◆《It is difficult to differentiate rice logistics industries -Exemplified by Wang Yong-Ching, the God of Taiwan Business Operation》

Rough rice/paddy cannot be transformed into milled rice/polished rice in an instant. It is generally impossible for ordinary people to purchase grain from farming families. This process therefore became business opportunities. It is also for this reason rice grain processing related lines of work and commercial activities derived. Basically, during the rice logistics process in early times, 3 lines of work existed i.e. processor, wholesale agent, and vendor. The three roles are explained in the following. The classification and names are general names. In actual, operators may act as two or three of these roles. There is no clear distinction and it is rather complex.
Take Wang Yong-Ching, God of Taiwan Business Operation for instance; he used to be a worker at a rice store when he was young. One year later, he setup his own rice store. Because his services were good, he purchased rice milling facilities to mill rice and sell it. Afterwards, he rented a rice milling factory. He acted as a wholesaler and distributed milled rice to rice stores. A rice merchant like Wang basically plays all three roles. In other words, he is a vendor, a processor, and an agent.

Worker at rice store	Rice store owner who acts as rice vendor	Rice vendor, rice milling operator, agent

Early period rice logistics procedures and participation by different lines of work

◆《Agent-rice intermediary, Chien-mi-hou》
A wholesale agent normally plays the role of the intermediary during buy and sale. This line of work is frequently called “intermediary store” or “Chien-mi-hou.” An agent in this type of rice intermediary is known as a” rice intermediary”, or “Chien-mi-hou.” He plays similar roles as a “rice dealer” in modern times. An agent is in charge of coordinating and outsourcing peasants, processors, and merchants. This kind of merchant is further categorized into: large rice vendor〔Major rice vendor〕, small rice vendor〔Minor rice vendor〕, and Intermediary〔independent agent, Chien-mi-hou〕etc.
　
◆《Processor-soil grind room, milled rice/polished rice store》
A processor refers to one specializing in dehusking/dehulling, and rice refining. In earlier times, dehusking/dehulling and rice refining operations were important. “Soil grind room” is responsible for dehusking/dehulling while “milled rice/polished rice store”〔mostly located in cities and towns〕is responsible for rice refining. Certainly, affluent people possessed both equipments. They were both dehusking/dehulling operators and rice refining operators. During the Japanese colonial period, the Japanese called “Soil grind room” type of rice milling operators as “rice refining “rice refining machinery”〔usage in Japan〕, or the so-called rice milling factory (Mi-jiao)
Normally rice refining is outsourced at “Soil grind room” or” milled rice/polished rice store.” However, dehusking/dehulling did not necessarily follow similar patterns. Dehusking may be done by peasants by collectively funding for soil grinders to setup mini-sized soil grind rooms for dehusking/dehulling. During the Japanese colonial period, electronic rice millers were introduced. Gradually, they became prevalent. Rice milling operators believed that rice refining machineries became consistent and highly specialized.
Generally speaking, “soil grind room” and “milled rice/polished rice stores” ought to help peasants or agents find outsource so commission can be charged. Nevertheless, at times, these processors also played the role of the agent and became wholesale agents. Similarly, rice sales were also conducted making them vendors as well. In addition, “soil grind room” operators often resided in the country, and most were land owners. Thus, they are often loan sources and grain storage areas for peasants.〔dehusking/dehulling operators normally construct rice barns to store rough rice/paddy〕

◆《Vendor-Mi-Jiao, rice vendor》
A vendor mainly engaged in rice vending works. Rice store〔Mi-jiao〕, rice vendor〔rice store〕or grocery store〔variety store〕were collectively called “vendors.” Meanwhile, “milled rice/polished rice stores” engaged in major trades. They are also regarded as vendors. Rice stores〔Mi-jiao〕were usually exporters while rice vendors and grocery stores sold rice to stores that in turn sold rice to consumers. The difference lies in the fact that one is a specialty store, and the other is a variety store. Some individual vendors also carried a shoulder carrying pole and the load carried to be sold around. These people are called “a shoulder carrying pole and the load carrier.” They are similar to the moving street vendors as we know them now.
　

◆《Changes in traditional Taiwanese rice and grain logistics by the Japanese》
After the Japanese took over governance in Taiwan, they found Taiwanese rice to be undesirable so they introduced upgraded Japanese rice, Peng Lai Rice, which suited the Japanese taste. Obviously, the point of rice export at the time was Japan. Rice exports were entirely controlled by Japanese merchants during which time. Taiwanese people had little control over it but local Taiwanese rice and grain logistics generally maintained its original form.
Since “soil grind rooms”〔operators were often land owners〕had always charged peasants usurious interest rates and techniques varied in quality, during mid-late Japanese reign, the Board of Authorities offered assistance in the growth of “industry cooperatives”, and “credit cooperatives”(The two and other cooperatives later reorganized into Association of Agriculture, or the forerunner of the present Farmers’ Association.” It engaged in rice grain export and peasant loan granting. As the war progressed, a series of intensified rice grain logistics regulations were implemented. Eventually, grains harvested by peasants had to be all sold to the government. The rice grain logistics system was under complete control of the government. Rice milling processors were not able to profit so many closed down. As introduced earlier, rice merchant Wang Yong-Ching was also forced to end his rice selling business temporarily.