Prosperity for The People: Irrigation and Agriculture in Shanxi(1368-1911)

[[abstract]]本論文主要討論明清以來山西地區農田水利的發展以及社會競合的過程，兼及作物種植與農耕制度的變化。水利史的研究多注重國家與社會對立的問題，但在山西的歷史情境中卻呈現國家與社會合作的傾向。因此，開發水利成為地方官為民興利的手段，百姓也樂意接受官方的水利政策。水利灌溉的興廢過程中，顯現官方與百姓對於環境限制、建設技術以及帝國制度的綜合考量，最後形成官民都能接受的水利規則，發展一套農田水利的價值觀。然而，山西並非各處都能發展水利，因此百姓根據不同的水利條件，選擇發展旱作作物與種植稻米。從農人的種植行為看來，農人面對山西的自然環境、人為的水利建設以及作物種類，都存在相當明顯的理性選擇。在這樣的秩序之下，水利的爭執所考量的問題並非單純的分水爭議，更牽涉土地與作物價值的考量，追求用水等同追求利潤形成山西思考用水的另外一個面向。具有水利基礎的農民，發展高價值的水稻種植，旱作也逐漸形成以小麥為中心的輪作制度；缺乏水利的區域則維持最基本的旱作模式。清末罌粟傳入後，山西農民重新思考水利、糧食作物與經濟作物搭配的關係，由於罌粟的種植特色，使其快速進入農民的種植時序當中。最後罌粟成為清末官員改革的對象，並以桑麻代之。清末至民國初年的農業改革，除了推行水利的政策外，對於推廣桑麻更為積極。然而，在缺乏保障農民的情況下，農民投入桑麻種植，多以失敗收場，退回最基本的糧食生產。在此過程中，原先官民合作的關係逐漸瓦解，農業也在社會不穩定的因素下往衰退的方向發展。[[abstract]]This dissertation mainly dealt with development of irrigation and agriculture in Ming- Qing Shanxi. The main theme was to argue in contrast to the usually academic assumptions which usually would emphasize a conflict- interests between governmental administration officers and the confronting group of local people. By studying the allocating water resources, the rotation of crop in kinds, and evolution of farming systems, it became rather clear that in Ming- Qing Shanxi., between state and society, instead of confrontation, there actually were but some check-and-balance within a cooperative working move. State and Society all think about the relations between irrigation and environmental limits, construction technology, and imperial system. All that forms the rules and values which people follow and believe in, and can be accepted by the offices. However, it is not easy that developing irrigation everywhere in Shanxi, so that peasants choice dry farming or paddy fields in different conditions. From peasants behaviors, they think environment, conservancy construction, and crop types in Rationality. It is that competing not only for water resource, but also for profit of land and crops, water resource makes areas in Shanxi develop in different way. Before the end of Qing, peasants find that Poppy is a kind of high value economic crops, and beyond the limit of water resource. It spreads fast, and is forbidden by State. The offices urge peasants planting mulberry and cannabis instead of poppy, but peasants not always success, because changing to plant mulberry and cannabis is more risky than food crops. After trying, peasants do not believe easily in office policy, and unwilling on planting economic crops. This is the reason why economic depression happen before modern Shanxi.[[note]]博