The three great artifacts of America are of course the key to saving the world, but in fact this matter is definitely not as simple as imagined - is it enough to get the seeds?
When Gao Pragmatic was studying at the Party School in his previous life, he heard a teacher from the Party School briefly talk about the promotion of the three major high-yielding crops in China. After listening to this, he did not think that these three major crops could be fully promoted in the land of China soon.
spread out.
To understand this reason, we have to start with the introduction of these three major crops. Later generations have different opinions on when corn was introduced into China. Some believe that corn was introduced into China as early as the 12th year of Chenghua (1476) of Xianzong in the Ming Dynasty.
It has been introduced. Of course, the mainstream view was introduced after Columbus arrived in the New World in the fifth year of Hongzhi in the Ming Dynasty (1492).
However, there are still differences in the specific time point. There are many opinions such as 1500, 1531, 1560, 1572, etc., and the opinions on its circulation channels are also very inconsistent. Some have passed through the northwest (Spain-Mecca-Central Asia-Northwest)
, Southwest (Spain-India, Myanmar-Southwest), Southeast Sea Route (Spain-Philippines-Chinese merchants-Southeast Coastal Area) three major perspectives and the combination of the three major perspectives.
Gao Pragmatic was taking an economics course at the time, and he didn't study it deeply or simply didn't study it at all. In fact, he just heard the teacher mention it, so he couldn't judge which one was true. But just based on his feelings.
He said that he felt that the sea route seemed more likely, but it was useless to rely on "feeling" for this thing.
Anyway, corn was cultivated throughout the country until the early Qing Dynasty, but it was not popular. This is for sure. The real time when corn was promoted on a large scale was during the Qianlong and Jiaqing years, because of the pressure of large-scale population growth.
The Tatar and Qing government began to promote it on a large scale. Relatively speaking, it was widely planted in the south earlier than in the north, and it was not even until the end of the Qing Dynasty and the early years of the Republic of China that large-scale promotion began in the north.
So, what about sweet potatoes? There used to be a saying that sweet potatoes existed in China during the Han and Jin Dynasties. However, agricultural history generally does not accept this view. The mainstream view is that sweet potatoes, which are yams, were discovered during the Han and Jin Dynasties. The real sweet potatoes
When it was introduced into China, it was first believed that it was introduced in the 20th year of Hongwu (1387), but few people agree. The mainstream view is that this species was only introduced in China during the Wanli period.
By the end of the Ming Dynasty, sweet potatoes were planted on a large scale in Fujian and Guangdong, and in small quantities in Jiangsu and Zhejiang. That is to say, before the early Qing Dynasty, sweet potatoes were only widely planted in the south of the Yangtze River. During the Qianlong period, due to population pressure, except for border areas and
Only in Gansu (including now Ningxia) and other countries did nationwide planting begin. So during the Jiajing and Daoguang periods, sweet potatoes became one of the staple foods.
Let’s talk about potatoes. The earliest introduction of potatoes into China should have been during the Wanli period, but because the evidence is relatively vague, the academic community generally agrees that it was the early Qing Dynasty. The specific time is the planting record of Taiwan Province in 1650. The latest record of its introduction time is
Merchants from Shanxi introduced it from Kazakhstan through Russian business, and some people believe that "Huihui yams" or potatoes were introduced by Hui compatriots from the northwest.
However, due to the degradation of potato species, it was introduced many times through various channels, and it was not until the Qianlong period that it was promoted on a large scale.
It is precisely because these three artifacts have been fermented for many years and only became powerful during the Qianlong period. Therefore, Qianlong, the leader of the captives, was obviously a prodigal, but he could actually become a saint in some people's eyes. History is sometimes so ironic.
On the other hand, the late Ming Dynasty, which introduced the three major artifacts, was quite unlucky. He died before the three artifacts could be recognized as their masters.
It is precisely because of knowing these circumstances that it is not easy to promote new species. Regardless of whether it is due to the degeneration of the species or the time it takes for the people to accept it, this matter will definitely not be accomplished in three to five years, so Gao Pragmatic can only send people to collect them while doing so.
Seeds, while thinking of other ways to alleviate the unrest caused by the disaster in the north.
What can be done? It is nothing more than transferring grain from the south to the north. Because even during the most severe period of the Little Ice Age, the south was not greatly affected, and there was no major reduction in production.
But the south-to-north grain transfer is not an easy task. In order to transfer grain from the south to the north, the imperial court spends so much time maintaining the canal and controlling water transportation every year. In the end, it has to open another sea transportation. Even if sea transportation is opened, it has only maintained the situation so far -
—Of course, this situation is better than the same period in history.
Looking at it this way, the imperial court does not have the energy to continue to transfer grain from the south to the north. To increase the intensity of this "transfer", there are too many aspects that need to be addressed. For example, these grains are transferred from Cao, although Southern Zhili has almost universally popularized a whip.
The law changed the payment of grain to silver, but you can buy grain with money, and the price of grain in the south is lower than that in the north. Even if transportation consumption and expenses are included, it is still more cost-effective than buying grain in the north.
This is purely from the perspective of economic benefits. If from another perspective, this money is directly escorted to Beijing to buy grain in the north, then the north will be even more short of food! Therefore, the south-to-north grain diversion by water and sea transportation must not be shaken. Not only cannot it be shaken,
If possible, even strengthen it.
However, this is not enough! The main function of these grains is to supply the Gyeongsang Province, and areas outside the Gyeongsang Province will not enjoy much benefit. Once a large-scale natural disaster breaks out, the food shortage will still be in short supply, and the imperial court will not have the spare capacity to provide extensive disaster relief.
, it’s incredible to give some areas that were seriously affected by the disaster such treatment as “three years of tax exemption”, and others can only look at them with big eyes and small eyes.
Moreover, currently most of the grain is sent north from Southern Zhili, but in fact the price of grain in Southern Zhili is not particularly cheap. Because the so-called Southern Zhili is the southern part of Jiangsu and Southern Anhui in later generations. Although this area has good land
, but because it is an economically developed area, especially the textile industry, a lot of land is actually not used to grow food, but to grow some cash crops. Therefore, it is appropriate to continue to carry out the south-to-north grain transfer from the southern Zhili area.
It's very difficult and not cost-effective.
Now only Huguang and Sichuan can really provide surplus grain to support the north.
But everyone knows the topography of Sichuan. Transporting grain from the Sichuan Basin to the north is as difficult as the road to Shu, almost as difficult as Zhuge Liang's Northern Expedition. Even if you are willing to spend a lot of money to transport grain by force, the efficiency will definitely be appalling.
If we think about it more generously, we can at most provide some support to Shaanxi.
Therefore, the main focus can only be on Huguang.
Gao Pragmatic's idea was not only because he knew that "Huguang is well versed in the world," but it was also supported by actual data. This data came from Gao Gong's six-year work in the Wanli Dynasty to clear the land.
Gao Gong's clearing of farmland is roughly similar to the data obtained by Zhang Juzheng's historical clearing of farmland. This clearing is actually the second large-scale national cultivated land census conducted by the Ming Dynasty after the "Hongwu Clearing". After this clearing
, the imperial court compiled a new fish scale atlas, which was more complete than the "Yellow Book of Taxes and Services" in the early Ming Dynasty, which is reflected in the following points.
First of all, the land clearing was relatively thorough. This time, not only the land of the common people, but also the land occupied by clans and princes were re-measured. The edict issued by Gao Gong in the name of the emperor was: "The land of the father-in-law shall be equalized, but there will be no separation if there is any obstruction or obstruction."
The clan, officials, military and civilians will be severely punished according to the law." Due to the strong political pressure given to local officials through the "Kaoxuefa", the smooth implementation of land clearing was ultimately ensured, and a total of 155 million acres of unreported land was cleared.
land.
The second step is to unify the mu system. In the past, there was a phenomenon of "big and small mu" in the north. This time, Gao Gong used the "land clearing" to unify the mu system across the country, with 240 steps as one mu. "Unified mu system"
It reduces the trouble of collecting taxes and grains and basically eliminates the loopholes of low-level officials taking advantage of "big and small acres" to make profits.
Thirdly, the tax collection rules were simplified. After the land was cleared, the court divided the land into three classes: high-grade fertile land with water sources, medium-grade barren and poor land, and low-grade waterless high land. When paying taxes, the rules are the same whether it is official land or private land.
One mu of a first-class field is actually 1 mu, 1.5 acres of a middle-class field is converted into one mu, and 2 acres of a low-class field is converted into one mu.
After this clearing, the total area of cultivated land in the two capitals and the 13th Chief Secretary was 758 million acres, an increase of 391 million acres compared with the first land clearing in Hongwu 14 years. From the results, the land in Huguang, Shandong, and Sichuan was underreported
The most serious cases were 55.19 million acres, 36.58 million acres, and 26.45 million acres of cultivated land respectively.
Based on this data, the simplest truth is revealed: Huguang must have sufficient food!
But the problem is that this does not mean that more food in Huguang is on the market out of thin air, but that most of it is in the hands of the officials, gentry, landlords, and royal families who control the land. The court can only collect a little more tax here. The real
If we want Huguang to support the Central Plains, the key issue is how to get the food out of the hands of these people.
