The Rise of Silkworm Eggs Trading and The change of Village Community in Early Modern Japan

本研究旨在分析桑丹(蚕种)生产与贸易对村落社区变迁过程的影响。我们调查的村子是上田县上田县的龟井村(今长野县上田市)，它在德川时代晚期以养蚕和贸易而闻名。尽管有一些文献上的麻烦，但本研究成功地弄清了这个由农民协会(即Mura Syakai)组成的村庄共同体的结构变迁过程。这些研究成果概括如下：1)18世纪下半叶，该村农民从事蚕种买卖。他们的交易范围是整个日本东部地区，其核心领域是关东地区。直到18世纪末，桑丹商人的数量增长到村里人口的15%。2)桑丹商人在他们的商品销售中形成了不同的群体。早些年，这样的团体就是本克-邦克血缘关系团体(Dozokudan)。随着时间的推移，商人们组成了自己的团体，被称为新美阁般的商人公会，以维护他们的市场秩序。3)19世纪30年代，龟仙寺成为桑丹的贸易中心，并成为该地区主要的桑丹生产村。4)从人口统计学的角度看，德川时代的龟井村是一个停滞不前的村庄，因为人口在一百年内只增加了5%。然而，在同一时期，家庭数量增加了一倍。这种由富裕农民造成的家庭爆炸性增长，通过他们的桑丹生产和贸易致富。这些新富起来的农民在19世纪60年代改变了这个村庄的秩序。5)从18世纪到19世纪，这个村庄的村庄协会改变了自己，形成了适应市场经济的新的社会关系。这项研究揭示了这一变化的基本框架。

The aim of this research was the analysis of village community changing process which was influenced by Sandane (silkworm eggs) produce and trade. The village we investigated was Kamishiojiri-Mura in Ueda (now, Ueda City in Nagano Prefecture) which was famous for its silkworm farming and trading in the late Tokugawa Era. In spite of some document-trouble, this research succeeded to make clear the structure changing process of this village community which was consisted of peasants' association (Ie-Mura Syakai). These research results are summarized as follows ; 1) The peasants (Hyakusho) in this village embarked themselves in silkworm egg trading in the latter half of 18th century. Their trading range was the whole of east Japan area and its core field was Kanto region. Until the end of 18th century the number of Sandane trader grew into 15% of the village population. 2) Sandane traders made various groups in their merchandising. In early years such groups were Honke-Bunke kinship groups (Dozokudan). As the time has passed traders made their own group which was called Shinmei-Ko like merchant guild in order to keep their market order. 3) In 1830s Kamishiojiri-Mura became the Sandane trading center and became the main Sandane production village at this area. 4) From the demographic viewpoint Kamishiojiri-Mura in the Tokugawa Era was a stagnated village because the population increased only 5% within one hundred years. The number of families, however, increased double in the same period. This explosive increase of families caused by the opulent peasants made their wealth through their Sandane produce and trading. These new opulent peasants changed the order in this village in the 1860's. 5) From the 18th to 19th century the Ie-Mura association in this village changed itself to the new social relationship adapted to market economy. This research revealed the essential framework of this change as a result.