Peran Etnis Cina Dalam Perdagangan Di Wilayah Tuban Pada Tahun 1945-1959
The Role of Chinese Ethnic Groups in Trade in the Tuban Region in 1945-1959
Setelah Proklamasi Kemerdekaan RI, kondisi ekonomi Tuban yang belum stabil dimanfaatkan oleh etnis Cina untuk memperkuat peran mereka dalam perdagangan. Pelabuhan Tuban yang strategis menjadi pusat aktivitas ekonomi dan menarik pedagang Cina sejak masa Majapahit. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengidentifikasi penyebaran etnis Cina di Tuban, menganalisis perkembangan perdagangan mereka pada 1945 1959, serta mengkaji pengaruhnya terhadap masyarakat Cina dan pribumi. Metode yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini terdiri dari heuristik, kritik sumber, interpretasi, dan catatan histografis. Perkembangan aktivitas perdagangan dan ekonomi etnis Cina di Tuban yang signifikan terjadi antara rentang tahun 1945-1950an membawa perkembangan setelah kemerdekaan. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa etnis Cina memiliki peran penting dalam perkembangan sosial dan ekonomi Tuban sejak abad ke-15, terutama setelah kedatangan Laksamana Cheng Ho (1405–1433). Penyebaran etnis Cina meluas seiring penghapusan kebijakan kolonial Wijkenstelsel dan Passenstelsel, memungkinkan mereka mendominasi sektor perdagangan. Pada periode 1945–1959, etnis Cina aktif sebagai pedagang perantara, keliling (mindring), grosir, serta membuka pabrik dan usaha kuliner yang mencerminkan akulturasi budaya lokal. Dominasi ini memicu ketegangan sosial, yang berpuncak pada penerbitan PP No. 10 Tahun 1959 yang membatasi aktivitas dagang etnis Cina di pedalaman, mengubah struktur sosial dan ekonomi Tuban.
Kata kunci : Peran, etnis Cina, perdagangan, Tuban
After the Proclamation of Indonesian Independence, the unstable economic conditions in Tuban were utilized by the Chinese ethnic group to strengthen their role in trade. The strategic location of Tuban Port became a center of economic activity, attracting Chinese merchants since the Majapahit era. This study aims to identify the distribution of the Chinese ethnic community in Tuban, analyze the development of their trade between 1945 and 1959, and examine its impact on both the Chinese and indigenous communities. The research employs methods including heuristics, source criticism, interpretation, and historiographical analysis. The significant growth of Chinese trade and economic activities in Tuban during the 1945–1950s period contributed to post-independence economic development. The findings reveal that the Chinese ethnic group has played a crucial role in Tuban's social and economic development since the 15th century, particularly following the arrival of Admiral Cheng Ho (1405 1433). The expansion of the Chinese community accelerated after the abolition of colonial policies such as Wijkenstelsel and Passenstelsel, enabling them to dominate the trade sector. Between 1945 and 1959, the Chinese actively engaged as intermediaries, traveling merchants (mindring), wholesalers, and established factories and culinary businesses, reflecting cultural acculturation with local society. However, their economic dominance triggered social tensions, culminating in the issuance of PP No. 10 of 1959, which restricted Chinese trading activities in rural areas, ultimately reshaping Tuban's social and economic structure.
Keywords: Economy, trade, Chinese ethnicity, Tuban