Tao Zhu or Tao Shu (Chinese: 陶澍; pinyin: Táo Zhù / Táo Shù; Wade–Giles: T'ao Shu / T'ao Chu; 17 January 1779 – 12 July 1839) was a Chinese scholar-official of the Qing dynasty who played a key role a broad movement toward institutional reform in the early 19th century. He is especially known for his role as Governor-General in making changes in the salt monopoly of the Qing dynasty.[1]
Tao was trained first by his father, a scholar and teacher, and then in the Yuelu Academy, in the city of Changsha in the conservative inland province of Hunan. The Academy inculcated an ascetic philosophy of self-examination and dedication to rescuing the world from the decadence of recent times. Graduates formed what one historian called a "network of messianic alumni."[2] Tao received his jinshi degree in 1802, and joined the Hanlin Academy in 1805. After posts in Sichuan, Shanxi, and Anhui, he was appointed governor of Anhui and then Jiangsu. When the Grand Canal was blocked by floods, in 1826, as governor of Jiangsu, he took the dangerous course of shipping tribute grain by sea, using some 1,562 junks on the route from Shanghai to Tianjin. The strategy was successful but roused the opposition of officials who profited from the use of the Canal.[1]
In the 1820s, reform officials under the Daoguang Emperor proposed restructuring and renewed oversight of the bureaucracy. The Qing government inherited a Salt Administration divided geographically into districts, the largest and most central of which was Liang-Huai, on the north coast of Jiangsu, with its headquarters in Yangzhou, which shipped salt to seven provinces: Jiangsu, Anhui, Henan, Jiangxi, Hunan, Hubei, and Guizhou. The rights to salt produced along the coast was controlled by some 200 private merchants who held hereditary franchises for distribution in specific inland areas. These merchants combined official status and private function, but by the early 19th century failed to deliver the massive amounts of salt they had contracted but instead raised prices. Smuggled and black market sales then outweighed official sales, and government revenues fell.[2]
In 1832, Tao was tasked by the Daoguang Emperor with fixing the problem, which was deemed especially acute in light of the outflow of silver in the years leading up to the First Opium War. Acting on the advice of his classmates Wei Yuan and Bao Shichen, two other officials in the reform group,[1] Tao took immediate action to end the Ming franchise system in favor of a relatively open market. Any merchant of good standing could buy salt distribution tickets for the purchase of single shipments of large or small amounts which could be retailed anyplace the merchant wished. The tickets themselves could be bought and sold.[2] Tao's reforms opened the system up to small scale traders, depriving the hereditary merchants and the smugglers of their profits and lowering costs to the consumer. However, Tao could not meet the optimistic commitments he had made to the emperor.[3]
Tao resigned in March 1839, giving illness as the reason, and died four months later. A temple was erected in his memory in Banpu (now Guanyun), Jiangsu, a city in the salt region.[1]
^ abcWilliam T. Rowe. China's Last Empire: The Great Qing. (Cambridge, MA: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, History of Imperial China, 2009; ISBN9780674036123), p. 162-163
^Thomas Metzger, "The Organizational Capabilities of the Ch'ing State in Commerce." pp. 42-43 in William E Willmott, ed., Economic Organization in Chinese Society (Stanford University Press, 1972).
qing, dynasty, confused, with, communist, party, official, this, chinese, name, family, name, chinese, 陶澍, pinyin, táo, zhù, táo, shù, wade, giles, january, 1779, july, 1839, chinese, scholar, official, qing, dynasty, played, role, broad, movement, toward, ins. Not to be confused with Tao Zhu Communist Party official In this Chinese name the family name is Tao Tao Zhu or Tao Shu Chinese 陶澍 pinyin Tao Zhu Tao Shu Wade Giles T ao Shu T ao Chu 17 January 1779 12 July 1839 was a Chinese scholar official of the Qing dynasty who played a key role a broad movement toward institutional reform in the early 19th century He is especially known for his role as Governor General in making changes in the salt monopoly of the Qing dynasty 1 Tao ZhuViceroy of LiangjiangIn office 24 July 1830 22 April 1839Preceded byJiang YouxianSucceeded byLin ZexuPersonal detailsBorn 1779 01 17 17 January 1779Died12 July 1839 1839 07 12 aged 60 Career editTao was trained first by his father a scholar and teacher and then in the Yuelu Academy in the city of Changsha in the conservative inland province of Hunan The Academy inculcated an ascetic philosophy of self examination and dedication to rescuing the world from the decadence of recent times Graduates formed what one historian called a network of messianic alumni 2 Tao received his jinshi degree in 1802 and joined the Hanlin Academy in 1805 After posts in Sichuan Shanxi and Anhui he was appointed governor of Anhui and then Jiangsu When the Grand Canal was blocked by floods in 1826 as governor of Jiangsu he took the dangerous course of shipping tribute grain by sea using some 1 562 junks on the route from Shanghai to Tianjin The strategy was successful but roused the opposition of officials who profited from the use of the Canal 1 In the 1820s reform officials under the Daoguang Emperor proposed restructuring and renewed oversight of the bureaucracy The Qing government inherited a Salt Administration divided geographically into districts the largest and most central of which was Liang Huai on the north coast of Jiangsu with its headquarters in Yangzhou which shipped salt to seven provinces Jiangsu Anhui Henan Jiangxi Hunan Hubei and Guizhou The rights to salt produced along the coast was controlled by some 200 private merchants who held hereditary franchises for distribution in specific inland areas These merchants combined official status and private function but by the early 19th century failed to deliver the massive amounts of salt they had contracted but instead raised prices Smuggled and black market sales then outweighed official sales and government revenues fell 2 In 1832 Tao was tasked by the Daoguang Emperor with fixing the problem which was deemed especially acute in light of the outflow of silver in the years leading up to the First Opium War Acting on the advice of his classmates Wei Yuan and Bao Shichen two other officials in the reform group 1 Tao took immediate action to end the Ming franchise system in favor of a relatively open market Any merchant of good standing could buy salt distribution tickets for the purchase of single shipments of large or small amounts which could be retailed anyplace the merchant wished The tickets themselves could be bought and sold 2 Tao s reforms opened the system up to small scale traders depriving the hereditary merchants and the smugglers of their profits and lowering costs to the consumer However Tao could not meet the optimistic commitments he had made to the emperor 3 Tao resigned in March 1839 giving illness as the reason and died four months later A temple was erected in his memory in Banpu now Guanyun Jiangsu a city in the salt region 1 Notes edit a b c d Hummel Arthur W Sr ed 1943 T ao Chu Eminent Chinese of the Ch ing Period Vol II United States Government Printing Office pp 710 711 a b c William T Rowe China s Last Empire The Great Qing Cambridge MA Belknap Press of Harvard University Press History of Imperial China 2009 ISBN 9780674036123 p 162 163 Thomas Metzger The Organizational Capabilities of the Ch ing State in Commerce pp 42 43 in William E Willmott ed Economic Organization in Chinese Society Stanford University Press 1972 nbsp China portal nbsp Biography portal Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Tao Zhu Qing dynasty amp oldid 1167864210, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
