In September of the 41st year of Qianlong, the Minister in charge of the Ministry of Internal Affairs reported to Emperor Qianlong, accusing Wailang Ashanxing, a member of the Guangchu Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, of committing fraud and accepting bribes. Emperor Qianlong immediately ordered a search of Ashanxing's mansion and handed it over to the department for trial. However, unexpectedly, the search results did not find a large amount of property, only more than 3,000 taels of silver and some real estate and land. Considering Ah Shanxing's identity and position, it is normal to have more than 5,000 two families, and it cannot be proved that he was corrupt and took bribes. Even if convicted, it is only a punishment of dismissal and dismissal, not the death penalty. However, the Ministry of Punishment eventually condemned him to behead him in the name of corruption, and the punishment was carried out after the autumn. The criminal department's verdict was based on the fact that Ah Shanxing was found to have 25 catties of high-quality ginseng in possession during the search, and the origin of these ginseng was unknown. So how much was 25 catties of high-quality ginseng worth at that time?
In the Qing Dynasty, the grade of ginseng was divided into thirty-four grades, the highest of which was sharp-topped ripe. According to the record of the Qing Dynasty's "Reference Spectrum", "the spire, the leader of the unified ginseng, the branch is outside the money, to have two or three money, the light is ripe, the text can be its name, in recent years, the spire is rare, there is no substance." "The grade below the spire is Tangxi ripe, light top ripe, top ripe, unified top, two top, light top, secondary top, picking ripe, medium ripe, etc., the lowest level is the head of the reed, that is, the root of ginseng. However, in the market, ginseng is classified according to first, second, third, fourth, and fifth. According to historical records, the price of a pound of ordinary ginseng during the Kangxi period was roughly about 50 taels, while the price of high-grade ginseng was hundreds of taels; In the Yongzheng period, the price of fourth-class ginseng was 120 taels per catty, and the price of fifth-class ginseng was 90 taels.
It can be seen that in the Kangxi and Yongzheng periods, the price of ginseng was relatively reasonable, the supply was relatively sufficient, and there was no sharp rise in the price of ginseng. However, by the Qianlong Dynasty, the price of ginseng began to soar. According to records, in the fifteenth year of Qianlong, the price of a catty of fourth-class ginseng had reached 280 taels, and even rose to 800 taels in the middle of Qianlong, and the highest price of 1,440 taels in Qianlong's later years. During the Jiaqing Dynasty, the price of ginseng was even as high as 2,240 taels, which was almost unbearable for ordinary people. It is conceivable that if it were placed in the era described in "Dream of Red Mansions", the price of ginseng would be even more expensive, and even the wealthy Sister Feng would be discouraged. During the Qianlong period, buying ginseng became a rather extravagant behavior that ordinary people simply could not imagine.
As a result, ginseng became a high-class gift for the emperor's ministers, foreign envoys, and friends. For example, in the third year of Qianlong, Ji Zengyun, a university scholar, could not see the court's request due to illness, so Qianlong approved his request and rewarded 1 catty of fourth-class ginseng for medicinal purposes; In the tenth year of Qianlong, Qianlong sent the imperial doctor to diagnose and treat his mother's illness, and rewarded 8 taels and four ginseng; In the fourteenth year of Qianlong, Fu Heng fought on the front line in Jinchuan, and Qianlong gave him a special reward of 1 catty of ginseng. It was regarded as a high honor for the emperor to reward his ministers with ginseng, and usually, even the emperor would rarely give ginseng, preferring to reward items such as gold and silver. Only those courtiers of high status and favor had the opportunity to be rewarded. Moreover, most of the ginseng rewards are mainly of the third and fourth grades, and the unit of measurement is "two".
For example, in the 55th year of Qianlong, the king of Annam asked Qianlong to reward ginseng, but Qianlong only gave 1 catty, and told the local governor that this was a special case, and he was not allowed to take the initiative to ask for a reward for ginseng in the future. The most reward for the kings of foreign domains was in the eighteenth year of Qianlong, when Emperor Qianlong rewarded four catties of ginseng to the king of Siam. In officialdom, it is also very common for colleagues, teachers and students, and superiors and subordinates to give ginseng to each other. However, in many cases, the gift of ginseng has also become a means of disguised corruption for officials. Just like Ah Shanxing mentioned in the opening chapter, he was found to have 25 catties of high-quality ginseng in his home, and these ginseng were all obtained by him by taking advantage of his position, some were given, and some were actively requested. However, in the eyes of Emperor Qianlong, these high-quality ginseng were more precious than silver, so the Criminal Department decided to sentence him to death, which was reasonable.
Overall, the price of ginseng soared during the Qianlong Dynasty, causing ginseng to become a luxury. The price of ginseng is affected by the relationship between supply and demand, and the increase or decrease in quantity and the market supply will cause price fluctuations, and the later the price, the higher the cost. It was an extremely noble honor for the emperor to reward ginseng, and it was almost impossible for ordinary people to afford it. The gift of ginseng has also become a common gift in officialdom, but it has also been used by some officials to carry out corrupt acts. Therefore, it is essential for the market supervision of ginseng and the prevention of corrupt practices. Looking back at the entire article, we can see the soaring price of ginseng during the Qianlong period and its status as a luxury item. The emperor's act of rewarding ginseng reflects its preciousness and lofty status, and the gift of ginseng has also become a trend in officialdom. However, it is also very important to regulate the ginseng market and prevent corruption.
In modern society, we can also think about similar questions, such as whether the soaring prices of some commodities are justified, what is the essence of rewards and gifts, and how to strengthen market supervision and anti-corruption efforts, etc. The above is just a personal opinion, readers are welcome to leave their own comments and feedback. Question: What do you think about the soaring price of ginseng during the Qianlong period? What is the essence of ginseng as a reward and gift? How to strengthen market supervision and prevent corruption?