중국 해상 차 무역의 개척과 전망

Development and Prospects for Chinese Maritime Tea Trade -Ningbo, the Foothold for Chinese Tea Trade-

The Chinese maritime silk route ,as well as the Silk Road, occupied an important part in Chinese international trade. Chinese rich cultures were introduced to the world through the maritime silk route and the Silk Road. These two trade routes made China a well-known country of ceramics, silk and tea. We cannot say Chinese international cultural exchange and international trade without mentioning Ningbo, the center of Chinese maritime trade and the outpost of a trade port for the tea trade. Historically, Ningbo was the largest trade port in the Tang Dynasty and became one of the 3 largest international trade ports in the Song Dynasty, which made Ningbo a starting point for the maritime silk route. Ningbo was the base port that started the tea trade and cultural exchange for tea and was also the trade port that exported the largest amount of tea. Tea, along with ceramics and silk, is the primary export for China. Therefore, the income from tea export comprises a major part of national finance. From this perspective, Ningbo, which has led the Chinese international tea trade thus far, is playing a role as a trade port for tea better than any other port in China. This paper considers the process of the maritime tea trade of Ningbo, which takes an important position in the pioneering Chinese maritime silk routes, and deals with the reasons and prospects for Ningbo becoming a trade port for tea.