Seonmin, Kim
Professor, Research Institute of Korean Studies (RIKS) Korea University, Rep. of Korea
 

　　This presentation provides an overview of the history of ginseng during the Qing Dynasty. First, it examines how Manchuria’s geography and natural environment influenced the rise of the Manchu people and the founding of the Qing Dynasty. As a result, the Manchus were very active in utilizing ginseng, Manchuria’s representative natural resource. The flow of silver and commercial development in 16th-century East Asia became an important backdrop for the emergence of the Qing. Next, it looks at how the Manchus managed ginseng after successfully conquering the Central Plains. To monopolize the benefits of ginseng, the Qing imperial court implemented various measures, such as restricting civilian access to Manchuria and establishing special institutions responsible for ginseng administration. However, the Qing’s ginseng policy gradually came to rely on the participation of merchants.

Keywords: Manchu people, Manchuria, Natural environment, Qing imperial court, Eight Banners system