Abstract: To uphold the Confucian ideal of “equalization”, Ming founder Zhu Yuanzhang(朱元璋) created a new levy system on imperial goods supplies that aimed to distribute levy duty more evenly by state control of its people. However, the system not only intensified the inequality but also led to its inefficient operation.Jingdezhen (景德镇) official porcelain kilns provided supplies to the imperial government in Peking. The requisition was handled by official kilns (窑户) through the distributed contributions by artisans (匠户) and Lijia households (里甲户).The limitless requisition of official porcelain demands placed heavy burdens on the Lijia, and the uneven distribution of service levies greatly outstripped the capacity of the Lijia system. Thus, Ming officials were keen to find resolutions to the problem. One important reform was to allow monetary currency (silver) to pay tax and levy.This change improved the efficiency of resource acquisition and,with quantifiable monetary value, taxes and levies were able to be “equalized” in a wider range. It became possible to operate the supply levy system effectively without having to rely on the strict personal control.This transformation also brought changes in the local power structure, breaking the monopoly of the official kiln clans and beginning to attract more capital and merchants into the town. As a result,Jingdezhen became a prosperous industrial and commercial city. However, the silver payment reform only served as a means for the goods supply levy reform, not the purpose. After all, the market was always subordinated to the supply demands of the government. The growth of the market was always confined within the scope of “equalization”. This study shows that social changes in traditional China are a type of path dependence based on contests, compromises and resolutions.

Key words: Jingdezhen, imperial goods supplies, official kiln, silver monetary system, market, equalization