A Study On Natural Disasters Of Longnan Area During Ming And Qing Dynasties

This thesis, based on historical geography studies, focuses on the dynastic research of disasters history in Longnan area during the Ming&Qing dynasties (1368-1911). With the relevant study in the unique natural and social environment of Longnan, the summaries of existing research methods about natural disasters, and the collection and quantitative analysis of Historical Documents, the full thesis is divided into five parts, to summarize the distribution rules, characters, and causes of natural disasters, particularly in conditions about drought, waterlogging, hail, and earthquake of this area during the Ming&Qing dynasties.According to the space-time distribution of natural disasters in Longnan area during the Ming&Qing dynasties, it had three distinct fastigiums and three off-peak periods of the droughts. The cycles were mainly two-to-three-year or four-to-five-year, meanwhile in the north were much longer than that in the south. The waterlogging had three distinct fastigiums and six off-peak periods, while the cycles showed similarities to the droughts. The hails were centered in June and July which were often seen in Lixian County and Dangchangxian County. Longnan area was also the worst-hit area of earthquakes accompanied by Landslides and debris flows. Disasters like frost, thunderstorm and lightning, and sandstorm were rarely occurred in the area.The natural disasters in Longnan area during the Ming&Qing dynasties had many characteristics, such as diversity, synchronization of drought and flood, and centrality in the space-time. From the perspective of causes, natural ones, such as astronomy, geology and geomorphology, monsoon, and the climatic trend, and the space distributions of populations, farmlands, and towns shaped the forms and laws of natural disasters in Longnan.To sum up laws, relations, and causes of natural disasters are wonderful for us to perceive them and do disaster-prevention efficiently.