[Biweekly Symposium] No. 595: On the Commercial Law in the Ming and Qing Dynasties.

Lecturer: QIU Pengsheng

Host: SHENG Hong

Commentators: LIANG Zhiping, WAN MIng, WANG Yang

Professor QIU Pengsheng started with a brief introduction of the European studies on commercial law which was five folds: firstly, there ought to be a code of commercial conduct; the second and the third are closely linked, regarding the difference of the code, there were the German style, and the other styles; the fourth regards China’s practice in laws and codes for corporates, notes, and merchants; the fifth regards something the Ming and Qing Dynasties lacked, including thoughts and studies on laws, civil codes, and commercial codes. 

Professor QIU also  explained the development of the Ming and Qing Dynasties regarding the commercial codes, such as the general practice of lease and permanent tenancy, the evolution of employment, the emergence of tycoons, the inflow of silver into China, and the development of rudimentary industries. 

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