本文以南宋全國為範圍，探討當時的私鹽活動，重點在私鹽產銷及鹽寇活動對社會的衝擊。文中指出南宋私鹽除來自境外者外，鹽戶的生產與官鹽遭到偷盜是兩個重要來源。官府管制不嚴、鹽戶應得的收入遭到剋扣、私鹽商人以較高價錢收購等因素促成鹽戶生產私鹽，而鹽產技術的進步也使鹽戶生產私鹽的能力增進。綱稍、腳子、胥吏等人偷盜官鹽，有時是為了自利，但也有時是為了應付官吏額外需索或運輸途中的生活問題而不得不然。各種來源的私鹽銷售到市場上，使得官鹽銷路大減。私鹽所以能在市場上與官鹽競爭，基本原因在於其價廉物美，此外，地理因素也不容忽視。私鹽的運銷往往經歷層層轉販，首先是有人向鹽戶收購，以步擔或舟船運往各地。公然違法的私鹽運輸活動，有些規模有限；也有些是有組織的行為，成群結隊，攜帶武器。另外有些運銷者不敢如此明目張膽，而是運用各種手段以掩護其非法的行為。私鹽運抵銷售地，尚須經過當地商人的轉銷，才能發售到消費者的手中。這項過程多由地方上的牙人經手收貯，並且仲介轉銷。私鹽以價格、品質取勝，應不難銷出，但也有按戶強制配銷的現象。較大規模的私鹽運銷聚結千百人之眾，並攜帶武器，敢於抗拒官軍的追捕，甚至搶劫、殺害民眾或商旅，進一步則發展為盜賊，當政府的控制力較弱時，更易演成變亂。因私鹽運銷發展而成的鹽寇，在南宋始終是政府的一大困擾。當鹽寇動亂發生，民間所受到的傷害不僅來自寇盜的破壞，也來自官軍平亂時的濫殺。總結而言，儘管食鹽在南宋由政府專賣，但是管制措施的效果顯然有其限度。私鹽的生產與運銷在南宋不僅存在，而且已成為經濟活動的一個不可忽視的部分。政府為囂張的私鹽運銷活動煩惱不已，嚴加取締並未能使其消聲匿跡，有時反而激起鹽寇的動亂，嚴重地衝擊到一些地區的社會安寧。

This article studies the production, transportation, and sale of illicit salt in the Southern Sung dynasty. There are several problems discussed: (1) Where the illicit salt was come from; (2) Why the illicit salt had a ready market under the government’s salt monopoly; (3) How the illicit salt was transported and sold; (4) When illicit salt merchants became groups of bandits, how the stability of society was disturbed by their activities. In summary, although the sale of salt was under the government’s monopoly in the Southern Sung dynasty, but the effect of the control measures was not always good. The production, transportation, and sale of illicit salt was not only flourishing, but also became one important part of economic activities that could not be overlooked in some regions. The government was troubled by the rampant growth of illicit salt sales. Illicit salt merchants did not disappear by the suppression of the government, but however, strict prohibition was sometimes an important element that induced them grouped into bandits. When the government’s control was weak, illicit salt bandits rebelled against the government, and then, the conflict between them and government armies disturbed the stability of society.

南宋；食鹽專賣；私鹽；盜賊；社會動亂

Southern Sung dynasty; salt monopoly; illicit salt; bandits; social turmoil