For a long time, Guild, the contemporary European academic concept, has a long-term effect on the histor ical studies of ChineseMerchant Associations, which were constructed on the basis of Chinese history, society and culture. This article takes the case of Baxian county to analyze the historical context of the Chinese ideas of‘hang’,‘bang’, ‘huiguan’,‘gongsuo’ and‘hui, ’ etc. in the 18th and 19th centur ies thus to promote a better understanding of the systematic changes for ChineseMerchant Associations under the cultural and social circumstances of China.