Trade Interactions between Kazakhs and Russian Expatriates in Tacheng in the Middle of the 19th Century and Their Social Influence

This article focuses on the trade interactions between Kazakhs and Russian expatriates in Tacheng in the mid-19th century and their social impact. Driven by the unique geographic environment of Tacheng and the Sino-Russian Treaty on Commerce in Ili Talbakatai, the two sides formed multiple forms of trade, such as the border market, the operation of merchants and foreign firms, and folk trade, which included livestock products, handicrafts and daily necessities, etc. The study finds that the trade interactions between the Kazakhs and the Russians had a significant impact on their society. The study finds that trade interactions have contributed to the transformation of Kazakh society into a semi-commodity economy, cultural integration, and social stratification, while Russian expatriates have contributed to their economic foothold, cultural diffusion, and adaptation, resulting in a complex relationship of integration and conflict with the local society. This paper reveals the historical picture of multi-ethnic trade interactions on the frontier, and provides some references for understanding the socio-economic and ethnic relations on the frontier in modern times.