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The eclipse of the Hui merchants
The traditional production fell far behind when the western technological civilization intruded upon China. Take the tea merchants as an example. Their tea products had been quite popular in the international market for few countries had the capability to process the tea.
But the merchants who became rich out of the tea trade did not come back to enlarge the factory and upgrade the technology. Instead, they bought larger land and rebuilt their houses. However, the tea factories in foreign countries that adopted new technology began to compete with Chinese tea merchants. Without the burden of tariff, local tea producers in foreign countries were usually in an advantageous position in the competition.
The merchants' neglect of enlarging the production fame-oriented mentality also led to the shrinkage of their business capitals. Although the trend contributed to the marvelous Huizhou architecture and woodcarving crafts, Hui merchants' business found less and less capital to face the increasingly fierce competition in the market.
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