Ming Dynasty In North China The Tree Planting Exploration,

Planting, as a significant activity in human life, was endowed with some new characteristics of its time in the Ming dynasty, which not only plays an important role in daily life, but also in politics, military affairs, ethnic relationships. As we all know, planting trees along the border defense line, can prevent the Mongolia from invading the south China, and protect the inner citizens. Therefore, from the emperor, minister, to genial, they all saw planting as an important activity.This study not only concerns planting as a way of disaster assistance, but also focuses on the construction of defense system of north China in the Ming dynasty, and analyzing the relationship between planting and construction of North China.(Chang Zhen, severed as not only a way of imperial mausoleum protecting, but also as a part of defense system of the North China).The first chapter focuses on planting as a way of disaster assistance.'Disaster assistance' is an important way of all ages. Zhu Yuanzhang, the first emperor of Ming who was born in a farmer family, had a better understanding of the importance of disaster assistance in ruling a country, thus, he promoted planting as a way of disaster assistance. However, the policy of planting as a way of disaster assistance was abandoned soon after Zhu Yuanzhang's death.The second chapter focuses on the planting activity as a way of imperial mausoleum protection. Planting trees is an important part of ancient imperial mausoleum system. The governor wanted to show and strengthen the imperial power by planting trees as a way of protecting the imperial mausoleum. The imperial mausoleum system includes tomb designing, planting, and maintaining. Since imperial mausoleum in Tianshou Mountain of the Ming dynasty located in the protecting line of Ming, planting trees in this area also acts as a way of border defense.The third chapter focuses on the planting activity as a way of border defense. The theory of planting trees along the border line as a defense mechanics has been created long ago, but it doesn't applied to practice till Hongzhi of Ming Dynasty and the activity had soon reached a climax at Jiajing and Longqing. Mongolia had been a threaten for the whole Ming dynasty, even after Anda Hang been conferred, therefore, the idea of planting trees to protect the north China always exist until the end of Ming dynasty.In conclusion, planting trees in the north China of the Ming dynasty played an important role in disaster assistance, the imperial mausoleum protection and frontier defense, beside its normal function in daily life, therefore, the study on the planting activities in north China of Ming dynasty, may provide us a new perspective of viewing the stability and chaos of the Ming dynasty.