The salt tax was imposed on salt in ancient China under the Han dynasty. The government used state control of salt production and sale to raise substantial revenue.
The Han state nationalized the salt and iron industries in 117 BCE under Emperor Wu. Officials argued that these monopolies could fund military campaigns and strengthen central authority. The policy became a major subject of debate in the famous Discourses on Salt and Iron, recorded after a court conference in 81 BCE.
Salt was an especially effective source of revenue because it was essential for human life and food preservation. Consumers could not easily avoid buying it, while production sites and transport routes could be monitored.
Chinese salt administration changed across later dynasties, but government salt monopolies remained important for centuries. This history is separate from the British salt tax in India, which played a role in Mahatma Gandhi’s 1930 Salt March.