From prosperity to decline: the world tea market and Chinese tea industry since modern times from the perspective of economics
Jiajin Chen, Yong Lu · China Agricultural Economic Review · 2021
From prosperity to decline: the world tea market and Chinese tea industry since modern times from the perspective of economicsIn 1517, when a Portuguese merchant ship first brought Chinese tea to Europe, no one could think that the future tea trade would have a significant impact on the Sino-Western trade structure.In just a few decades since the beginning of modern times, the foreign trade of Chinese tea had experienced a precipitous decline from a two-century monopoly on world supply to almost being squeezed out of the world market.By the 1930s, domestic academic circles, political circles and business circles began to focus on this topic and there had been a lot of discussions; until now, in view of the production, consumption and trade status of China and Chinese tea in the world market, the research on the world tea market and the issue of Chinese tea industry in modern times can still provide warning, reference and edification for the development of commerce and external trade and policymaking in our country, which is why it has been regarded as a research hotspot.In the book "The World Tea Market and Chinese Tea Industry Since Modern Times" (Social Sciences Literature Press, 2020), Professor Shi Tao conducted a thematic analysis of the world tea market and Chinese tea industry since modern times from an economic perspective.The abandonment of the habitual detailed foreshadowing not only reflects his accurate grasp of the existing research hotspots, but also demonstrates his academic ingenuity to overcome blind spots.In the case of most studies focusing on the description of historical facts, the author took the world tea market as the framework of vision, and used economics as a theoretical and methodological weapon to explore the economic motivation and commercial essence behind it.His complementary exploration of blind spot, multi-dimensional display of vision and methods, as well as the historical conclusion refracted from this book all highlight the value and practical significance in the field of China's economic history and tea industry.