Salt is an indispensable food in our lives. It looks very ordinary, but it can determine the destiny of a country. Especially in ancient times with underdeveloped science and technology, salt is particularly important. . The value of salt in ancient times far exceeded the value of oil to ancient society.
Salt is not just a general condiment, it is an indispensable mineral for human body development. It can balance the distribution of water in our body, promote the secretion of gastric acid digestive juice, and maintain the balance of pH in the body. . Salt was even more indispensable in ancient times when supplies were not so abundant. In ancient times, salt was a food or a tool for preserving vegetables, meat, and fish. For example, today we still use pickles, salted fish, cured meat, etc. In ancient times, farmers had to exchange grain for salt, and salt was uniformly controlled by the government.
The ancient book "Historical Records: The Family of Qi Taigong" records: After Duke Huan obtained Guan Zhong, he, together with Uncle Bao, Xi Peng, and Gao Zhenxian, joined the troops of the five families and set up light and heavy fish and salt to support them. Everyone in Qi said that poverty means wealth and talent. Qi Huan Gong's salt and iron policy allowed all vassal states to pay taxes to Qi, while Guan Zhong implemented a salt and iron monopoly system, opening up another economic source in addition to taxation. Guan Zhong's reform can be said to be the first successful reform of the Chinese economy.
The Qi State in the Spring and Autumn Period had sufficient financial expenditure, and could have sufficient funds to expand its army and prepare for war. It also built the Great Wall of Qi and sent a large number of troops to the outside world. In fact, whether it is now or in ancient times, if there is not sufficient economic source It is impossible to fight, it will trigger economic collapse, upset people's hearts, and is an act of national subjugation. But Qi State conquered the world, and Qi Huangong became the first overlord in the Spring and Autumn Period. Without salt to bring financial support, what would Qi Huan Gong use to expand his army and conquer the world?
During the Spring and Autumn Period, several countries suffered from national annihilation because they did not have such economic primary support. When various vassal states saw Qi's victory, they began to imitate one after another. The "Book of Han" records: "Wu boiled the water of the East China Sea into salt, which made him rich and the country had enough supplies." Liu Bi, King of Wu in the Western Han Dynasty, continued to boil salt in Huainan , the hall is full of gold and jade. The ancient Chinese government controlled salt, which not only provided generous salt taxes, but also allowed the country to maintain normal operations. The secluded policy of the Ming and Qing dynasties relied on salt and iron taxes to maintain the operation of the entire country.
In ancient times, local people could not eat sea fish, but they could make salted fish and ship it to the local area. When northerners couldn't eat dairy products from the grasslands, they could process them into cheese with salt and ship it to the north. Chinese people can also make beef into corned beef jerky and transport it to all directions. Merchants' long-distance commercial transportation process has inadvertently built a huge logistics and data exchange network. Merchants, goods and information are the messages sent in the network.
Salt is also regarded as a treasure in other foreign countries. There are many types of salt, including pool salt, well salt, rock salt and sea salt. In ancient China, a rich and diverse "salt culture" has been formed.
In the eyes of the ancients, salt has almost become a mythical object that does nothing. The ancients developed and adopted salt medicine very early. The "Xia Jing" in Volume 3 of "Shen Nong's Materia Medica" says that Rong salt "can cure diseases", "maintains eyesight, relieves eye pain, replenishes qi, strengthens muscles and bones, and removes poisonous insects." Apart from antibacterial and disinfection, salt is also thought to be good for treating diseases. "Detoxification", if you are accidentally poisoned by "Banmao", use "Rong salt to detoxify it".
Salt was the refrigerator for the ancient people and a solid guarantee for a strong country and hegemony in ancient times. It is also a necessity in human survival and indispensable.
If you are tired of watching, let me post a joke to make you happy and relax
Where can I buy regret medicine
Accompanying my best friend to go for a gynecological examination (taking off my pants) The kind, you know). My best friend had mixed expressions after she came out. I was worried that something had happened, so I asked her what was wrong. She said: There is a male assistant physician there. I said: What are men afraid of? He has seen more than you have ever seen. She was about to cry, and then said: He was my senior in high school and he chased me for two years. I have always been repulsive to him, and I never let him touch me, balabalabala (all kinds of chastity). Today I took the initiative to show him the place he wanted to see most, Piapia.