Wang Zhennongshu
"Wang Zhennongshu" The Yuan Dynasty ruled China for 97 years. Although the time was not very long, it left three outstanding agricultural works in the history of Chinese agriculture. . The first is "Nongsang Ji Yao" compiled by Si Nongsi in the early years of the Yuan Dynasty, followed by "Wang Zhen Nong Shu" and "Nong Sang Food and Clothing Summary". Among the three books, "Wang Zhen Nong Shu" has the greatest influence.
Wang Zhen (1271-1368), courtesy name Boshan, was a native of Dongping (now Dongping, Shandong) in the Yuan Dynasty. Ancient Chinese agronomist and agricultural mechanist. During the reign of Emperor Chengzong of the Yuan Dynasty, he served as the Yin of Jingde County in Xuanzhou (now Jingde County in Anhui) and the Yin of Yongfeng County in Xinzhou (now Guangfeng County in Jiangxi). During his tenure as an official, he lived a frugal life and donated his salary to local governments to build schools, build bridges, roads, and donate medicine. He indeed did a lot of good things for the people in the two places. People at that time praised him highly and praised him for his "promising achievements in benefiting the people". ("Jingde County Chronicle") Wang Zhen, like many intellectuals in ancient my country, also inherited the traditional "farm-based" thinking and believed that the primary political affairs of the country from the central to local governments is agricultural production. Wang Zhen's contemporary Dai Biaoyuan wrote in the "Preface to Wang Bo Shannong's Letters" that when Wang Zhen served in Jingde and Yongfeng, he achieved great results in persuading farmers and achieved outstanding political achievements. The method adopted is to stipulate that farmers plant a number of mulberry trees every year; to provide guidance on hemp, ramie, grass, millet, wheat and other crops one by one from sowing to harvesting; The graphics of various agricultural tools such as columbine, rake and rice millet were copied and used by common people. He also "took the lead with his own body" and "took care of the grass and farmed mulberry trees". Finally, Wang Zhen compiled the rich experience accumulated by teaching people to farm, weave, plant, and raise livestock, as well as the relevant writings and materials collected by his predecessors, into the "Agricultural Book".
[Edit this paragraph] Author's works
Wang Zhen served as Xuanzhou Jingde (now Anhui Jingde) from the second year of Dade (1298) to the fourth year of Dade (1300) ) and the county magistrate of Xinzhou Yongfeng (now Guangfeng, Jiangxi). In the second year of Dade (1298), Wang Zhen produced more than 30,000 wooden movable types and printed 100 volumes of "Jingde County Chronicles". "Wang Zhen Nong Shu" or "Nong Shu" was written around the fourth year of Dade of Chengzong in the Yuan Dynasty (AD 1300). At the end of "Nongshu", there is an appendix "Making Movable Type Printing Method", which describes his wooden movable type printing technique.
[Edit this paragraph] Introduction to the content of "Wang Zhen Nong Shu"
Full introduction
"Wang Zhen Nong Shu" was completed in 1313. The main text of the book consists of 37 episodes, 371 items, and approximately 130,000 words. It is divided into three parts: "Nongsang Tongjue", "Hundred Grain Manual" and "Agricultural Instrument Atlas". The last appended "Miscellaneous Records" includes two articles that have little to do with agricultural production: "Legal System of Longevity House" and "Making Movable Type Seals". calligraphy".
Main content
"Wang Zhen's Agricultural Book" occupies an important position in my country's ancient agricultural heritage. It discusses both northern agricultural technology and southern agricultural technology. Wang Zhen himself is from Shandong. He has served as a local official in Anhui and Jiangxi provinces, and has also traveled to Jiangsu and Zhejiang. Wherever he went, he often went deep into the countryside to conduct on-the-spot observations. Therefore, whether it describes farming techniques, the use of farm tools, or planting mulberry and raising silkworms, the "Nongshu" always takes into account the differences between the north and the south and pays tribute to the mutual exchanges between them. Such as farming, the book details the characteristics of the north and the south, and says: "From north to south, the customs are different. They say farming and farming, and the work is also different." ("Cultivation Chapter 4") He often uses several A variety of agricultural tools with the same function but different shapes are described together to facilitate people's comparison and adoption, saying: "Now they are listed together to inform the north and the south, so that they can be used as appropriate and will not be neglected." (Part 5 of "Raking") 》) In terms of sericulture, the methods of sericulture in the north and south are selected and described, and the advantages and disadvantages of each are pointed out. The purpose is to "select the subtleties and write them down in writing, thinking that they will be effective." ("Silkworm Reel Chapter 15") It can be said that all the comprehensive agricultural books before "Wang Zhen Nong Shu", such as "Pan Sheng Zhi Shu", "Qi Min Yao Shu", "Nong Sang Ji Yao", etc. They only described the agricultural technology in the north and did not talk about the south, nor did they pay attention to promoting the exchange of technology between the north and the south. Based on previous works, "Wang Zhen Agricultural Book" made a relatively comprehensive and systematic discussion of the so-called agricultural production knowledge in a broad sense for the first time, and proposed the traditional system of Chinese agronomy.
"Lu Shi Chun Qiu·Shang Nong" and other four articles only preserve four agricultural treatises related to agricultural policies, land use, land preparation and control of farming seasons in the Pre-Qin Dynasty. Only more than 3,000 words of the "Book of Pan Sheng" from the Han Dynasty remain, so the full picture cannot be seen. The earliest and most complete comprehensive agricultural book in existence is "Qi Min Yaoshu", which was written in the 6th century AD. Compared with "Wang Zhen's Book of Agriculture", "Qi Min Yaoshu" includes food crops, vegetable and fruit tree cultivation, animal husbandry, veterinary medicine, agricultural product processing, cooking, etc., and finally some non-Chinese cultivated plants. The scope can be described as Cooking, which is very extensive but takes up a lot of space, is obviously not within the scope of agricultural production. "Wang Zhen Agricultural Book" clearly states that agriculture in the broad sense includes food crops, sericulture, animal husbandry, horticulture, forestry, and fishery, while brewing, pickling, fruit processing, cooking, cake bait, drinking pulp, and making Sugar, as well as agricultural products processing such as glue cooking and pen making, have been removed. From the overall and systematic point of view, "Wang Zhen Nong Shu" also surpasses "Qi Min Yao Shu". "Qi Min Yao Shu" does not yet have a clear general concept. There are only two chapters in this aspect: "Farming" and "Harvesting". The whole book mainly consists of treatises on crop cultivation, which describe various production technologies in isolation. . The "Nongsang Tongjue" in "Wang Zhen Nongshu" is equivalent to a general introduction to agriculture. First, it gives an overview of the historical origins of agriculture, cattle farming, and sericulture; secondly, it discusses agriculture in two chapters: "Timing" and "Geographical Advantages" The fundamental key to production is the time and place issues; and then there are 7 articles from "cultivation" to "harvest" to discuss the principles of agricultural operations such as reclamation, soil, cultivation, fertilization, water conservancy irrigation, field management and harvesting. same basic principles and measures. "Hundred Grains Pu" is very similar to a treatise on cultivation. It first divides crops into several genera (categories), and then lists the specific crops of each genus (category) one by one. Although the classification is not quite scientific and cannot be compared with modern classification, it already has the rudiment of crop taxonomy and is an improvement compared to "Qi Min Yao Shu" which does not yet have a clear classification. "Agricultural Instrument Atlas" is the focus of the book, with 306 illustrations, 20 volumes, divided into 20 categories and 261 items. In addition, among the three parts of "Nongsang Tongjue", "Hundred Grain Manual" and "Agricultural Instrument Atlas", we also take care of each other and pay attention to the internal connections of each part. When discussing the production procedures of various crops, "Hundred Grain Pu" pays great attention to the internal connections between them. When "Agricultural Instrument Atlas" introduces the historical forms of agricultural instruments as well as their role and efficiency in production, it often refers to "Nongsang Tongjue" and "Hundred Grain Manual". At the same time, they will be treated separately according to the different regions and conditions in the north and south. It not only takes care of the general, but also pays attention to the special. The inclusion of farm tools as an important part of the comprehensive agricultural book began with "Wang Zhen Farming Book" and is also a major feature of this book. my country's traditional agricultural tools have developed to a mature stage by the Song and Yuan Dynasties, with a complete range of types and diverse shapes. In the Song Dynasty, special books on agricultural tools appeared in a more comprehensive manner, such as "Agricultural Instruments Genealogy" written by Zeng Zhijin in three volumes and continued in two volumes. Unfortunately, the book has been lost. The number of "Agricultural Instruments Atlas" in "Wang Zhen's Agricultural Book" is unprecedented. There are only more than 10 kinds of agricultural tools mentioned in "Book of Pansheng", and only more than 30 kinds of farm tools mentioned in "Essential Art of Qi Min", but there are more than 100 kinds and 306 drawings included in "Atlas of Agricultural Instruments". When doing this part of the work, Wang Zhen spent the most energy, not only collecting and vividly describing and recording the agricultural tools that were popular at that time, but also drawing restoration diagrams of the ancient lost agricultural tools after textual research. For example, the "mill" created by Liu Jingxuan in the Western Jin Dynasty (265-316 AD) was ingenious and unique. It was pulled by an ox and could "turn the weight of eight mills". ("Atlas of Agricultural Instruments: Chujiumen") Unfortunately, it has been lost for a long time. Wang Zhen searched for information and researched it, restored it, and named it "Lianmo". Also in the Eastern Han Dynasty, Du Shi (?-38 AD) invented the water drainage system and used hydraulic blasting to smelt iron. By the Yuan Dynasty, the legal system could no longer be tested. Wang Zhen also searched in many ways, trying to restore and develop it. In ancient times, water rafts used leather bags to blow air, but the water drains painted by Wang Zhen already used wooden fans (simple bellows) to blow air. Wang Zhen was particularly interested in wheel axles. In the "Pestrel and Mortar Door", "Irrigation Door" and "Utilization Door", 57 kinds of production tools related to wheel axles were concentrated. On this basis, he created "water rice cake" and "water wheel three things". Among them, the "Three Water Wheels" are the most ingenious and have three functions: grinding, hulling and grinding.
"Atlas of Agricultural Instruments" shows the outstanding achievements of ancient agricultural production tools in my country. The illustrations related to farming in agricultural books and other books after this, such as "Sancai Pictures", "Agricultural Administration Complete Book", "Ancient and Modern Books Collection", "Tongkao on Timing" and other books basically originated from this book. . The "Chart of Timing and Palm Activity" and the "Chart of National Agricultural Situation" are also the first creations of "Wang Zhen Agricultural Book". The original drawing of the latter picture has been lost, and its original appearance cannot be known. The one you see in the book now was added by later generations. "The Diagram of the Palm and Live Method for Telling Time" is a concise summary of the calendar and timing issues. The figure uses an eight-fold turntable with the same axis on the plane, from the inside to the outside, to represent the direction of the Big Dipper, the heavenly stems, the earthly branches, the four seasons, the twelve months, the twenty-four solar terms, the seventy-two phases, and the indications of each phenology. agricultural activities that should be carried out. Integrate stars, seasons, phenology, and agricultural production procedures flexibly and compactly. This kind of summary of the main contents of the "Farmer's Monthly Order" in a small picture is clear, economical and easy to use. It cannot but be said to be an admirable and wonderful idea. The "Movable Type Seal Calligraphy" in the appendix of "Wang Zhen Nong Shu" is that Wang Zhen hired craftsmen to carve more than 30,000 wooden movable types, as well as his own invention of a wheel typesetting plate that can reduce the fatigue of typesetters and improve efficiency. A summary of the successful methods and experiences in trial printing "Jingde County Chronicle". Although it has nothing to do with agricultural production, it is a major contribution to printing and typesetting technology.
[Edit this paragraph] Outstanding features of "Wang Zhen Nong Shu"
1. Comprehensive and systematic discussion of agriculture in a broad sense
The "Agriculture" in "Wang Zhen Nong Shu" "Sang Tong Jue" part can be said to be a general introduction to agriculture. It discusses the content and scope of agriculture in a relatively comprehensive and systematic manner. It begins with the titles of "The Origin of Farming", "The Origin of Oxen Plowing" and "The Origin of Silkworms", describing the origin of farming and sericulture, connecting the agriculture of Wang Zhen's era with the agriculture of history, and linking the Yuan Dynasty with the agriculture of history. As a part of historical agriculture, modern agriculture has become a link between the past and the future. Next, taking the "three talents" theory of "following the time of nature, adapting to the suitability of the place, and existing according to the people" as the guiding ideology, various aspects of agriculture in the narrow sense are comprehensively and systematically discussed. First of all, it discusses the complexity and regularity of the objective environment of agricultural production in two articles: "Timing" and "Popularity", emphasizing the importance of "time and location" in agricultural production. Under the premise of respecting the natural laws of weather, location, etc., it comprehensively and systematically explains all aspects of personnel affairs, including special chapters on cultivating, harrowing, sowing, hoeing, manure, irrigation, harvesting, etc., and provides an overview of agricultural planting. various issues. "Nongsang Tongjue" also includes special chapters on "Planting", "Animal Raising", "Silkworm Reeling", etc., explaining various aspects of agriculture in a broad sense, such as forestry, animal husbandry, sideline production, and fishery. It also promoted the feudal government's agricultural thinking and measures to encourage agriculture with chapters such as "Filial piety to younger brothers," "Encouragement to help," and "Accumulation". After reading "Nongsang Tongjue", people can have a clear understanding of the content and scope of agriculture in a broad sense, as well as all aspects of objective regularity and subjective initiative in agricultural production. This is a major feature of "Wang Zhen Nong Shu".
2. Analyze and compare the similarities and differences between northern and southern agriculture
Several important agricultural books before "Wang Zhen's Book of Agriculture", such as "The Book of Si Sheng" and "The Essentials of Qi Min" "Shu" and "Nongsang Jiyao" are all works that summarize the agricultural production experience in the north. "Chen Chan's Nongshu" is dedicated to southern agriculture. Only "Wang Zhen's Nongshu" discusses both southern and northern agriculture. It conducts an in-depth and detailed analysis and comparison of the similarities, differences, and functions of agricultural technology and agricultural tools between the north and the south, which is another important feature of it. Wang Zhen grew up in Qilu, the lower reaches of the Yellow River, where the economy and culture were relatively developed in ancient my country, and later worked as a local official in the south for a long time. This condition made him familiar with agricultural production in both northern and southern my country, so he was able to monitor agricultural production from a nationwide perspective. A comprehensive and systematic explanation of agricultural production.
3. There is a relatively complete "Atlas of Agricultural Instruments"
Before "Wang Zhen Nong Shu", the book that discussed agricultural tools included the "Lei Sijing" by Lu Guimeng in the Tang Dynasty, which introduced The main agricultural tools are Jiangdong plows, as well as several other paddy field farming tools such as Qian, Qian, Xian, columbine, harrow, and Qu. There is no picture.
Zeng Zhijin's "Agricultural Instruments Atlas" of the Southern Song Dynasty (the book has been lost) not only contains fewer agricultural tools than Wang Zhen's "Agricultural Instruments Atlas", but there are also no pictures. Important agricultural books after "Wang Zhen Nong Shu", such as "Agricultural Policy Encyclopedia" and "Tong Kao on Timing", etc., although there are also "agricultural implement maps", they are mostly copied from "Wang Zhen Nong Shu" and do not add much new content. It can be seen from this that the "Agricultural Instrument Atlas" in "Wang Zhen's Book of Agriculture" is a major creation of Wang Zhen in the Book of Ancient Farmers. It accounts for about 4/5 of the whole book, with more than 200 illustrations and 105 kinds of agricultural tools. It can be said to be colorful, magnificent and unique.
4. The description of plant traits in the "Hundred Grain Pu"
The "Hundred Grain Pu" in "Wang Zhen Nong Shu" discusses the cultivation of various crops. It includes cereal genera, ■ genera, vegetable genera, fruit genera, bamboo trees, miscellaneous categories, etc. Compared with other ancient agricultural books, this part contains more descriptions of plant characteristics, which is also a pioneering work of "Wang Zhen Nong Shu". For example, Liangjiang in the genus Cereal is described as "its stems and leaves are like millet, its grains are larger than millet, and its ears have hairy awns"; millet in the genus Cereal has "the stem is more than ten feet high, and the ears are large." "Like a broom, its grains are as black as lacquer and as eyes as clams"; ■Winter melons in the genus have the following description: "In fact, the seedlings grow under the vines, the big ones are as long as a bucket, the skin is thick and hairy, and they are green when they are born. After frost, It is as white as powder, and the flesh and seeds are also white." ■The taro in the genus has "leaves like lotus, long and not round, slightly purple stems, hollow stems, and white roots, some of which are purple. It is as big as a liter, tastes sweet when eaten, and has many side-spreading seeds, and when pulled out, they will sprout together." The description of "fruitful"; the genus "Leek" in the genus "Vegeta" has the description "the leaves are as broad as a leek, and the roots are rich and white"; the genus "Leek" in the genus "Vegeta" has the description "clumps, abundant roots, green leaves, thin and long, close to the root" The description of Chubai".