A Study On The Famine Of Northern Anhui During Jiaqing And Daoguang Period In Qing Dynasty

Northern Anhui was frequently inroaded by nature disasters during Jiaqing and Daoguang period, among them were flood, drought, locust, windstorm, hail, earthquake, plague etc. The destruction caused by flood, drought, and locust was more serious than other disasters. This chapter summarize the characteristic of natural disaster that were longtime, high frequency, far-reaching area and several disaster occurring in the same time.The main causes for these frequent natural disasters are natural factor and social factor. The reason why Northern Anhui suffered so many disasters was not only the effect of climatic change and influence of geographic environment, but also other social factors such as the deteriorate of ecological environment, water conservancy out of repair, negative effect on the grain tributary and corrosion of politics, all of which added fuel to the flame of disasters. In these reasons, the Yellow River's water rushing into the sea by way of the Huaihe River is the most important factor.The society of Northern Anhui was seriously affected by the frequently happened disasters at that time, which resulted in serious social problems:large population's movement, death and great damage to social economic and public security, and change the social consciousness, life style and the consuetude of local people, all these damages made serious influence to people's normal production. With the descending of social carrying capacity, the situation of famine often be more serious, which resulted in Nian Army's Uprising in a direct and basic way.Facing the devastative disasters, both the government and various private groups took a series of measures to aid the disaster areas. But during Jiaqing and Daoguang period, the national power had gradually declined, the government was still in the leading place but because of its financial deficiency, corrosion of politics and diminishing control on local authorities, the famine relief it did was on tendency of wane. Meanwhile the folk strength had vigorously grown day by day and produced an active effect on famine relief.Famine is the impact of Northern-Anhui's history of social development of important issues. Even today it is still beset with economic and social coordination. During Jiaqing and Daoguang period, the famine occurred in high frequency in Northern Anhui, the famine not only brings about permanently influence to economic development, politic safety and social progress, but also becomes the origin of people long period poverty and behind in Northern Anhui. Therefore, how to sum up experience, grasp the rules, resist and reduce the destruction of disaster and develop economy will be a long-term and important task for local people. I wish it will provide some useful suggestions.