Jiao (commercial guild)

A jiao (行; pinyin: háng or xíng) was a type of merchant guild prevalent in pre-modern and early modern China, particularly during the Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties. These guilds served a variety of functions, including regulating trade, protecting members' interests, setting standards for products and services, and providing social welfare benefits to their members.

Jiao were typically organized around specific commodities or crafts, such as tea, silk, grain, or carpentry. They could be geographically based, encompassing merchants from a particular region, or based on a shared trade, bringing together merchants dealing in the same product regardless of their origin.

The structure of a jiao often involved a hierarchical organization with elected leaders or managers responsible for overseeing the guild's operations. These leaders played a crucial role in negotiating with government officials, resolving disputes among members, and enforcing guild rules.

Membership in a jiao often conferred significant advantages, including access to market information, reduced transaction costs, and protection from unfair competition. Guilds also played a significant role in maintaining social order and providing charitable assistance to their members and their families in times of need.

While the power and influence of jiao varied over time and across different regions of China, they generally played a critical role in the economic and social life of the country, facilitating trade and commerce while also providing a framework for social cohesion and mutual support. The rise of modern corporations and government regulation in the 20th century led to the decline of jiao.