Three Issues On The Relationship Between Geographical Environment And The Changes Of Chinese Ancient Society

Abstract: the paper researches the relationship between trace element in soil and the changes of Chinese ancient society. In general, this issue belongs to the category of environmental history. While when it comes to some specific issues, trace element in soil is the cut-in point to study the changes of Chinese ancient society. At the present time, such research method hasn't been applied in history studies domestic and abroad so far. Therefore, the studies of the paper are only exploratory and immature researches.Three issues are concerned here:l)Trace element in soil under geographical environment and the Hun and the Hsienpei's levirate. The appearance of the specific levirate custom existing in the Hun and the Hsienpei Tungusic in Han and Wei dynasties is the inevitable results of the laws of geographical environment and social development. Living in the high latitudes and dry cold inland areas, plus being heavily short of virtual zinc, a trace element in soil, lead to a high death rate of child-bearing age women. In order to guarantee a normal birth-rate, the Hun and Hsienpei Tungusic had to adopt levirate to ensure healthy child-bearing age women to give birth to offspring as many as they can.2) Trace element in soil under geographical environment and the cultural process of Huang-huai-hai Plain(the Yellow River, Huai River and Hai River ) in historical period. It is well known that Huang-huai-hai Plain flourished around Han and Tang dynasties, not only boasted of the highly developed agricultural economy, handicraft industry and cultural education, but also of the population quality and proportion. while the physiognomy of the Plain has changed greatly since Song and Yuan dynasties due to the frequent deluge and the river course change of Yellow River, which caused the changes of the trace elements amount in the plain's soil, especially the decrease of virtual zinc which caused the cultural developing process to stagnate gradually after Song and Yuan dynasties. Trace elements like a invisible hand worked uniquely on cultural developing process.3)The geographical environment and the morbid population of Lin Xiang Kingdom in Sun-Wu Kingdom Period. This part focus on morbid population of Lin Xiang Kingdom where is characterized by waterways net, high temperature and aquosity in Sun-Wu period. The research based on the latest excavated Changsha Zou Ma Lou Wu Jian(the Bambooslips Digging from Zoumalou, Zou Ma Lou Wood/Bamboo Scripts of Wu Kingdom at Changsha City today). The maladies appeared under such condition had a close connection with lepra, schistosomiasis which were also produced under such peculiar geographical environment. At the same time, the short of iodine element was part of the cause of some maladies, such as deafness, blindness and so on. The research confirmed from the concrete historical facts point of view the facticity of " male is easily come to an untimely end" which was recorded in Huo Zhi Lie zhuan (货殖列传Profiteers Biographies) of Records of the Grand Scribe(史记, Shi Ji) written by Sima Qian (司马迁) .