Volume XI – Number 1
Robert M. Miles, Jr.
Abstract:
Written in the sixth century A.D., the Ch’i-min yao-shu is China’s oldest encyclopedia of agriculture. This comprehensive work is divided into ten fascicles and 92 chapters that deal with a myriad of topics related to agriculture, including land reclamation, seed collection and selection, vegetables, alfalfa, livestock, poultry, and more. Written by Chia Ssu-hseih, a magistrate of the Kao Yang district during the latter part of the Northern Wei dynasty, the Ch’i-min yao-shu served as the main reference point for virtually all other agricultural works from that time period, due to its sheer volume and detail. In fact, Chia’s work would come to influence the basic principles of Chinese agriculture for over a millennium. Its impact is most clearly seen in delineation of the basic principles of rice cultivation. Chia cataloged all of the steps required to grow rice in one succinct document. These steps included irrigation, soil preparation and fertilization, preparation of seed grains, and seed selection and improvement. The effectiveness of Chia’s methods would make the Ch’i-min yao-shu the unofficial handbook for China’s “Food Revolution,” a period of Chinese history marked by significant agricultural developments. Thus, the impact of Chia’s work in the development of Chinese agricultural practices cannot be understated.
Keywords: China, agriculture, rice, Chia Ssu-hseih, Food Revolution
