Earthquakes And Regional Economy In Qing Dynasty

China has always been a land of frequent natural disasters; people living in this land use various means to cope with disaster. In the constant struggle with the disaster, Ancient China has formed a more mature Famine Relief System. In 17-19 century China frequent earthquake, earthquake will be a direct threat to life or property, bring serious damage to disaster areas. Because of the difficulty of predicting the outbreak of the earthquake, not like other types of disasters, the outbreak of the earthquake don't have the process that transition from weak to strong. Once a major earthquake being outbreak, it will be a severe test to the Government's disaster response capacity.1695 Pingyang earthquake's magnitude and intensity was great, had severe damaged to the affected areas of political and economic, life and property suffered great loss. Linfen, xiangling, Hongdong, Fushan which in the Extreme shock point, was almost flattened by the earthquake. Such as NA Yan Bao's memorials, victims in Pingyang was 5 2600. In local chronicles and inscriptions, there were 129 large buildings had been damaged. It include 65 Executive Class Buildings (3 barns),48 temples,10 Landscape Architectures,4 Water facilities, and so on. The number of residents in the housing collapse is even more amazing. Affected areas need the government to quickly organize relief work effectively.After the earthquake, the Qing central and local governments into action quickly, organized relief efforts in the first time. After the disaster, Shanxi governor reported to the Central Government, the Qing government immediately sent Maqi, who was the Imperial Commissioner to organization disaster relief in the rescue. Funding to bury bodies of the victims; to build housing in poor households unable to grant, to help them rebuild their homes; mobilize Xi'an Library of silver was restored in the disaster damaged public facilities; give and great food to prevent famine; to send military officers to maintain affected the social and law and order; pacify the people, punish the unscrupulous officials. These series of measures to guarantee the victims settle down after the disaster, and in order to ensure a speedy recovery. But the central focus for disaster relief is to prevent an even greater humanitarian disaster and to ensure the restoration of government administrative functions.But in the post-disaster reconstruction, the central government has not carried out large-scale disaster reconstruction. At this point the local government and the gentry played a more important role. After all, local government and the gentry's class financial and material resources are limited, their strength can't make the rapid restoration of Pingyang.In post-disaster reconstruction, Pingyang experience a long and slow process. Economic level of affected areas cannot be restored in a short time. 1695 earthquake on the economic development of Pingyang had restricted the role of long-term, regional economies have been devastated.