Kau (Chinese character: 郊; ; pinyin: Jiao), also known as Jiao-shang (郊商 in Hanyu Pinyin), Hang-jiao (行郊 in Hanyu Pinyin), and also known as Ding-shou (頂手 in Hanyu Pinyin) and Jiu-Ba-hang (九八行 in Hanyu Pinyin),Originating from entrusting suburban merchants to sell goods, they are usually given a "commission" of 2% of the value of the goods as a "commission", and their own party only receives 98% of the total selling price of the goods. Therefore, the entrusted suburban merchants are called "98xing". However, the 2% commission rate is not a fixed number, and different commission rates may arise depending on the market situation of the product. was a commercial guild organization that spread throughout Taiwan during the Qing dynasty. The members of the organization were mostly ship merchants or merchants who settled in ports. In the middle of the Qing dynasty, the commercial function of in Kau was gradually declining due to the sedimentation of the Taiwan River mouth and the establishment of foreign businesses by Western forces after the Xianfeng era of the Qing dynasty. However, after 1937, due to the outbreak of the second Sino-Japanese War and the long-term confrontation between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait after 1949, the commercial function of Kau gradually declined and had already disappeared. Most of the existing Kau have been transformed into religious groups dedicated to worship Shuixian Zunwang, Mazu, or Guan Yu.
Origin The term "Hangjiao" (行郊 in Hanyu Pinyin) originated from the "guild system" in ancient China: its prototype can be traced back to the Six Dynasties (period: 220–589) when the term "Hang" was used to describe the gathering of commercial and commercial colonizers in cities. However, the term "Hang" actually appeared in the Sui dynasty and only matured during the Tang and Song dynasties. After the Yuan and Ming dynasties, industry organizations such as "Hang" became very popular, but their titles were not fixed, and they differed from time to time as "Hui" or "Bang". In the case of the "public offices", they are also collectively called "Gongsuo" or "Huiguan".
In the 23rd year of the Kangxi Emperor (1684), after Taiwan and Penghu were included in the territory of the Qing dynasty, immigrants from Fujian and Guangdong gradually flooded in. In response to the prevailing trend of cross-strait trade, the system of "trade associations" in their hometown was also introduced in Taiwan. To avoid vicious competition and protect their own interests, most businessmen in Taiwan formed guilds with merchants from the same region, which are referred to as "Jiaoshang" or "Hangjiao" in Taiwan.
The earliest written record of the word "Hangjiao" in Taiwan appeared in the "Shuixian Temple Clearance Tablet" (Tainan Shuixian Temple) erected in the 30th year of the Qianlong Emperor (1765). In the 49th year of the Qianlong Emperor (1784), after the official opening of Lukang, Changhua, Taiwan and the Han River in Quanzhou, Fujian as opposite ferries, "Hangjiao" began to flourish. However, the term "Hangjiao" is only found in the southern Minnan region. Due to the fact that most Kau merchants are shipping merchants, it is particularly prevalent in Taiwan, which relies on maritime trade.
According to research, the origin of the word "Kau" comes from the Ming dynasty. Zhu Zhanji established the 'tax pass' in the fourth year of Xuande Emperor (1429). The subsequent Qing government continued the system of setting up checkpoints for inspection and taxation at customs, originally referred to as "customs clearance". However, "customs clearance" also had the meaning of "doing business" in the Southern Fujian language. Therefore, in the future, the use of "Kau" in Taiwan gradually replaced "customs clearance".
Classification "Kau" is a collective term for various types of trade associations, often referred to as "chambers of commerce" during the Japanese colonial period in Taiwan. To explore the composition of commercial groups, the following table shows its division: KauInner KauA commercial group formed by businessmen in TaiwanOuter KauA commercial group composed of businessmen traveling between mainland China and Taiwan IslandThere is no conflict between inner and outer Kau businesses, and there are also cases of concurrent operations
Synopsis Name classificationInterpretationGeneral exampleNotesSelling projectsUsing the same sales items as the classification standardYoujiaoImport and export of peanut oil, sesame oil, etc.TangjiaoImport and export of sucrose, green sugar, etc.BujiaoImport and export of cotton, ramie cloth, jute cloth, cotton silk, etc.Market regionUsing the same regional market as a benchmark for differentiationTaijun JiaoThe Kau of Tainan regionQianjiaoThe Kau of Hsinchu PrefectureXinmengquan JiaoXinzhuang and Mengjia's KauSpecific regionsBenchmarking for markets operating in specific regionsBeijiaoA general term for operating Kau businesses in Tianjin, Yantai, Shanghai, and other places (Business scope is north of Taiwan Island)NanjiaoA general term for operating Kau businesses in Fujian, Guangdong, Hong Kong, and other places (Business scope is located south of Taiwan Island)Lugang JiaoA collective term for operating Kau businesses in various ports on Taiwan IslandNative placeUse the address standard based on the native place of the business person (Usually only a general term, often without formal organization)Jianjiao and MinjiaoMerchants from FujianNingjiaoMerchants from NingboShanghai JiaoMerchants from ShanghaiGuangzhou Jiao and Guangdong JiaoMerchants from Guangdong
Organization The "Kau" organization is operated by "Kau Members", who are further divided into "Lu Zhu" (爐主 in Chinese, means "Furnace owner".) and "Lu Ding" (爐丁 in Chinese, the word "Ding/丁" means "men" in general.). Before becoming a member, one has to pay a membership fee, and also indicate their detailed residence, store number, and amount of burden in the registration book to become a member of the Kau community (also known as furnace foot). The person in charge of all affairs is the "Lu Zhu" and if a "Lu Ding" wants to leave the Hangjiao, he must first notify the "Lu Zhu" and if the "Lu Ding" violates Kau regulations, the "Lu Zhu" also has the power to punish. In addition to the Kau business, furnace owners highly rely on maritime safety in their commercial activities and place special emphasis on the belief in the sea god. Therefore, they must hold an annual festival to pray for good weather. They generally choose to hold the festival on the 23rd day of the third month of the lunar calendar, on Mazu Day; or on the 5th day of the fifth month of the lunar calendar, on Shuixian Zunwang Day. On the day of the gathering, the furnace owner has the obligation to report to the furnace owner the income and expenditure of that year and the status of the surrounding area, and the furnace owner may raise opinions or questions regarding the furnace owner's report. +Organization chart of Kau travel in the Qing dynastyMembersMattersPositionDutiesNotesKau workerGeneral Kau affairsFurnace ownerResponsible for overseeing all business activities in the Kau and handling sacrificial ceremonies for the yearRotate the bamboo shoot every yearDirectorAlso known as "eader", responsible for specific businessesSometimes he serves as the furnace ownerCopywriterWrite written articles for various Kau affairsDa ZhuoCollect money for the Kau and carry out various official dutiesBureau DingHandle various miscellaneous tasksCeremonial assemblyFurnace ownerDuring the ritual gathering, it is necessary to report the income and expenditure, Kau affairs, and other statuses of the yearAlso known as "sacrificial lord"First chiefAssist the furnace owner in handling the ritual assemblySelected from the Lu DingDeputy signatureAssist the furnace owner in handling the ritual assemblySelected from the Lu DingLu DingYou must dress neatly to attend the banquet at the ceremony
Funding Kau is a commercial organization that can only operate with funding raised by various parties. Due to the low efficiency of local governments in the Qing dynasty, it was also common for members of Kau merchants to take over social welfare, restrain the villagers, and even contribute to the formation of militia groups and the defense of the village (such as the Lin Shuangwen rebellion and Cai Qian events, where Kau merchants contributed to the war). Therefore, the operation of Kau funds has a significant impact on a single settlement. +IncomeProjectDetailsInterpretationNotesContributionInsert Lu YinAdmission feeDuring the God's Birthday celebration, all Kau residents also need to share the cost of the celebration equallyAssessmentGoods taxDivide according to the annual distribution of goodsThe main source of income in the Kau areasShip taxScore based on the carrying capacity of each vesselProperty purchaseTo purchase a property or storefront on behalf of Kau and rent it out, the interest earned is usually used as public fundsFineFirms that violate Kau regulations shall pay a fine, but it is non-fixed income +ExpenditureProjectInterpretationAnnual sacrificeAt the ceremony, the purpose of inviting performances to reward gods and gather for meals is mainly through purchasing property and generating interest. There are account books available for Kau verificationEmployee salaryRegular salaries for staff such as copywriters, Da Zhuo, and Bureau DingOfficial dutiesCorvee serviceThe business that originally belonged to local officials, such as building bridges, paving roads, and cities, required the recruitment of manpower for corvee work. Kau merchants usually paid money to offset the corvee workSocial goodLocal public welfare donations, such as donations for childcare centers, academies, temple incense, distribution of rice, and other public welfare undertakingsOther miscellaneous branches Miscellaneous items such as tea, paper, ink, candles, oil lamps, etc. in the office area Lu Ding borrows public funds to turn over the cash The official funds are deposited in the outskirts of the bank, and interest-bearing funds are required
Trade name "Kau" generally refers to a collective name, such as "Quanjiao", which can be seen in Lukang, Beigang, or Tainan. There is a "trade name" in the Kau community, which is the trade name actually operated by businessmen. The business name "Jinshi Shun" is located in the "Quanjiao" area of Yunlin Beigang, "Jinjin Shun" is located in the "Quanjiao" area of Bang-kah, Taipei, and "Jin Chang Shun" is located in the "Quanjiao" area of Lukang, Changhua. It once had as many as 200 stores under its umbrella. In addition, due to the fact that business locations often straddle different counties, even the same trade name may be given different Kau names in different places. Taking the trade name "Jin Changshun" as an example, it is classified as "Quanjiao" in Lukang, but "Tâi-ē-kau" in Penghu.
Before the Qing dynasty opened up Taiwan for port trade, there were many well-known Kau commercial organizations throughout Taiwan, among which the "Tainan 3 Kaus", "Lukang 8 Kaus", and "Tamsui 3 Kaus" were more well-known. The Kau merchants also clashed with each other due to disputes over interests and differences in provincial affiliation, with the most representative being the "Top Down Kau Competition" in the third year of Xianfeng (1853).
Decline Although Kau was a popular commercial organization during the Qing dynasty, it ultimately declined due to environmental and social changes. The reasons for its decline are as follows:
Social unrest: Taiwan is a transitional society, with varying qualities of officials and soldiers, frequent armed conflicts, and civil commotions. Whenever the people cause chaos, not only are the streets affected by war and property damage, but also economic losses for Kau merchants.