What is the significance and function of guild halls in Ming and Qing Dynasties?

Guild hall is the product of imperial examination system and industrial and commercial activities in the old society. Beijing was the capital of Ming and Qing dynasties, and the scientific research was held in Beijing every three years. There are six or seven thousand people taking the exam in each subject, plus some accompanying personnel, as many as tens of thousands. In order to facilitate the accommodation of these people, provinces and some counties have set up halls in Beijing, which are dedicated to receiving local performers.

In order to safeguard their own interests, coordinate relations and connect feelings, the industrial and commercial departments have also established some guilds, which are a bit like the current chambers of commerce and have more powerful functions. With the development of commodity economy, the prosperity of imperial examination system and the frequent population movement, the guild hall was set up spontaneously by fellow villagers living in the countryside. It has become an effective integration tool in the mobile society, which shows its transcendence of family organization, adaptation and creation of social change forms, and also reflects the progress and limitations of society. It is a unique form of social organization in China. Later, due to the development of foreign trade and the increase of overseas immigrants, Chinese overseas Chinese also set up many clubs around the world.

Commercial guild hall is an organizational and institutional innovation of people doing business in different places in Ming and Qing Dynasties, and it is a far-reaching commercial cultural phenomenon. Commercial clubs not only further expand the structure and promote the development of market commodity economy, but also help to enhance the self-organization ability of society, stimulate the vitality of civil society and promote social integration. At the same time, they adapt to the increasingly frequent social changes of population mobility, effectively alleviate the management problems of floating population, and enrich and expand the social governance system.

First,? The guild hall provides a place for businessmen living in different places to talk about their hometown and business exchanges, cultivate their network resources and business information, and promote business development through exchanges.

Second, the guild hall maintains the unity of fellow businessmen, develops together and enjoys resources.

Third, the guild hall is the carrier to publicize and carry forward the hometown culture, and helps commercial activities from the cultural level.

Fourth, the guild hall will formulate some internal rules and regulations to maintain market order and reduce vicious competition.

Fifth, the guild hall safeguarded the interests of fellow villagers in different places.

Sixth, the guild hall is conducive to the communication between businessmen and local governments and managers.