A Preliminary Study On The Economic Geography Of Nanyang Basin In Han Dynasties

Based on the digging up, arrangement and in-depth analysis of correlative literatures and archaeological data, we elementarily discussed the economic geography of Nanyang Basin in Han Dynasty, from the three aspects of iron smelting, water conservancy and manor economy in this dissertation.In respect of iron smelting, we firstly discussed the conditions of the rise of iron smelting occupation in Nanyang Basin, and found out their characteristics in the distribution of three types of workshops, which are iron smelting, iron casting and smelting-casting, by analyzing the thirteen ruins of iron smelting in Han Dynasty. Iron smelting workshops located near the producing areas of iron ore, which was convenient for obtaining materials and throwing out scraps. Iron casting workshops, for less pollution, commonly located just in the towns, which was easy to storing and selling iron wares. The location of smelting-casting workshops, which gave attention to the two foregoing requests, was not only near the iron ore districts and selling markets, but also not too out of the way or in the towns. Then we discussed the manufacturing and management systems of iron smelting occupation at that time, which was managed by the local government and associated tightly inward and relatively independent outward under the management of Nanyang iron officials. Iron casting workshop in Wafang village in Nanyang which was already the center of the manufacturing system in West Han period, still played an important role in the system, but wasn't the only center any longer in East Han period.In terms of water conservancy, there were fifteen irrigation works in Nanyang Basin in Han Dynasty including Liumen pond, Dengshi pond, Han claybank, Yanling river dam and Anzhong port which located on the mainstream and branches of Tuan river, Qianlu pond and Fanshi pond on the Chao river, Duyang pond, Yan pond, Zhao dyke, Tangzi pond and Han claybank on the Bi river, Shayan dyke and Anzhong port on the Yu river and E claybank on the Dan river. Then we explored the characteristics and rules of the works' distribution: From inner to outer, from south to north, with a descending trend, these works mainly centralized in middle and south of the basin.Finally, we demonstrated the application of irrigation works under the administration of the water officials in Nanyang: Ponds were integrated to rivers and dykes, which formed a huge irrigation network, and by combinating the drainage, store and irrigation, the former facilities of water conservancy exerted more sufficient efficiency.About manor economy, manors emerged in Nanyang Basin in the middle of Yuan Di and Cheng Di, gradually developed on a certain scale in late West Han. And it became at the higher of power and splendor after the foundation of East Han. Manor economy in Nanyang basin, kept a tight contact with the construction of farmland and irrigation works. And the construction of the facilities promoted the development of plants in manors which in reverse enhanced the enthusiasm of the landholders to build irrigation works as well. From the middle of East Han period, the abuses of manor economy in the Basin emerged little by little which not only abstracted the development of smallholder economy, blocked the advance of commodity economy, but also made bureaucracy corruption more and more serious and intensified social contradiction. All these abuses slowed down the manor economy after middle East Han, which went to pot during late East Han.