近代福建茶叶仓储机构演变与功能升级：从民船囤存到标准化管理

近代福建茶叶仓储机构演变与功能升级：从民船囤存到标准化管理

The Evolution and Functional Upgrade of Tea Warehousing Institutions in Modern Fujian: From Junk Storage to Standardized Management

五口通商后的福州茶市地位

After the "Five Ports Trading System", Fuzhou became a key distribution hub for goods in the lower reaches of the Min River, particularly renowned for its tea export trade. As one of China's three major tea markets, by the Nationalist Government period, over 70% of Fujian's tea exports passed through Fuzhou (1933 customs data: 71.6% of provincial tea exports valued at 15.113 million yuan).

仓储机构的演进历程

The evolution of tea warehousing institutions underwent three critical phases:

1. 1933年宁昌茶仓 - Private initiative by merchants Zheng Xiangfan and Lin Songguo, but failed within a year due to berthing issues and unpaid storage fees.
2. 1935年福州第一茶仓 - Government-merchant joint venture featuring quality inspection systems and standardized management regulations.
3. 1936年茶仓管理所 - Official institution expanding to three functional departments and establishing branches in Saiqi and Sandu.

核心功能升级

The warehousing institutions developed four core functions that transformed Fujian's tea circulation system:

• 质量管控 | Quality Control: Implementing standardized inspection procedures and laboratory testing at the Provincial Science Institute.
• 金融调节 | Financial Intermediation: Providing 600,000 yuan in loans through three banks in 1936, with successful repayment cases in Muoyang town.
• 运输优化 | Logistics Optimization: Reducing tea losses by 100,000 yuan through anti-theft measures and eliminating sampling malpractices.
• 统销准备 | Unified Sales Preparation: Establishing the Red Tea Unified Marketing Office in 1937 as precursor to wartime control systems.

经济影响与局限

The institutional reforms achieved measurable success: 29,600 more chests of black tea and 33,400 more chests of green tea were traded in 1936 compared to 1935. However, resistance from tea merchants ultimately limited the Unified Marketing Office's effectiveness, as foreign merchants retained control over the trade system until the 1938 establishment of the Tea Industry Management Department.

历史意义

This evolution represents: 1) The scientification of China's traditional tea trade; 2) Early examples of government intervention in agricultural product circulation; 3) Important institutional preparations for the wartime planned economy system.

（作者单位：福建师范大学社会历史学院）
(Author Affiliation: College of Social History, Fujian Normal University)