不管鹽，就沒有鹽吃嗎？－唐德剛教授〈不管鹽，便沒鹽吃〉讀後－

The Absence of Supervision of Salt Dealings Doesn't Mean the Absence of Salt

宋叙五(Sung Shee-wu)

《新亞學報》 16卷(下) (1993/01) Pp. 141-156+ap7

並列摘要

This article is written in response to Professor Tang Tak Kwong's (唐德剛) study of the Western Han economics history published in the Ming Pao Monthly (July 1991). There are four points of issue here, the first of which is that Professor Tang has mistaken Shong Hung Yan (桑弘羊) for Kan Shuen Hung (公孫弘). Secondly, it is observed that Professor Tang has some fundamental misconceptions on the notions of ＂core＂ (本) and ＂immaterial＂ (末) in traditional Chinse Philosophy. Thirdly, Professor Tang has confused the early Han policy of ＂surplus-supplementing-deficient＂ (均輸) with the policy of ＂Central-purchase-and-sales＂ (統購統銷). Professor Tang is also found to have mistaken the policy of ＂Central-purchase-for-unified-sales-price＂ (平準) with the of ＂fixed-prices-by-Central-in-private-dealings＂ (限價). The article concludes with a host of historical information, verifying the point that the absence of supervision in salt dealings does not necessarily mean that people were deprived of this essential mineral.