Research On The Expansion Of Farming Areas In The Han And Tang Dynasties

The period of the Han Dynasty(202B.C.-220A.D.)and Tang Dynasty(618-907)is important for farming area expansion in China.During this period,farming tradition has undergone a necessary course,and the brilliant prosperity of the Han and Tang Dynasties has come into being.The reason why farming area has been developed comprehensively in this period is whose strong economic basis and impetus,including political system establishment,economic prosperity,agricultural technology progress and population growth.During the Han and Tang Dynasties,Chinese traditional agriculture has developed greatly,with a great range of farming area covering Northwest,Southwest,Huanghuaihai Plain,the middle reach of the Yangtze River,south of the Five Ridges and Southeast.In the process of farming area expansion during the Han and Tang Dynasties,it has been found that the influence of political,economic,cultural,and natural conditions,etc.and the difference between expanding in time and space;From the aspect of space,the priority to the development has been given to the Yellow River basin,followed by the lower area of the Yangtze River.Relatively,the development in middle reaches of Yangtze River,the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau,and south of the Five Ridges is slow.From the aspect of time,farming area has been expanded in full range with the strong support of feudal rulers of the Qin Dynasty(221B.C.-207B.C.)and Han Dynasty;in the Period of Wei,Jin and Southern and Northern Dynasties(220-589),there is a social turmoil in the North and the Central Plains.In this case,a large number of northern populations move to the South,which promotes the expansion of farming area in the South;in the period of Sui Dynasty(582-618)and Tang Dynasty,the nation has united once again.A great development appears both in social economy and farming area expansion;after An Lushan Rebellion(Dec.16,755-Feb.17,763),the economic focus has moved from the North to the South.1.Dynamic foundation of farming area expansion in the Han and Tang Dynasties.From four aspects of politics,economy,technology,population,this paper analyzes the farming area expansion in social context of the Han and Tang Dynasties,analyzes the influence of the political system,economy,technology and population on the agriculture development,and expounds the effect of the construction and perfection of feudal political system,the development and prosperity of economy,the progress of land development and utilization,labor population proliferation on farming area expansion.2.Comprehensive development of farming area in the Qin and Han Dynasties.The Qin and Han Dynasties is a critical stage of the formation and development of Chinese feudal society and laying the foundation of traditional agriculture.The combination of national unity and centralism plays a vital role in this period.The feudal regime,as the leader,conquers a country with military force first,then carries out the system of prefecture and county and lays emphasis on indoctrination with culture.While the national domain has been expanded greatly,the new farming areas have been exploited in the Northwest,Huanghuaihai Plain,the middle reach of the Yangtze River and the Southeast,which lays the foundation of the development of agriculture.3.Unbalanced expansion of farming area in the Period of Wei,Jin and Southern and Northern Dynasties.In the Period of Wei,Jin and Southern and Northern Dynasties,the climate turns cold and the northern minorities entered the Central Plains so that agricultural production in the North and the Central Plains suffers a huge blow.Whereas agriculture in the south of the lower reaches of the Yangtze river obtains a rapid development because of social stability and immigration from the North.Therefore,farming area expansion in this period lays in the unbalance and the expansion in the South is the most important feature of the period.Farming area expansion in the South broadens the traditional agricultural production areas,promotes the progress of the traditional agriculture technology and set a foundation of economic growth and prosperity in the South.4.Farming area extending to the North and South in the Sui and Tang Dynasties.With the country's re-unification in the Sui and Tang Dynasties,feudal political system and centralism have been consolidated.Farming area expansion makes a breakthrough both in the North and South,covering these regions of the Northwest,Southwest,Huanghuaihai Plain,the middle reach of the Yangtze River and the Southeast,and the south of the Five Ridges.By dividing of An Lushan Rebellion,farming area expansion in the Yellow River basin has been at its peak before the turmoil,and after the turmoil,the lower reaches of Yangtze River has become the national economic focus.5.Difference between expanding in time and space in the Han and Tang Dynasties.From the aspect of space,the priority to the development has been given to the Yellow River basin,followed by the lower area of the Yangtze River.Relatively,the development in middle reaches of Yangtze River,the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau,and south of the Five Ridges is slow.From the aspect of time,farming area has been expanded in full range with the strong support of feudal rulers of the Qin Dynasty and Han Dynasty.In the Period of Wei,Jin and Southern and Northern Dynasties,there is a social turmoil in the North and the Central Plains.In this case,a large number of northern populations move to the South,which promotes the expansion of farming area in the South.In the period of Sui Dynasty and Tang Dynasty,the nation has united once again.A great development appears both in social economy and farming area expansion both in the North and South.Besides,this paper explores deeply the reasons why these differences exist.The influence factors consist of human factors and natural factors.6.Human-land relationship in farming area expansion during the Han and Tang Dynasties.This paper explores several key issues about farming area expansion on the basis of the general understanding its process.The first is the issue of human and nature in farming area development.This paper analyzes systematically the development and the protection of ecological environment in farming areas according to the geography foundation.At last but not the least,this paper summarized the basic experience during the Han and Tang Dynasties,and provided important references to economic development,especially for the exploitation and development of agriculture of the time.In the process of spatial expansion and deep development of farming area expansion during the Han and Tang Dynasties,the united and powerful country has formed eventually.So to say,the history of agricultural development in China is the history of farming area expansion.Farming area expansion is significant in periods of history.This paper argues that farming area expansion during the Han and Tang Dynasties promotes the social and economic stability and development,expands and consolidates the state territory,and accelerates the culture communication and blending.