Merchants of the Han River and Hanyang, Joseon in the 18th century

 With the development of sea roads and ports in the 18th century, goods produced in various regions of the country gathered in Hanyang through the Han River and then dispersed through the Han River again. The Han River flowing from Gangwon-do to the West Sea, especially the river flowing around Hanyang from Gwangnaru to Yanghwajin, was called Gyeonggang, and commercial activities in this Gyeonggang area were the most active. In Gyeonggang River, the so-called Han River, Yongsan River, and Seogang River were the core. The southern part of Namsan Mountain to Noryangjin was called Hangang River, the western part of Noryangjin to Maponaru was called Yongsangang River, and the western part of Maponaru to Yanghwaru was called Seogang. Around the Gyeonggang River, the shipbuilding industry was also developed, and at that time, there were shipyards boasting excellent technology on Bamseom Island. Gyeonggang merchants, who connected the nation's commercial districts through sea transportation and water transportation, had excellent navigation skills along with shipbuilding techniques. As a result, the number of ships going to and from the Gyeonggang area naturally increased, and the number exceeded 2,000 ships, including small ones. In addition, the size of the ship has gradually grown, and there are about 120 large ships that can carry 1,000 rice. As maritime traffic developed like this, more and more goods were bought and sold, and many people gathered. As a result, the Gyeonggang area of Hanyang in the 18th century suddenly became larger than before. Hanyang, centered on the Han River, grew into a commercial city, and as its scope gradually expanded, new places to exchange goods began to be created around Hanyang. Songpajang Market, the route to the Samnam (Chungcheong, Gyeongsang, Jeolla) area and Yeongdong area, Nuwon Branch in Yangju to the northeast area, and Songwoo Branch in Pocheon were new exchange places. Among them, Songpa, which was the hub of transportation where two waterways leading up and downstream of the Han River and land routes to the east and southern regions met, was the most notable distribution hub. The merchants of Songpajang held a playground to attract people, which is "Songpa Sandae Nori." Another distribution hub near Hanyang, the Nuwon branch in Yangju, also held a "Yangju Byeolsandae Nori" to attract customers. The development of commerce has brought great changes to the lives of the people of the Joseon Dynasty, who lived without leaving their land for generations. When I went to the market, I watched strange things and heard various news. In the 18th century, the customs of commerce changed enough to go to both heads of the peninsula and bargain. Hanyang's market was designated and created by the state when the Joseon Dynasty moved from Kaesong to Hanyang, and commercial transactions within Hanyang's capital have been centered on market traders since the early Joseon Dynasty. There were special rights and obligations in the city, but in addition to the obligation to dedicate goods to the country, they had the privilege of not being able to conduct commerce unless they were market merchants in Hanyang. In other words, all goods traded in Hanyang were purchased at once at Sijeon and then distributed again through Sijeon as retail or wholesale. In the case of violating this, it was strictly prohibited because it was called a difficult war. This is the "money war zone" that regulates the city war. Hanyang's Gyeonggang area and Songpajang were also subject to regulation because they were called difficulties. However, the demand of Hanyang people cannot be met by the old times alone. As the volume of agricultural products increased, the number of marketplaces increased to about 1,000, and with the implementation of the Daedong Law, the population of Hanyang increased rapidly as even people without land could sell their products in Hanyang. While Seoul's population and trading volume were not up to par with the increased market price, Nanjeon merchants, or free merchants, made huge amounts of money by creating a new distribution system that bought and sold goods directly over Xijeon merchants. As the power of free merchants grew, King Jeongjo abolished the controversial Geumnanjeon Hall for decades since the reign of King Yeongjo. In the end, rowing also recognized the power of newly grown free merchants.