313. Ginseng and the Founders' Efforts to Maintain Independence

One day in the mid-seventeenth century some Chinese soldiers of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) started to build a Willow Palisade along the entire south boundary of Northeast China. The Willow Palisade was built under the order of Emperor Shunzhi (1644-1661) to discourage Ginseng diggers from other parts of China to search for Ginseng in the region. Emperor Shunzhi and his soldiers never thought that their action had an impact on the effort of the United States to win a place in international trade.

After seven years of severe fighting against the British Empire, the colonists in the North America won their formal independence. In 1783 the British signed the Treaty of Pariswith the colonial representatives. The colonists celebrated and enjoyed their hard won victory. However, the hilarious feeling of victory was quickly shadowed by economic difficulties. The economy did not go along with the political victory, but marched towards the opposite direction.

Depression and inflation seemed to grab the happy feeling away from the founding fathers and the fighters of the Revolutionary War. Britain, which had just lost the war, was trying hard to win the colonists over through economic coercion. All old trade routes were forced to close to the Americans. Britain adopted the strategy of seeking to put enough economic pressure on individual states to force them, one by one, to “return to Mother England.” Please read Dr. Dave Wang's Paper, Ginseng: the Herb that Helped the United States to Enter International Commerce

297. Ginseng, Tea and the American Revolution

The Ginseng drive also helped popularize the tea drinking from upper class to the rest of the society. Tea drinking in the colonies had been very popular before the huge amount of teas shipped directly by the citizens of the United States. The British carried the habit from England to North America, and the colonists quickly adopted their tastes for tea. Tea houses following London models became powerful social catalysts, providing an excellent forum for the exchange of ideas and the distribution of news.

Indeed, the taxes that the British imposed on the colonists’ tea spurred their demands for independence in the American Revolution. However, before 1784, tea was mainly a luxury reserved for affluent colonists due to its high price. However, large amounts of tea carried over oceans from China to North America by the Empress of China and other American ships after 1784 popularized the drink by making more affordable to ordinary Americans.

270. American Ginseng and Americanization

Much has been written about the Ginseng’s contributions to the American effort to open the trade with China, but its impact on the social development has been neglected. It should be noted that American Ginseng had helped change American society in the early period of the United States. For example, the Westward expansion was promoted by the pioneers who looked for exploitable natural resources and new commercial opportunities.

Driven by the need of gathering enough Ginseng worthy for the journey of long distance to China, Ginseng diggers and traders were soon found in the Appalachian Mountains and other areas where Ginseng was readily available. After gathering them together, the merchants would transport the herbs from the interiors of Pennsylvania and Virginia to Philadelphia, New York, or Boston. “

This proved to be an important educational influence, since it was almost the only way in which the pioneer learned what was going on in the East.” As a result, the huge masses of Ginseng diggers, traders, and transporters changed the society. “Mobility of population is death to localism, and the western frontier worked irresistibly in unsettling population. The effect reached back from the frontier and affected profoundly the Atlantic coast and even the Old World.”

227. Ginseng Becomes Important Again in US-China Trade

From this weblog, I guess that you have learned some knowlege on how important the Man Roots was for the founding fathers' efforts to establish direct economic relations with China during the founding era of the United States.

Over two hundred years have passed. The United States has grown from an agricultural country into the most developed country in the world. With so many high tech products envied by people from other countries, including the Chinese, Ginseng's role and its contribution to the United States in US-China trade are forgoten by Americans. However, history could repeat itself in certain times. Ginseng comes back again. The herb has become significant once again in the critical time when the United States is battling to recover from this economic recess. I have come across a paper, telling the true story from which you can find that Ginsing has become important again in American trade with China. You will find that at a time when the Chinese are getting rich exporting to Americans, some Americans become countertrender who get rich through exporting Ginseng to the Chinese. Please enjoy this fabulous story with this link.

087. Ginseng and the Early Development of the United States

Dr. Wang's paper, Ginseng, the Herb that Helped the United States to Enter International Commerce . In which Dr. Wang mentioned George Washington's concern about the Ginseng business in North America during his era. You could find more information on Ginsing in the United States history and current time through this website. Last Saturday I went to take this photo from a traditional Chinese drug store in Flushing, Queens, New York, where you can find many stores doing Ginseng business. We can tell from it that American Ginseng are still popular among the Chinese where ever they are.