The Contribution In Agricultural Technology Progress Of The Gentry Group In Taihu Distric During The Ming And Qing Dynasties

Ancient Chinese agricultural knowledge is systematic agricultural knowledge which is mostly formed by the gentry group through practice and summarizing. Although the old peasants are important owners of the agricultural knowledge, they don’t form systematic theories. The gentry group arranges agricultural knowledge through the ages into agricultural books, which becomes the main part of agronomy, for state affairs, personal interest, or family affairs. The gentry are called agronomists. These agronomists acquire agricultural knowledge in different ways, and spread it through different approaches. This process is very complicated especially in the situation of the backward in information transmission in the ancient times. We can say that the gentry fulfill their pursuit of life. Although they didn’t bring benefit to the world through their official careers, they benefit local people through spreading agricultural knowledge. Also, the writing of agricultural books leaves us precious agricultural heritage.Firstly, in traditional society, the gentry are at the top of the other three classes of people. The development of the imperial examination system of Ming and Qing dynasties leads to an increase of the number of the gentry, which divides the gentry into different groups engaged in different careers. And some of the lower classes start a "teaching and cultivating life":teaching in the countryside while being engaged in agriculture. This phenomenon is very common in the Taihu district. Based on Ma Yilong, Lu Shiyi, Zhang Lvxiang etc, this paper describes the phenomenon and social background of the "teaching and cultivating life".Secondly, this paper introduces the main agricultural thought and technical measures of the gentry in Taihu district. Taihu district gained an unprecedented development during Ming and Qing dynasties, and its agricultural technology is more advanced than other district. The agronomic works written by Ma Yilong, Lu Shiyi, Zhang Lvxiang reflects the level of local technology and agronomic thought. The systematic elucidation about agronomy and agricultural management thought of the people in regions south of the Yangtze River leaves traditional agriculture valuable knowledge of agronomy and business. So far, there have been many scholars researching on these agricultural technical knowledge which involves substantial content in a wide range. The agricultural technology in it already goes into details in every aspect. Therefore, it’s very helpful to this paper. This part of the paper summarizes these four aspects:technology, adaptation to local condition, water conservancy and management.Thirdly, making Ma Yilong, Lu Shiyi, Zhang Lvxiang etc, as the main objects of the study, this paper introduces the approaches they spread their agricultural knowledge out. Through letters, they spread out various agricultural management techniques and methods in geographic range, teach agricultural knowledge to their family in blood lineage. Due to the prosperity of making friend and forming associations in Ming and Qing dynasties, these also become the approaches of the gentry to introduce their agricultural technology. Other approaches such as teaching their students and instructing technology are all the main approaches of spreading out agricultural technology introduced in the paper. Ma, Zhang, Lu not only form the thought of agronomy and business, but also spread out these agricultural knowledge through various approaches at the same time.Finally, this paper introduces the important achievement of the writing of agronomic works in Ming and Qing dynasties. Appearing a large amount of works, Taihu district being an important district of it, is largely due to the effort of the lower classes people. These agronomic works have much effect on the diffusion of agricultural knowledge then and local development of agriculture. The agronomic works of Ming and Qing dynasties in Taihu district have their unique characteristics. After that this paper illustrates the main resources of the agronomic works’ writers, thus digs from the source.