10 Song, Liao, Jin and Yuan Dynasties——130 Finance and Military System (Yuan Dynasty)
Today's guest speaker's economic and support views are generally different between the North and South regions, stemming from two different political perspectives. In the Jiangnan region, the tax system was initially based on the two-tax method but later changed to the cotton method, while the Northern region described a simple tax system. However, there is still a certain amount of water and ice taxes that must be paid separately, based on the amount of water used. Additionally, there are classifications for different levels of customers, such as full-paying customers, half-paying customers, and others. The government strictly monitors the sale of alcohol and other items. The currency used by officials is mainly based on the Song and Jin dynasties' currency, with counterfeit bills causing inflation issues in the past. This led to the devaluation of currency and more severe consequences at the end of the Yuan dynasty. The military organization known as the "drunken hooligans" was a unique group that consisted of noble children and was the core military force of the empire. In addition, the military could be divided into four types, with the Mongolian army serving as the backbone. Furthermore, there was the Han military group comprised of non-Mongolian ethnicities, who played a vital role in implementing new laws after the fall of the Southern Song dynasty. This group was known as the "volunteers" and often enjoyed special privileges in the legal system. The differences between the Mongolian and Han military groups led to unfair treatment in certain aspects of governance.