gazetteer
comments:

Whether or not the disturbances in Fujian can be coped with

successfully depends largely on the conditions in Zhangzhou and

Quanzhou. If their people are starving, assuredly the number of

plunderers will enormously increase.^110

The βirst intrusion into Fujian by Guangdong plunderers occurred in
1506, on which occasion the intruders were said to have numbered
fewer than 90.^111 But, this “bandit” band was soon able to recruit many
participants and supporters from Zhangzhou. Another disturbance
caused by them in 1524 could barely be quelled by the joint forces of
six districts. Thereafter, outsiders looked upon southern Fujian as an
outlaws’ haven.
The story will never be complete without mentioning the fate of
numerous salt-producers. Salt revenue constituted the second largest
item of state income.^112 Under the state salt monopoly system, all salt-
producing areas were organized into 13 distribution commissions and
superintendencies.^113 In the βirst century of the dynasty, the public
consumed salt sold by the government on a rationed basis. Although the

110. Fujian tongzhi (1871 ed.), 87: 10b; see also Minbu shu, 16b–17a, the content
     runs: “The Zhangzhou people frequently resort to breaking the law if they are
     starving.”


111. Yongchun zhouzhi (1787 ed.), 15:4b. Reference is also found in Ming shilu:
     Shizong shilu saying that, “those bandits are of Guangdong origin”. See 25: 3a.


112. Ray Huang, “Fiscal Administration during the Ming Dynasty”, in Chinese
     Government in Ming Times, ed. Charles O. Hucker (New York: Columbia
     University Press, 1969), p. 94.


113. Ibid.

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