During the three hundred years of the reign of the Two Song Dynasties, China's economic and cultural development ranked at the forefront of the world, and it was the most advanced and civilized country at that time. --The famous historian, lacquer man
In our impression, the Song Dynasty was probably a local tycoon with a big belly, empty of money, but cowardly and incompetent, and in dealing with the invasion of foreign enemies in the north, it was often treated with a conservative and tolerant attitude, so that in order to seek peace, Zhao Zhao qin ju even murdered the famous anti-Jin general Yue Fei, leaving a reputation for thousands of years.
But we also have to admit that the Song Dynasty was indeed a very rich dynasty, as can be seen from the prosperity of the "Qingming River Map" that has been handed down. But it is the exact numbers that speak loudest.
According to the research of madison, a well-known British economist and historian, the Song Dynasty at that time was the richest country in the world, and far exceeded the Western countries, under the foundation of the Song Dynasty, until the West began to trade triangle in the 15th century, it slowly caught up with China.
The reason for this conclusion is that he calculated the approximate GDP of the Song Dynasty at that time through various historical materials. In 960, when Zhao Kuangyin had just established the country, the per capita GDP of the Song Dynasty had reached 450 US dollars (based on the value of the 1990 US dollar), which was equivalent to about 3500 yuan in 1990, which was higher than the income of many families in the 90s.
By the end of the Song Dynasty, about the beginning of the 13th century, the per capita GDP reached 600 US dollars, while medieval Europe was only 439 US dollars, which was not as good as the early years of the Song Dynasty. Moreover, before the Jingkang Rebellion, the population of the Song Dynasty had already exceeded 100 million, and the total GDP was proudly standing on the top of the world, and the Song Dynasty accounted for 1/5 of the world's GDP at that time, which showed the degree of wealth at that time.
To be more specific, during the Song Dynasty, Bao Zheng bao Qingtian, who was recognized as a Qing official, was incorruptible all his life, but he was never poor, because he was very high in qilu alone.
Born in 999 AD, Bao Zheng passed the jinshi examination at the age of 28 and entered the career path. However, because his parents missed him very much in their old age, he simply resigned from the government not long after becoming an official, accompanied his parents at home, and supported his family by farming.
After his parents left one after another, Bao Zheng continued to keep filial piety for six years, and it was not until 1037 that he returned to his career and became Tianchangzhi County, and only Zhixian, he also had 90 taels of silver per month. Song Jin a pound is 640 grams, a pound is 16 two, calculated down to one or two at that time for the current 40g.
That is to say, Bao Zheng as the monthly salary of Zhi County reached 3600g of silver, according to the latest silver price of 5.4 yuan / gram, equivalent to the monthly income is now almost 20,000 yuan, and the cost of living at that time was much lower than now, so Bao Zheng was already quite rich when he was in Zhi County.
In 1056 AD, Bao Zheng was appointed to know Kaifeng, which is also the most famous official position in the Bao Qingtian official field in our impression. As the first leader of Kaifeng Province, his monthly Feng Lu has reached a terrifying 1500 guan, according to the conversion relationship of the Song Dynasty, 1 guan is 1 two, that is to say, his monthly Feng Lu has reached 324,000 yuan!
And this is only counting his fixed monthly salary, the ancients' salary in addition to money, there are grain, firewood, hay, cloth, silk and other incomes, as well as related fields, mountains and forests, etc., plus sometimes the emperor's rewards and rewards, etc., Bao Zheng's monthly income is far more than the calculated 320,000 yuan!
In addition, when Bao Zheng was the Governor of Kaifeng, he also concurrently served as a privy councillor, a minister, a scholar of Longtuge, and other official positions, and the feng lu of these official positions can be superimposed, so Bao Zheng's income is even more astronomical, and in total, Bao Zheng's annual income exceeds 13 million!
It is precisely for this reason that Bao Zheng has no reason to be greedy at all, because he is already rich enough. And the reason why officials can be so high is because at that time the Song Dynasty implemented the policy of "raising honesty", the so-called raising of honesty is to give enough money to officials, so that they will not be greedy, it is simply "planned"!