Research of the Regional Businessmen and the Social Changes The Businessmen of Gui-de Prefecture of Henan Province in Ming Dynasty from Several Epitaphs

The identity of Gui-de’s businessmen in late Ming dynasty was mostly the immigrants from early Ming dynasty. These immigrants turned to business or part-time business due to the hopelessness of the imperial examination. The production mode with agriculture and ecological environment of Yellow River flood limited the independence and development of Gui-de’s businessmen,which resulted in the most of them turning to the imperial examination again,laying an economic foundation for the prosperity of the imperial examination and the official families of Gui-de prefecture in late Ming dynasty.