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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