The Study Of The Official "rang Disaster" In The Ming Dynasty

The period of Ming and Ch'ing dynasties is one of the four disastrous periods in our history. Various natural disasters happened frequently in the Dynasty of Ming. Therefore, it becomes an important subject when historians study disasters. In recent years, the study of Chinese ancient disasters has been very mature, especially the study of disasters in the Ming Dynasty. The study is not only referred to the nationwide, but also the regional; not only the disaster itself, but also the related political systems. However, few people analyze one of the important relief policies in the Dynasty of Ming——the"Rang disaster".The"Rang disaster"is the inheritance of culture and thoughts from previous dynasties, which itself is inherited by later dynasties. The"Rang disaster"is an important relief policy of Ming government. It was carried out throughout the dynasty and had a significant influence on politics, social culture, and economy in the Ming Dynasty. In fact, towards various disasters, the methods and subjects of the"Rang disaster"varies. Different emperors had different attitudes and minds when faced to"Rang disaster". This paper mainly analyze the"Rang disaster"policies of the Ming Dynasty and tries to fully reflect the disasters and social reactions with other historians'professional works.Chapter One introduces the basis, sense, research method, and the clue of the paper. Paving roads for the main body of the text, it defines the related concepts and reviews the relevant academic history, and introduces a general overview of the title selected.Chapter Two will mainly introduce disasters'general situation, the origin of the"Rang disaster", and the ideology of the"Rang disaster"in the Dynasty of Ming, which are the basis of the research on official"Rang disaster"and simultaneously the guidelines of the"Rang disaster"in the Dynasty of Ming.Chapter Three & Four are the main points of the text, which mainly introduce the"Rang disaster"in the Dynasty of Ming. Chapter Three emphasize on the causes, subjects and objects of the"Rang disaster", trying to show the official"Rang disaster"in the Ming Dynasty. Chapter Four discusses some important ceremonies. This part of the text is complicated, but it is an important foundation to study the"Rang disaster"of the Ming Dynasty directly. Readers will get the whole picture of the"Rang disaster"in the Dynasty of Ming through these two chapters.Chapter Five mainly analyzes the influence of the"Rang disaster"and appraises it objectively and historically.Actually, even now, the culture of the"Rang disaster"still exists in some areas. Some of these customs which are left over by history have completely developed into a kind of folk culture without praying Rang. Others still exist as methods of praying Rang, and need to be explored by us scientifically and properly.