19 茶马交易 Tea-Horse Trade
The tea-horse trade started in the Tang Dynasty，but people at that time did not regard selling horses as a stable trade.In the early Song Dynasty，people from inland regions mainly used copper coins to purchase horses from ethnic groups residing in the borderland areas.Later，herdsmen in these areas melted down copper coins and forged them into weapons.In 983，in order to maintain dynasty security and monetary dignity，the Song government issued a ban against the use of copper coins to purchase horses.Instead，cloth，silk，tea，or medicinal materials were to be used to barter for horses.
In order to help the border trade continue smoothly，the Song government also set up a tea-horse department(茶马司)to take care of the profits gained from tea business monopoly and supervise the tea-horse trade.
Accordingly，Song horse markets were established in several places on the present day areas of Shanxi，Gansu，and Sichuan.Horse markets from Sichuan were involved in the tea-horse trade with southwest ethnic nationalities.The purchased horses were mainly used for hard labour.The markets in Shanxi，Shaanxi，and Gansu purchased horses from northwest ethnic nationalities mainly for battle steeds.
In the Yuan Dynasty there was no shortage of horses in China.Tea was exchanged during this period with silver or local products.In the early Ming Dynasty the tea-horse trade markets resumed and continued until the middle period of the Qing Dynasty.These markets were then gradually closed down.
Notes: 1)borderland 边境 2)herdsman 牧民 3)steed 骏马 4)resume 恢复
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