The Study Of The Difference Of Grain Yield Values In Guangxi Before And After The Opium War

The development level of agricultural economy of a region could be indicated by the grain yield value per Mu of this region to some extent. In ancient China, agriculture is the most important sectors of the economy. Therefore, the level of a region’s agricultural economy represents the entire economic development level of the region to a certain extent. During the period of around the Opium War, Guangxi began to development towards the modern direction gradually as the other provinces and regions. In this thesis, the grain yield per Mu of twelve prefectures (Zhili State) of Guangxi during the Qing Dynasty Daoguang period, as well as the grain price of each prefecture were accurately estimated in detail. Based on these data, the grain value per Mu of each prefecture of Guangxi around the Opium War was accurately calculated, so as to understand the agricultural development level of Guangxi during the same period actually. Furthermore, based on the investigation, the author suggested that the change of grain value per Mu during this period had an important relation with the social unrest of Guangxi during the late of Daoguang period.This thesis contains six parts:The first part is the introduction, which summarize the academic history of the ancient Chinese grain yield per Mu. The topic reasons and the significance of this study are elaborated.The second part is about the estimation of grain yield per Mu of each Guangxi’s prefecture around the Opium War. Based on the collection data of the grain yield per Mu of each Guangxi’s County during the Qing Dynasty period as much as possible, Finally, the average grain yields per Mu of twelve prefecture of Guangxi during the Qing Dynasty period were estimated, including Guilin, Liuzhou, Qingyuan, Sien, Pingle, Wuzhou, Xunzhou, Nanning, Taiping, Yulin, Sicheng and Zhenan.The third part is about the calculation of average grain price of Guangxi around the Opium War. In addition to grain yield per Mu, the grain price is an important factor to investigate the grain value per Mu. There is an important book the Grain Price Table of Qing Dynasty Daoguang to Xuantong Period which is edited by Institute of Economics of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. This book provides a series of detailed and integral data on the grain price during the period of Qing Dnasty Daoguang to Xuantong years. Base on the detailed and integral grain price data of Guangxi during the Daoguang period, the average grain price of twelve prefectures of Guangxi during the Daoguang Dynasty was accurately calculated by two mathematical methods.The fourth part is about the grain value per Mu of Guangxi around the Opium War, which is investigated by comparison method. Firstly, the twelve prefectures’of Guangxi were compared with each other, so as to understand the agricultural development level of each Guangxi’s prefecture around the Opium War. Then, based on the grain values per Mu of twelve prefectures, the grain value per Mu of entire Guangxi was obtained with the arithmetic mean method. Next, the grain value per Mu of entire Guangxi was compared with the south region’of the Yangtze River during the same period, so as to understand the Grain value level per Mu of Guangxi in the nationwide during the same period. Finally, the grain value per Mu of Guangxi was compared with the Britain’s during the industrial revolution period.The fifth part is about the relation of grain value per Mu of Guangxi around the Opium War with the social unrest of Guangxi during the same period. It is indicated that the grain value per Mu of Guangxi during the Daoguang Dynasty period has a downward trend due to the climate change and the changes of ecological environment or other factors. Because of the decrease of the grain value per Mu, the Guangxi became the serious disaster area of frequent civil commotion during the late of Qing Dynasty Daoguang period. Therefore, the decrease of grain value per Mu may be the important reason, which induces the social unrest of Guanxi during the late of Daoguang period.The sixth part is the summary of the article and the restatement of the conclusion.