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Chapter 766: The Land of Jiangnan

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    However, according to Wang Sangongzi, an expert from the Tianthi Institute, this is exactly the right path for economic development.  According to his theory, all the red lines of 1.8 billion acres of cultivated land can be thrown into the East Sea, and the land can be used for construction, industry, and cash crop cultivation.  As long as we have money, are we still worried about not being able to buy food on the international market?  If there really comes a day when people stop selling food to us, it must be because we have done something bad and made them angry.  "However, the method he described has been tested by our ancestors hundreds of years ago with their lives and blood. This road cannot be followed!  Since the early Ming Dynasty, people have begun to look for new food sources. It is against this historical background that works such as Materia Medica for Famine Relief appeared.  There are also some people who are studying the so-called "method of avoiding valleys" in order to prolong their lives for a few days in the case of unbearable hunger. However, these are not long-term solutions. Therefore, after the middle and late Ming Dynasty, the method of avoiding valleys was originated in America.  Sweet potatoes, corn, potatoes and other food crops were introduced to China.  After being introduced to China, these crops expanded rapidly and spread throughout the country, becoming important food for people in many places, especially in mountainous areas.  The Chen family in Fujian and his son stole sweet potatoes from Spanish-controlled Luzon and successfully introduced them to Fujian, so they were worshiped in a temple by their hometown people.  However, the introduction of sweet potatoes and corn did not establish a benign farming system like the introduction of turnips and clovers from the West. It only established a temporary balance between food production and clothing raw material production. This balance  The reason why it is temporary is because as the population increases, new imbalances will appear.  The introduction of sweet potatoes, corn, etc. not only increased food supply, but also accelerated population growth.  Archaeologist Xia Nai pointed out: "Our country's population was close to 60 million at the end of the Western Han Dynasty At its peak in the Ming Dynasty, it was still only less than 60 million In the early Qing Dynasty, the population decreased due to wars, but by the Qianlong reign  In six years (i.e. 1741), it reached more than 140 million In the fifteenth year of Daoguang's reign, it increased to more than 40 million Although such a population surge is related to the expansion of territory, the development of land, and taxation  The changes are all related, but the import of sweet potatoes and corn native to America in the late Ming Dynasty may have a greater relationship. "Therefore, the introduction of sweet potatoes and corn cannot solve the contradiction between China's population growth and food supply, and the problem of food and clothing.  have not been solved by their introduction.  Since increasing varieties cannot meet the people¡¯s demand for food, can I make a fuss about planting technology?  It turns out that it works.  However, it is of little use.  The aforementioned technologies such as interplanting and mulberry fish ponds are considered to be within the scope of multi-cropping.  The development of the multi-cropping system and the increase in land utilization have only partially made up for the reduction in grain production caused by the competition between rice fields and grain fields by cotton, but they have not eliminated the contradiction between population growth and food supply. On the contrary, due to the lack of capital,  and technology investment. The development of the multi-cropping system will definitely increase the demand for labor. This is one aspect. On the other hand, the development of the multi-cropping system also affects the development of animal husbandry. Before the implementation of the multi-cropping system in the Jiangnan rice area  , there used to be the so-called "cattle throwing" custom, that is, after the rice harvest, the cattle were allowed to graze in the fields. After the Ming and Qing Dynasties, due to the implementation of the multiple-cropping system, after the early rice was harvested, late rice, bean sprouts, wheat, and hemp were planted.  It has become inconvenient to graze various crops such as vegetables and fruits. Song Yingxing in the late Ming Dynasty once made such a calculation, "If those who have cattle have to cultivate ten acres, and those who have no cattle use hoes to cultivate half of it, then since there are no cattle, the autumn  After harvesting, there will no longer be any problem of grazing in the fields, but beans, wheat, hemp, and vegetables can be planted one after another to regain the half-barren acres, which seems to be a common practice in the Qing Dynasty.  Simply banned, this practice will inevitably cause strain on animal power, thereby increasing the burden on the labor force.  This is another reason for the increase in rural population.  The increase in population has put more demands on food supply, which requires the search for new food sources. It was under this circumstance that corn and sweet potatoes were introduced and promoted.  Although land utilization has been improved by introducing new crops, improving the planting system, and developing the multi-cropping system, agricultural labor productivity has shown a regressive trend.  The main reason lies in the regression of agricultural tools.  As early as the Han Dynasty, China had some advanced agricultural technology inventions, such as the field method, the columbine, etc. These inventions were adapted to the needs of large-area land production.  It is similar in principle to some agricultural tools used in modern European agricultural improvements, but these agricultural tools did not work well in China.  The reason is that the population increase caused by the agricultural mulberry structure has led to fewer and fewer large landowners, and the possibility and feasibility of adopting advanced technology and equipment has become less and less.  Therefore, some advanced technologies and equipment are often not popularized and promoted, such as the Daitian method, the coupling plow and the columbine. They were only tried near the capital of the Western Han Dynasty and in some remote areas, but not on a larger scale.  Promote use.  Not only that, there is even technological regression in some places.  The emergence of Jiangdong plow in Tang Dynasty??The prevalence of iron bridges in the Ming and Qing Dynasties is a typical example. Why were the advanced Jiangdong plows largely replaced by backward iron bridges during the Ming and Qing Dynasties?  Is the Jiangdong plow not suitable for the natural conditions of Jiangdong?  No, because the Jiangdong plow was the first to adapt to local soil farming conditions.  So, why did the Jiangdong plow not be used in the place where the Jiangdong plow was invented? The reason is that the imbalance of population growth and food supply in the Jiangnan region caused by mulberry competing for rice fields and cotton competing for grain fields. This imbalance caused some areas that could have been used for grazing to be destroyed.  It was opened up as farmland, and some farmland that could have been used for grazing after harvest was also planted with crops, which led to the shrinkage of livestock and the lack of cattle power.  The increase in population made it possible to use iron bridges, while the shrinkage of livestock caused a shortage of cattle for cattle farming, so manpower had to be used instead of cattle power, and iron bridges replaced cattle farming.  This further increased the demand for labor. According to Song Yingxing's estimate, "If those with cattle can manage ten acres, those without cattle can use hoes and half of it." This is a relatively conservative estimate.  Generally speaking, one ox can equal the strength of seven to ten people, so if one cow is missing, seven to ten additional laborers will be needed.  This has led to a new round of population growth.  In addition to the degradation of agricultural tools and the reduction in the use of animal power, the greater impact is that because the land cannot be operated on a large scale, various water conservancy facilities cannot be built, and irrigation has become a problem.     What?  Some readers said that these things are too obscure and cannot be understood?  So, the unkind author risked being slapped with 404 and explained it using the household-based guaranteed system that was experienced by many people in the not-too-distant era and is still touted by countless literary and artistic works.  A certain Hunanese once said something that was included in the primary school textbook Zhu Kezhen. Crop yield depends on many factors such as water, light, fertilizer, seeds, climate tools, etc. The role of human beings is to optimize these factors.  In short, anyone with some farming experience knows that farming is also called serving crops.  You have to prepare the water, fertilizer, seeds, lighting, tools, etc. needed by the crops, and then the crops will be merciful and give you a good harvest.  Only those who don't know the hardships of farming dare to talk nonsense about how the output can be doubled with enthusiasm.  Motivation is of course important, but no matter how active you are, you are still serving the servants of the crops. Forget this, the crops don't care whether you are Zhang San or Li Si, the loud slap will come at any time.  In 1984, the people¡¯s communes were completely abolished and a plaque was held high at the National Day parade to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the founding of the People¡¯s Republic of China. Unfortunately, the national grain production dropped by 7.44% the next year.  You destroyed grassroots rural organizations at all levels and distributed all the farm machinery and livestock owned by the collective. Not to mention whether there were corruption, loss of assets and other problems in the process, you turned collective production back into small farmers.  The economy is then euphemistically called progress.  But don¡¯t think about it. From group work to individual labor overnight, the huge changes in risk resistance and operating costs will kill you.  It seems that we have seen many incidents of grain depletion and damage to agricultural products caused by swarm of production.  The evolution of rural areas at that stage was described in great detail in the TV series "Common Life" that was broadcast during prime time on CCTV.  However, it is recommended that everyone read Haoran's original work, the descriptions in it can even cure headaches.  Well, it seems that the village that was the first to implement household responsibility system has not completely lifted out of poverty, and is still living by the halo of being a typical person.  Back then, while boasting about their enthusiasm, some people stopped investment in water conservancy and even dismantled organizations that developed water conservancy on their own.  As a result, no matter how loud you brag, you can't change the fact that the dike that is standing on the front line of Jingjiang River is built during the lifetime of the person who was evaluated as 37 Kai. The most ridiculous thing is that even the final trump card of Jingjiang flood diversion was  It was built by the founding leaders of the People's Republic of China. What those people did was to occupy and misappropriate the floodway. The Supreme Leader on the embankment used a loudspeaker to boost everyone's morale and sang that unity is strength, and he broke into a cold sweat.  In desperation, the troops left behind by the founding leader stepped forward and even posted a slogan that this is Shangganling.  Fortunately, God's way is good, China has justice, and the battle of Jingjiang was won in the end, just like Shangganling where there were mountains of corpses.  But the supreme leader is really scared. If he does this, will he become the furry bear next door to the north?  You know, Mao Xiong is our good teacher. He even told us how to die and what will happen after death.  what to do?  Blow next?  In the end, the Supreme Leader and his successor decided to surrender to the Chairman. You are right.  Finally, after entering the new century, the country not only waived the national tax on imperial grain, but also began to invest heavily in revitalizing water conservancy, not only rebuilding reservoirs and canals, but also establishing monitoring stations.  Especially in recent years, with the large-scale promotion of new rural areas, family farms, agricultural machinery, and intensive land management, the Supreme Leader has even proposed that China¡¯s bowl must contain China¡¯s food, and at the same time, it has focused on rural work with unprecedented intensity.  The restoration of grassroots organizations in rural areas has gradually made up for the gap in the past, so that we will not be strangled by bald eagles asking if we still want to eat.  Oh, it seems to be too far away again.  Let¡¯s turn our attention back to this time and space!  In the originalHistorically, the development of the multiple-cropping system and the introduction of sweet potatoes, corn and other food crops have indeed promoted the development of agriculture. In terms of total output, unit output, and the total number of people supported, agriculture during the Ming and Qing Dynasties was  have reached a level never seen before.  In terms of yield per unit area, in the 17th century, China's rice yield per hectare of cultivated land reached 2.3 metric tons, which was the theoretical highest yield in pre-modern agricultural technology.  However, with the development of urbanization in Jiangnan and the emergence of a large number of handicraft factories, the per capita area of ??rice fields continues to shrink.  According to historical records, from the late Ming Dynasty to around 20 years after Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty, the area of ??paddy fields in Hangzhou decreased by 30 hectares, in Huzhou by 79 hectares, and in Jiaxing by 1,354 hectares, of which 1,451 hectares were lost in Shimen County.  At the same time, the population continued to increase, and as a result, the amount of uncultivated land decreased, from more than three acres of rice fields per capita during the Hongwu period to less than two acres.  reduced by nearly one-third.  Especially since Li Shouhan began to intentionally or even maliciously sell large quantities of grain and other agricultural products to Jiangnan, the area planted with grain crops in Jiangnan has dropped sharply every year at a rate visible to the naked eye.  Instead, there are large tracts of mulberry forests and machine workshops.  Every day, the daily food, oil, salt, sauce, vinegar and other materials needed by the prefectures, counties, cities and towns in various parts of the Yangtze River are consumed by large and small boats that shuttle back and forth in the river. The cabins are loaded full and pressed to the waterline at the river port.  When the bags of grain, rice, and jars of vegetable oil arrived on the ship's side, the coolies on the dock shouted slogans to carry them to the warehouse, and then sold them to those who needed them through the trading shops.  Most of these grains, rice, oil, salt, etc. come from Wusongkou and Hangzhou Bay.  Jiangnan, under Li Shouhan's conscious operation, has become a region that relies on imported food for 70% to 80% of the time.  Well, this ratio is basically the same as the current Nanbangzi Kingdom.  Not to mention the thousands of artillery pieces north of the 38th Parallel that turned Seoul into a sea of ??flames. Just the appearance of small submarines near the port channel, and how many of the cargo ships transporting grain and meat dared to risk their lives to enter the port to unload their cargo?  ?  They are not the Soviet Red Navy, who can risk their lives and rush into the port of Stalingrad under continuous artillery fire.  Therefore, if there is another artillery fire on the March 8th Line, Nanbangzi's group of plastic surgeons will be the most afraid.  But it doesn't matter, people pay attention to the integrity of the body and the soil, and even if they starve to death, they will not eat non-local agricultural products.  "Anyway, if you work for just one day, you can earn two or three days' worth of food. Three meals a day are all filled with wine, meat and meat. Why should we go back to the countryside and suffer the consequences of facing the loess and back to the sky?  ?" Even the porters on the dock think so. It can be seen that the food in Jiangnan is ridiculously cheap.  It¡¯s not like no one has ever questioned why food from the south is so cheap.  However, the sailors from Nanzhong will not know the secrets of food procurement and transportation. They only know that food is extremely cheap in Nanzhong, and it is the lord's own business. Of course, there will be no drift, rats or birds.  kind of activities.  What's more, these grains are used as ballast for empty ships heading north, so the freight is naturally extremely low.  As for the use of industrial coupons during the procurement process to harvest the old rice that is about to expire in public welfare warehouses such as village charity warehouses and Siwu warehouses, it is not an inside story that the sailors can know.  The steel produced by the coal and iron complex, the agricultural tools, ironware, household appliances produced by various manufacturing workshops, and the fine fine cloth and silk satin produced by various machine rooms can all be purchased with industrial coupons at a discount!  A large number of old rice piled up in the Changping warehouse of Siwucang for future use were purchased at a price that seemed extremely low to outsiders.  But they did not know that the small-scale peasant economy became extremely fragile in the face of the joint production and amortization cost method of the pre-industrial era.  After such a series of operations, there will no longer be a home for accumulating millet in Jiangnan.  Everyone has invested their money and energy in doing business, opening factories, and building machine workshops.  Even worse, we have to start a few inns, restaurants, warehouses, and the like.  This makes money faster than farming!  "Turg, don't worry." Bolo smiled happily, the smile on his face was like a black bear that just woke up in the spring sunshine after hibernation and discovered a huge beehive.  He patted his deputy on the shoulder and said, "Let's just go ahead and tell them. In this land south of the Yangtze River, there are many people who are more familiar with the situation here than we are. If we can't find food, of course someone can." Turge listened to what Bolo said.  After saying this, the frown on his face relaxed a little, "Master, what are you talking about?" He pointed downstairs with his finger.  A group of people downstairs had shaved their heads, exposing their iron-green scalps. They let the autumn wind blow by on the lake, leaving waves of coldness on their newly shaved scalps.  He has a money rat tail on his head, a round collar robe on his body, and he is smiling happily among a group of ferocious-looking Qing soldiers holding swords, guns and sharp blades. No matter who looks at him, he will find it extremely strange.  "Yes, it is these people!" Bolo said very leisurely and relaxedly, "They have surrendered to our Qing Dynasty."It goes without saying that the dedication of the city was meritorious.  However, since I have shaved my head and changed my clothes, as an official and citizen of our Qing Dynasty, we must do things for the good life of our Qing Dynasty.  Otherwise, why would I, the Qing Dynasty, raise them?  !  " Turge is also a murderous demon who doesn't blink an eye. Hearing Bolo's words, he couldn't help but shudder. This is obviously ready to kill the lackey and stew it at any time! However, the premise is that the lackey is not strong enough.  You can¡¯t catch prey for him, you can¡¯t pounce on it and bite the target for your master. ¡°Go!  Call the servant named Liu up and tell him that the master has an errand for him to handle!  "After a while, there was the sound of footsteps on the stairs, and a person walked up. "My slave Liu Chanji has met two masters!  ¡± .
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