The Study Of Han To Tang Dynasty Agricultural Manuscripts

Chinese agriculture has a lengthy history. During the period of time between the two Han Dynasty and the Sui Tang Dynasty, Chinese agriculture both developed and matured. Within this time span, the number of books written about agriculture increased significantly, reflecting an increase in methods and experiences in agricultural production. An increase in agricultural writings also indicated flourishing agricultural development between the Han and Tang Dynasties. Many scientific theories derived during this period are still valid today.This thesis studies the authors, volumes, and contents, both existent and lost, as well as the many versions of agricultural manuscripts created during the Han to Tang Dynasties. This thesis will also provide a summary of the character and status of these manuscripts, along with a survey of their effects on the development of agricultural processes.First, the thesis summarizes the agricultural books during Han to Tang Dynasty. These books span the Two Han, Wei Jin South-North, and Sui Tang Dynasties. Second in the thesis, the authors, editing time, notes, and status of the physical manuscripts are discussed. Furthermore, the thesis will introduce and describe in detail how those books were circulated, with a special focus on the many versions in which some manuscripts exist. Finally, the thesis concludes with an assay of agricultural development during Han to Tang Dynasty based on information gleaned from these books.During the writing of this thesis based on former research about agriculture, the author organized these manuscripts in their entirety so as to facilitate their usefulness in further study and research within the field.