Purchasing Capability - The Ching Dynasty
Price List of Rice in The Ching Dynasty (I)
Time Period The Average Price of 100 Liters of Rice in Silver Taels 1641-1650 1.263 1651-1660 1.201 1661-1670 0.856 1671-1680 0.652 1681-1690 0.864 1691-1700 0.737 1701-1710 0.965 1711-1720 0.926 1721-1730 0.880 1731-1740 1.000 1741-1750 1.144 1751-1760 1.637 1761-1770 1.722 1771-1780 1.528 1781-1790 1.609 1791-1800 1.965 1801-1810 2.175 1811-1820 2.150 1821-1830 1.942 1831-1840 2.418 1841-1850 2.256 1851-1860 1.708 1861-1870 2.623 1871-1880 1.739 1881-1890 1.440 1891-1900 2.405 1901-1910 3.895
Price List of Rice in The Ching Dynasty (II)
Reign The Average Price of 100 Liters of Rice in Silver Tael Soon Tze (1644-1661) 1.15 Kangsi (1662-1722) 0.59 Yong Zhen (1723-1735) 0.87 Chein Lung (1736-1795) 1.48 Jia Ching (1796-1820) 2.10 Tao Kuang (1821-1850) 2.16 Hsien Feng (1851-1861) 1.99 Tong Tze (1862-1874) 2.27 Kuang Hsu (1875-1908) 2.17 Hsuan Tung (1909-1911) 4.04 Source: Prof. Peng Hsin Wei: "The History of Chinese Currencies".
Wages vs. Rice Prices in Suchow (Jiangsu Province)
Year Silver Tael per 100 Chinese Liter of Rice Wage in Silver Tael per One Bolt of Cloth Kangsi 4th Year (1665 AD) 0.85 " 9th Year (1670) 0.011 " 32nd Year (1693) 0.98 0.011 " 37th Year (1698) 1.00 " 40th Year (1701) 0.011 " 45th Year (1706) 1.39 " 46th Year (1707) 1.25 " 47th Year (1708) 1.65 " 48th Year (1709) 1.35 " 51st Year (1712) 0.8 " 52nd Year (1713) 0.99 " 53rd Year (1714) 1.05 " 54th Year (1715) 1.17 0.0113 " 55th Year (1716) 1.1 " 56th Year (1717) 1.05 " 57th Year (1718) 0.96 " 58th Year (1719) 0.86 " 59th Year (1720) 0.0113 Yong Zhen 1st Year (1723) 1.1 " 2nd Year (1724) 1.26 " 3rd Year (1725) 1.33 " 4th Year (1726) 1.11 " 5th Year (1727) 1.19 " 7th Year (1729) 0.94 " 8th Year (1730) 0.0113 " 9th Year (1731) 1.2 " 11th Year (1733) 1.55 " 12th Year (1734) 1.31 " 13th Year (1735) 1.1 Chien Lung 4th Year (1739) 0.0113 " 13th Year (1748) 2.0 " 35th Year (1770) 4.46 " 37th Year (1772) 0.013 " 44th Year (1779) 0.013 " 51st Year (1786) 4.3(+) Tong Tze 11th Year and before ( - 1872) 0.014 Source: Prof. Chuan Han Shen: "Essays on the History of the Near Modern Economy of China".
Payment Records Cited from an Accounting Book Dated The 1st or 2nd Year (1909, 1910) of Hsuan Tung of Tung Bao Firm in Kunmin of Yunnan Province (Unit: Silver Tael)
(1) Letter envelops and accounting books (quantity unspecified): 0.504
(2) Printing inks (quantity unspecified): 0.216
(3) Complimentary gift: 200 cashes
(4) Tea bowls (quantity unspecified): 1.584
(5) A hand-held imported lamp: 1.296
(6) Memo paper (quantity unspecified): 0.288
(7) Cuisines/Wine for one meal 550/350 cashes
(8) An oil lamp: 0.288
(9) 4 chairs, 1 counter, 1 accounting table and box, 2 tea tables, and 1 cashier box:
16.56
(10) A Locker for counter: 0.216
(11) A Locker for cashier box: 0.576
(12) 12 pieces of glass: 4.32
(13) Changing door frame: 3.888
(14) 2 brush pens and 1 ink stick: 0.36
(15) Complimentary gift for another firm: 0.792
(16) Imported cigarettes (quantity unspecified): 1.08
(17) Hair cut: 0.11
(18) Monthly salary for an employee: 10
(19) Szechuan tobaccos (quantity unspecified): 0.288
(20) A book on telegram: 0.36
(21) Yunnan local tea of 700 Chinese catties: 277.2
(22) Yunnan local tea of 300 Chinese catties: 97.2
(23) Coolie money for transporting 7,100 taels of sycee to 2 customers: 420 cashes
(24) Complimentary gift: 1.092
(25) Stamps (quantity unspecified): 2.16
(26) Translating a telegram of 10 words: 96 cashes
(27) Opium (quantity unspecified): 21.6
Source: Stephen Tai: "The Legendary Currency of the Late Ching Dynasty--A Study on the Yunnan Saddle Sycee". pp142-160
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