Chapter 8 Section 1 Agricultural production leaps to a new level

From 475 BC to 589 AD (Warring States to Southern and Northern Dynasties), a total of about 10 and a half centuries, is the rising period of China's feudal society.This period can be divided into two stages.The first stage is from the early years of the Warring States Period (475 BC) to the end of the Han Dynasty (AD 220); the second stage is from the Three Kingdoms (AD 220) to the end of the Southern and Northern Dynasties (AD 589).In the previous stage, agricultural production generally rose in a straight line; in the latter stage, it rose in a circuitous manner. From the Warring States period to the Han Dynasty, due to the widespread use of iron tools, the promotion of water conservancy and cattle farming, the average yield per mu in the Warring States period rose from one stone before the Spring and Autumn Period to one and a half stones.The tenant farming system of the emerging feudal lords finally replaced the well field system of the slave society.

On the basis of the development of agriculture, it has led to the prosperity of various industries.At that time, there were farmers with an annual output of 120,000 catties of pond fish in the pond aquaculture industry (Figure 4).Animal husbandry is also well developed.According to Sima Qian's records: At that time, there were many large livestock households that raised 50 or 60 horses, 1670 cattle, and 250 or 60 pigs or sheep.There are also rich and princely operators in other walks of life, such as Yidun who started from cooking salt, Ba Widow Qing who started from mining mercury for generations, and Guo Zong, Zhuo, Cheng Zheng, Kong, Cao who started from iron smelting. Bing [bing C] and so on.

With the development of production, trade also flourished, and countless long-distance shipping merchants appeared. They owned hundreds of horse-drawn carts or ox carts to transport goods between counties and countries. Water conservancy projects in the Central Plains of the Han Dynasty also developed. In addition to the large-scale water conservancy projects in the feudal state, with the development of the landlord’s manor economy, many small-scale manors with artificial ponds and a certain area of ​​rural areas appeared (many unearthed in the Han Dynasty The model of paddy fields and ponds, which is exactly the reflection of this manor economy), has improved agricultural productivity, and in some places it has reached 10 dendrobium (stone) per mu.

The grain crops of the Han Dynasty are only unearthed from Han tombs. In addition to the varieties already available in Xia, Shang, and Zhou, there are also buckwheat, highland barley, millet, sorghum, and various beans. Animal husbandry also developed greatly in the Han Dynasty. Sima Qian described the emergence of a large number of farmhouses raising one or two hundred cattle and sheep in Han areas, which is a manifestation of the prosperity of the sideline business of the landlord's manor economy.Until the Eastern Han Dynasty, these manor areas were still "Grass and trees in Yin Fu, cattle and sheep in full view" (see "Book of Jin Shihuo Zhi").A large number of pottery sculptures of livestock and poultry unearthed in the Han Dynasty also reflected the prosperity of sideline industries in agricultural areas.In the Hehuang area where grazing is specialized, it is "cows and horses bit their tails, and flocks of sheep block the road" (see "Book of the Later Han Dynasty: Biography of Xiqiang").At that time, the prosperity of animal husbandry in the Mongolian Plateau and western Sichuan and Yunnan was similar to that in the Hehuang area.

Regarding the production of vegetables and fruits, from the Warring States Period to the Han Dynasty, the varieties in North China were similar to those in Xia, Shang, and Zhou, and generally tended to be stable.After the reunification of the whole country, the vegetables, melons and fruits from Lingnan and the north and south of Tianshan Mountain greatly enriched the content of Chinese diet.Vegetables and fruits unearthed from Han tombs in the south, only tomb No. Pears, plums, bayberry, plums, olives, black olives, kernel noodles, papaya, watermelon, etc.; condiments include pepper, cinnamon, lemongrass, galangal, etc.Seeds of spinach and weng urn were also unearthed from Han tombs in East China.In recent years, tomato seeds have been unearthed in a Han tomb in Fenghuang Mountain, Chengdu. In the past, it was believed that tomatoes were introduced from abroad, so the word "芜" was added before the word "蛋". The tomato seeds in the Han tomb in Chengdu were buried underground. After more than 2,000 years of cultivation, it can still germinate and prove to be tomato. There are wild tomatoes in many places in western Sichuan, which shows that tomato is a native berry in China.Litchi, longan, bananas, citrus, pomelo, sugar cane, coconut, etc. in the Lingnan area were well-known throughout the country in the Han Dynasty.After Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty broke the Zhao regime in southern Guangdong, he built the "Fuli Palace" in Chang'an, and tried to transplant a large number of exotic flowers and trees from Lingnan, among which fruit trees include litchi, longan, citrus, betel nut, olive and so on.Although due to unsuitable climate and water and soil, the transplantation failed.Since then, Lingnan good fruit has become a special tribute in all dynasties. "Hou Han Shu·He Di Ji" records: "In the old South China Sea, longan and lychee were offered, and there was one house (post) for ten li, one marquis for five li, and the galloping and dangerous, the dead followed the road." During the Three Kingdoms period, Shi Xie, the prefect of Jiaozhi, used hundreds of horses to carry the Lingnan treasures that he paid tribute to Sun Quan every year, including bananas, coconuts, longan, etc. (see "Wu Shu·Shi Xie Biography").Watermelons, grapes, pomegranates, rose apples, and alfalfa (allfalfa is an excellent feed, and its tender tips can be used in vegetables and can be compared with bean sprouts) produced in the north and south of Tianshan Mountains were also introduced to the mainland at this time.During the reign of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, Zhang Qian made two missions to the Western Regions. He first brought back grapes and alfalfa from Dawan.In order to cut off the interference of the Xiongnu and ensure the smooth flow of the Silk Road west of Congling, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty once formed an alliance with Wusun Heqin. During that time, there were more than ten batches of envoys between the Han Dynasty and Wusun every year.In the Eastern Han Dynasty, Banchao was sent to protect the road for a long time, so that the businessmen and tourists on the Silk Road continued to flow. Gradually spread across the country.