Population is a necessary condition for social material life and the basis and subject of all social production activities.

This theory can be understood by anyone in future generations.

However, although the courtiers of the Tang Dynasty also paid attention to population, their understanding of population was still very poor.

No wonder Li Kuan just asked Tang Jian about the population of the Tang Dynasty, but he couldn't answer.

In fact, throughout China's thousands of years of history, there is no accurate population data at all.

Even if there are records in history books, they will only say how many households there were.

Even if an accurate number appears in some articles, everyone knows very well whether that number is really accurate.

Of course, demographics do not need to be accurate to single digits.

If you say that the Tang Dynasty has 100 million people, what is the difference between saying that the Tang Dynasty has 998,999,900 people?

"The Ministry of Civil Affairs conducts assessments for each state and county every year, and there will be relevant information on the number of households. As long as the relevant data of states and counties are added up, the population of the Tang Dynasty will basically come out."

Cen Wenwen expressed his views on the sidelines.

To a certain extent, this statement is correct.

However, the local data combined are more than the central statistics. Even in later generations, there is no way to completely solve the situation. How can Li Kuan believe that Datang can do this?

Moreover, Li Kuan believed that the number of households was only a part of the population statistics and was far from representing the significance of population statistics.

"What Ai Qing said makes sense. The Ministry of Revenue will compile the information on the number of households in each state and county as soon as possible, and it will also serve as a reference for ministers and officials in the DPRK."

Li Shimin obviously recognized Cen Wenwen's statement.

"Your Majesty, this population statistics is far from simple. The total population, family size, male and female ratio, age structure, ethnic composition, literacy level, regional distribution, population flow, etc.

They are all items that need to be covered in demographic work, and they are definitely not something that can be explained simply by how many households there are in Datang."

Li Kuan's few words attracted everyone's attention.

The various unheard terms in it aroused everyone's curiosity.

Over the years, no one has ever explained the meaning behind population statistics in such a systematic way.

"His Royal Highness the King of Chu, I do not deny that mastering this information can help the court make some decisions, but it is not that simple to master such detailed population information. Officials appointed by the Ministry of Personnel can only go to the county level, but in rural areas

There are countless people inside, and even some mountain people simply live in the mountainous areas for a long time, and they are not included in the official statistics at all."

If others listened to what Li Kuan said out of curiosity and expectation, then Tang Jian, the Minister of Household Affairs, would feel numb.

If you really want to understand the information Li Kuan said, the Ministry of Revenue should do nothing but count the number of people in Datang every day.

"Except for the mountain people in some areas of Lingnan Road and Jiangnan Road, the number of mountain people in other state capitals should be very small. As the demand for population in the Tang Dynasty states becomes more and more strong, more and more mountain people come from the mountainous areas.

Basically, as long as the normal life statistics of each state and county are included, the population data will be relatively accurate."

Li Kuan and Tang Jian expressed their respective opinions there.

"That's what I say, but there are only a few court officials in a county, and the number of subordinate officials is also fixed. How can it be so easy to compile such detailed information?"

"Therefore, it is very necessary to improve the literacy level of the Tang Dynasty, improve the cultural level of the subordinate officials of the Tang Dynasty, and appropriately bring some subordinate officials into the scope of direct jurisdiction of the imperial court. This population statistics cannot be achieved overnight.

It can be done. As long as we start preparations now, we will try to do a census next year, and spend a year to get a rough grasp of the population of the Tang Dynasty. Then in five years, we will do another census, and we can give it to Your Majesty and everyone.

The minister’s decision-making provides a very important reference.”

For a long time, Li Kuan rarely spoke about the political structure of the Tang Dynasty.

Even if the Municipal Governor's Office, the Royal Patent Office of the Tang Dynasty and the Police Headquarters were newly added, they actually did not involve any existing system.

Now when it comes to the number and management of county officials, it immediately touches everyone's sensitive nerves.

Since ancient times, the jurisdiction of the central court has only been at the county level. According to His Highness the King of Chu, it seems that he wants to make some changes in this regard.

Regardless of whether it was the Qin and Han dynasties or the Tang and Song dynasties, there were only a few officials appointed by the court in a county. It was unrealistic to rely solely on them to manage a county.

Therefore, various subordinate officials, Li Zheng, and township chiefs are recruited and appointed by the county. In fact, they are still eating from the public family.

Since they are all eating from the public, why not incorporate them into the official system of the Tang Dynasty?

Nowadays, the number of students graduating from various academies is increasing. It is unrealistic for them to go to a county to serve as county magistrates or to serve in the six ministries as soon as they graduate.

At this time, it is a good method to let most people start from subordinate staff.

To a certain extent, subordinate officials are the ones who really have contact with the people and truly understand the people.

"Kuan'er, please tell me more specifically about this population statistics, how to use this information?"

Li Shimin listened for a long time and probably understood Li Kuan's proposition.

However, Li Kuan has not said anything about some relatively sensitive contents.

"Your Majesty, I will give you an example. Cotton cultivation is being vigorously promoted in the north of Shuozhou. So how many people there are and how much materials need to be transported there every year can basically give you a rough idea; another example is that the imperial court is planning to build a new cement building.

road, then it is the most cost-effective way to choose to pass through densely populated states and counties in the early stage, which also needs to be supported by population data; there is also the population structure of the border areas, involving the security of the Tang Dynasty, and the adjustment of the imperial court's immigration policy, all of which require

Population data is needed to support this. For another example, the imperial court now encourages people to have more children. What are the results of this encouragement? Does it need to be adjusted in time? These all need to be supported by relevant data, and we have to use data to speak for itself."

Officials in the Tang Dynasty had not yet developed the concept of using data to speak for themselves, so Li Kuan felt that he needed to promote this idea.

What to do cannot be determined by Shangguan in a flash of his mind.

“Let the data speak for itself?”

"That's right, Your Majesty, do you want to hear the content of the memorial, 'There was a drought in such-and-such a county, and some fertile fields were damaged; There was a flood in such-and-such a place, and many people were missing.' Or do you want to hear, 'So-and-so county suffered a drought this spring?

In the event of a drought, the output of 10,000 acres of fertile land dropped by 50%; in a certain place there was a flood, and 200 people died and 120 people were missing. What is the content of the memorial?"
Chapter completed!