Lóngyóu

Longyou lies in western Zhejiang, where river traffic passes through a district surrounded by hills. Its merchants travelled far beyond their home county, trading in timber, mountain produce, paper and books as well as precious goods. By the middle of the Ming, Longyou merchants had become a notable trading group. In 1465 officials in distant Yao'an in Yunnan complained about merchants from Longyou who lent money and traded grain there, asking that they be sent home. Their activities nevertheless continued to expand, and by the late Ming the saying “Longyou everywhere” reflected their far-flung presence.