The most complete and oldest agricultural book in China.

[Edit this paragraph] Title introduction

"Qi Min" in the title refers to ordinary people. "Skill" refers to the way to make a living. The Book of Qi Yao Min was written in the late Northern Wei Dynasty (533 -534). The Book of Qi Yao Min systematically summarized the experience of agriculture and animal husbandry production, the processing and storage of grain and the utilization of wild plants in the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River before the 6th century, which had a great impact on the development of ancient agriculture in China.

[Edit this paragraph] Introduction to Jia Sixie

Jia Sixie Jia Sixie was born in Yidu (now Shandong). Born into a scholarly family who has been farming for generations, his ancestors liked reading and studying very much, especially attaching importance to the study and research of agricultural production technology knowledge, which had a great influence on Jia Sixie's life. Although his family is not very rich, he has a large number of books, which gives him the opportunity to read widely and learn from all aspects since he was a child, laying the foundation for his later compilation of Qi Yaomin's Book. As an adult, he began to embark on a career. He used to be a magistrate in Levin County (now Linzi, Shandong Province), and therefore he has been to Shandong, Hebei, Henan and other places. Wherever he went, he attached great importance to agricultural production, seriously investigated and studied local agricultural production technology, consulted some experienced old farmers and gained a lot of agricultural production knowledge. After middle age, I returned to my hometown, started farming and animal husbandry, personally participated in agricultural production and grazing activities, had personal experience in agricultural production, and mastered a variety of agricultural production technologies. During the period from the 2nd year of Yongxi in the Northern Wei Dynasty (533) to the 2nd year of Wuding in the Eastern Wei Dynasty (554), he analyzed, sorted out and summarized the agricultural technical data accumulated in many ancient books, the rich experience gained from consulting the old peasants and his own personal practice, and wrote a masterpiece of agricultural science and technology, Qi Yao Min Shu.

[Edit this paragraph] background

The Book of Qi Yao Min was written in the 1930s and 1940s. Its appearance is not accidental, but based on certain background and objective conditions. Before the Northern Wei Dynasty, northern China was in a state of long-term separatism. More than a hundred years later, the Tuoba people of Xianbei nationality established the Northern Wei regime, gradually unified the northern region, gradually stabilized the social order, and gradually recovered and developed the social economy from the depression scene that was repeatedly destroyed. A series of social and economic reforms implemented by Emperor Xiaowen of the Northern Wei Dynasty stimulated the development of agricultural production and promoted social and economic progress. Nevertheless, agricultural production at that time had not reached a high level and needed further development. Jia Sixie thought that the level of agricultural science and technology was related to the country's prosperity or not, so he came up with the idea of writing agricultural books.

The efforts of the rulers and the prosperity of agricultural production also provided convenient conditions for Jia Sixie to write agricultural books. Jia Sixie has been to Shandong, Hebei, Henan and other places in his official career. Everywhere he went, he attached great importance to agricultural production. He once personally engaged in agricultural production practice, conducted various experiments, raised livestock and planted grain. Jia Sixie not only pays attention to personal practice, but also is good at learning from experienced old farmers and absorbing valuable experience summarized by working people in their long-term production and life.

The Book of Qi Yao Min is a great work written by Jia Sixie on the basis of summing up predecessors' experience, combining his own production knowledge obtained from experienced old farmers and his own personal practice and experience in agricultural production, after careful analysis, systematic arrangement and summary.

[Edit this paragraph] Evaluation

Qi Yao Min Shu consists of preface, miscellaneous notes and text. There are 92 texts, divided into 10 volumes. 1 10000 words; Among them, the text is about 70 thousand words and the notes are about 40 thousand words. In addition, there is a preface and miscellaneous words in front of the book, in which the preface widely quotes examples of attaching importance to agriculture, such as sages, sages and people of insight, and attaches importance to the remarkable achievements made in agriculture. It is generally believed that miscellaneous sayings were added by later generations.

The contents of the book are quite rich, covering a wide range, including the cultivation of various crops, the production of various economic trees and the utilization of various wild plants. At the same time, the book also introduces in detail the breeding and disease prevention of various birds, livestock, fish and silkworms, including the processing of agricultural and sideline products (such as wine making), food processing, stationery and daily necessities production. Therefore, Qi Yao Min Shu is of great significance to agricultural research in China.

[edit this paragraph] punch line

1. "It's better to be violent than to get something for nothing".

It will be sunny and there will be frost at night.

There is a leap year, and the solar term is near, so it is appropriate to go to other places later.

Farming and hoeing do not depend on drought or flood.

It is better to go home than to wet plow and hoe.

It is better to be violent than to plow without plowing.

In February and March, growers will plant grass, and in April and May, growers will plant aquatic plants.

A one-year plan is like planting a grain, and a ten-year plan is like a tree.

2. In the bitter fleabane bitter fleabane, you can't bear to go straight.

In September and mid-October, dig a pit in the sun south of the wall, four or five feet deep. Bring me the miscellaneous vegetables. They are planted differently. If you survive the winter, you must take it immediately, unlike Xia Lai.

[Edit this paragraph]

First of all, farming techniques

From slash-and-burn cultivation to today, it is obvious that the invention and use of tools are inseparable from the creation of such a brilliant civilization. "If a worker wants to do a good job, he must sharpen his tools first." Therefore, when talking about farming technology, Qi Yao Min Shu did not directly introduce farming technology at first, but first mentioned important agricultural tools such as ploughing, harrowing and plowing, which shows the important significance of agricultural tools for agricultural development.

Climate and soil are important natural factors affecting crop growth. In Qi Yao Min Shu, the author summarizes the geographical and climatic characteristics of the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River in China: it is located inland; Leng Xia is hot in winter, with four distinct seasons. There is little rainfall in spring or summer, and when it rains, it is mostly rainstorm. In view of this unique climate, Jia Sixie made a detailed discussion on drought resistance and moisture conservation in Qi Yao Min Shu.

Atlas of agriculture and textiles

Jia Sixie, one of the Atlas of Farming and Weaving, analyzed the characteristics of plateau soil in the upper reaches of the Yellow River, and pointed out that it has excellent natural soil quality, so long as it is reasonably utilized and maintained the day after tomorrow, the harvest of crops can be guaranteed. Reasonable and proper maintenance of land is actually very learned. There are many problems that need to be paid attention to and considered, including soil transformation and solidification, water conservation, soil fertility improvement, crop rotation, planting green manure, field well group layout and winter irrigation. In the Book of Qi Yaomin, the author made a comprehensive and detailed exposition on these issues.

The negative effects of climate and soil conditions on agricultural production can be saved and compensated by people's efforts the day after tomorrow. In view of the drought and lack of rain in the north, Jia Sixie put forward many important ideas on how to dig wells to irrigate land, snow and winter irrigation in Qi Yao Min Shu. In particular, a whole set of techniques such as ploughing, harrowing, ploughing, hoeing and pressing are summarized. The ingenious cooperation, flexible operation and application of these links are systematically summarized. Qi Yao Min Shu lists various farming methods, including deep ploughing, shallow ploughing, initial ploughing, ploughing, longitudinal ploughing, horizontal ploughing, forward ploughing, reverse ploughing, spring ploughing, Xia Geng ploughing, autumn ploughing and winter ploughing. It also explained in detail what each farming method is suitable for and how to operate it. In the field management of crops, he emphasized that crops should be hoed deeper, less and earlier, and the depth of intertillage should be adjusted one by one. In addition, the author also introduced the remedy and improvement measures of cultivated land.

The book also specifically mentions how to maintain and improve soil fertility. Before Wei and Jin Dynasties, Chinese farmers mainly relied on the method of rotation and fallow to restore and improve soil fertility. Although this method can improve cultivated land to a certain extent, it does not have much advantage in improving land utilization. On the contrary, this leisure way actually hinders the improvement of land utilization rate and wastes the effective resources of land. Then, is there any way to restore the fertility of the land and improve the utilization rate of the land? To put it another way, it is more intuitive: whether the soil can continue to grow without leisure, the uninterrupted working process is the process of continuous recovery and improvement of soil fertility. This idea seems contradictory and infeasible. However, the wisdom of the people is infinite. In the process of labor, people can always sum up experience, find out the know-how in production and create more effective methods. Since the Han Dynasty, it has been common to grow crops in many areas in northern China for many years. In the Northern Wei Dynasty when Jia Sixie lived, people began to popularize the rotation system, and various forms of intercropping and interplanting appeared. In Qi Shu Yao Min, a set of complete and complicated farmland rotation methods, namely "rotation" method, was put forward.

What are the benefits of crop rotation? Compared with the rest by rotation method before the Northern Wei Dynasty, what are its advantages? Qi Yao Min Shu explains the benefits of crop rotation in detail. The author not only affirmed the obvious effect of crop rotation in preventing the decline of land fertility, but also analyzed the role of crop rotation in eliminating weeds, reducing pests and diseases and preventing uneven crop growth. Although the types of crops are very complicated, there is a systematic summary in Qi Yao Min Shu. Tell people clearly which crops can be planted first, which crops should be planted later and which crops should be saved for the last sowing. Let readers understand that different crop combinations will produce different effects, even the same crop combination, because the planting order is different, the results will be very different

"Qi Yao Min Shu" records the use of green manure: "Mung beans are the best method for fertile land, followed by adzuki beans and flax; It is known that it was planted in mid-May and June, and it was covered with plows in July and August. For the spring valley field, ten stones are collected per mu, which is as beautiful as silkworm dung. " Jia Sixie attaches great importance to planting green manure crops and intercropping in rotation, and mentions previous crops that provide appropriate fertility for the soil. For beans, the author also compared and identified the fertilizer efficiency of several main bean crops and the effects of different rotation methods on grain yield. Rotation, including soybean, adzuki bean, mung bean and other leguminous crops, has greatly replaced the role of leisure land. Modern scientific knowledge tells us that the nutrients in the land are rich and varied, and each crop needs different nutrients. Planting crops with different nutritional needs in rotation on the same land can make rational use of various nutrients in the land.

Good farming methods have laid a solid foundation for good harvest and high yield, but they cannot completely replace the role of fertilization in agriculture. Fertilization is also an important part of agricultural production. For example, the book introduces the method of stepping on fertilizer.

China ancient stone Chu Jiu II. In crop cultivation and planting,

In terms of planting plants, Qi Yao Min Shu focuses on the main cereal crops in farmland.

Sowing is an important part of planting. In this link, there are many problems that need to be paid attention to, not only the factors of the crops themselves, but also the influence of "time" and "place". Broadly speaking, sowing is a series of work. In fact, it includes the steps from seed selection, seedling raising, sowing to later prevention. If there are no good seeds, no matter how fertile the land is, it will not bear rich fruits. Unreasonable sowing density can only waste land resources and fertility, or lead to competition among crops for fertilizer and reduce the overall production quality. Therefore, seed selection is the first and key work. In selecting and retaining improved varieties of crops, Qi Shu recorded 97 cereal varieties, including millet 12, sorghum 4, rice 6, wheat 8 and rice 36 (including glutinous rice 1 1). Among these 97 kinds of cereals, except 1 1 which was recorded by predecessors, the other 86 kinds were collected and supplemented by Jia Sixie himself. Jia Sixie attached great importance to the research on the varieties and characteristics of these seeds, and made a detailed analysis and comparison on their maturity, plant height, yield, quality and stress resistance in Qi Yaomin's Book.

The book also describes the methods of seed selection, single harvest, single storage, single species and single management. Jia Sixie believes that the success of seed selection will directly affect the yield and quality of crops. In order to ensure that the seeds can remain intact after being buried, develop smoothly and grow healthy buds, Qi Yaomin's Book specifically explains the preparatory work to be done before sowing. The book also introduces a variety of seed treatment methods, such as water selection, tumbling, sun drying, etc., and mentions the germination accelerating technology of rice in the step of raising seedlings.

Seed selection is followed by sowing. Qi Shu introduced the sowing proportion of main grain and cash crops under specific circumstances. For example, when it comes to the sowing of hemp, it is pointed out that hemp is a crop that requires high soil fertility and needs to be planted in good land. If the soil fertility is not enough, it is necessary to improve the soil fertility through fertilization. Sow three stones of hemp seeds per mu in fertile land and two stones per mu in thin land. Another example is planting adzuki beans. It is recorded in the book that summer to the next ten days is the best season for planting adzuki beans, with eight liters of beans per mu. After the first lodging, the planting was a little worse, and a bucket of bean seeds was used for one acre.

After selecting the seeds and determining the scientific sowing proportion, there should be a suitable sowing time. This "timing" problem should not be underestimated. In Qi Yao Min Shu, an agricultural proverb circulated in ancient China was quoted, which showed that farmers in China attached great importance to the influence of timing on crops in the production process, and this influence began to play a role from the time when crops were sown. Qi Shu Yao Min thinks that several factors such as season, climate and soil moisture should be considered when sowing. Seasonal climate changes will greatly affect soil moisture. Qi Yao Min Shu divides the sowing date into three categories: upper, middle and lower. The author points out that if we can adapt to and follow the changes of natural seasons and solar terms and predict the fertility of soil, we can save manpower and get greater gains.

Choose the right sowing time, but also choose the right land to raise seedlings, but no land is impeccable, but no matter whether it is barren or fertile, we must make the best use of it. Whether you can get the ideal income depends on what you plant and how you plant it. Jia Sixie thinks that the terrain conditions of land are high or low, which is different. Mountain areas are suitable for planting seedlings with thick stems, and low-lying wetlands can plant seedlings with weak stems. Different soil fertility, fertile land should be planted late, barren land should be planted early. "Qi Yao Min Shu" also puts forward the "regional planting method", which ensures the sufficient supply of fertilizer and water conditions necessary for crop growth, exerts the maximum potential of crops, maximizes the yield per unit area and expands cultivated land to hilly slopes through centralized investment, strengthened management and reasonable close planting.

Third, planting vegetables, fruits and trees.

The Book of Qi Yao Min also includes the cultivation of vegetables, fruit trees and trees (including mulberry trees used for sericulture), and there is also a section on sericulture.

The book introduces in detail the seedling raising methods such as vegetable planting, fruit tree cutting, layering grafting and young tree tending technology. Requirements for water and soil, nutritional conditions, picking and harvesting methods, storage methods, etc. Sunflower, turnip, garlic, onion, leek, ginger and alfalfa were introduced. The cultivation and maintenance techniques of jujube, peach, plum, chestnut, papaya and pepper were introduced. The planting and management methods of mulberry, elm, pond, Broussonetia papyrifera, Sophora japonica, bamboo and Lithospermum were introduced.

For the cultivation and management of trees, fruits and vegetables, many accurate and scientific methods and experiences are mentioned in the book. For example, when it comes to the management of jujube trees, the book introduces two important methods: "marrying jujube" and "thinning flowers". Today, truth is consistent with scientific explanation. For example, when talking about planting Sophora japonica, we used the experience of "standing upright without help" and mentioned that hemp and Sophora japonica should be mixed together to let Sophora japonica seedlings grow independently. In addition, it also records the rich experience of planting mulberry and sericulture from the Western Han Dynasty to the Northern Wei Dynasty.

In terms of plant prevention and protection, Qi Yao Min Shu also mentioned many methods. For example, smoking prevents freezing injury; Another example is to mix Broussonetia papyrifera seeds with hemp, leaving hemp in autumn and winter, which has the effect of cold and warmth on Broussonetia papyrifera seedlings. This method of protecting plants is simple and effective.

Fourth, in animal breeding.

There are six articles in the Book of Qi Yaomin describing the breeding of cattle, horses, mules, sheep, pigs, chickens, geese, ducks and fish respectively. The experience of livestock breeding, especially the experience of ethnic minorities, is described in detail, and the identification of livestock varieties, feeding management, breeding of offspring and prevention and treatment of livestock diseases are recorded. For the identification of livestock, the book sets standards from the aspects of eyes, mouth, eye bones, ears, nose, back, abdomen, front legs, knees and bone shape. Regarding the raising of livestock, the book mentions the living environment of livestock, preparing food for winter, raising young, raising in groups and separately, and preventing the invasion of wild animals. For breeding young animals, the book introduces the selection of improved varieties, the male-female ratio of livestock, the number of breeding, animal hybridization, asexual reproduction, etc., which is of great help to optimize species and improve productivity, and has made certain contributions to the biological development and research in China; In the prevention and treatment of livestock diseases, Qi Yao Min Shu also collected and recorded 48 veterinary prescriptions, involving surgery, internal medicine, infectious diseases, parasitic diseases and other aspects, and put forward the idea of early detection, preventive isolation, attention to hygiene and active treatment of sick animals. Some of these prescriptions have high application value and are valuable heritages of ancient animal husbandry science in China. For example, the rectal excision and scabies treatment introduced in the book are still widely used in the veterinary field today after 1400 years.

Five, in the storage, processing and brewing of agricultural products

Qi Yaomin, a forked farmer, mentioned many ways to store fresh vegetables in winter. For example, the book says, "In the middle of September and October, a pit was dug in the sun south of the wall, four or five feet deep. Bring the miscellaneous vegetables and plant them, row by row. When you reach a foot on the ridge, you can stop. If you cover them with thick clothes, you must take them immediately after winter, which is different from Natsuna. " The specific time, place selection, storage steps and actual effects of fresh vegetables in winter are described in detail.

The Book of Qi Yaomin introduces in detail the production processes of medicated leaven, medicated rice, sauce, vinegar, lobster sauce, preserved meat, soup, cakes, preserved meat, vegetarian dishes, sugar and gelatin. The production techniques include steaming, frying, baking and cooking.

The Book of Qi Yaomin introduces the process of food processing and brewing, focusing on the brewing process of sauce, vinegar and wine. Among them, there are many kinds of sauces, such as meat sauce, instant meat sauce, fish sauce, shrimp sauce, bean sauce, wheat sauce, elm seed sauce and so on. More than 30 kinds of vinegar, such as big vinegar, glutinous rice vinegar, barley vinegar, god vinegar and residue vinegar, were introduced. Among them, there are more than 40 kinds of recorded wines, such as wheat bitter wine, water bitter wine, dark plum bitter wine and honey bitter wine.

Sixth, business awareness.

As an encyclopedic work, Qi Yao Min Shu is not limited to agriculture, but also involves the economic category closely related to agriculture. For example, in the book, Chu Weiwang asked the famous businessman Tao Zhugong how to get rich: "I heard that you can easily earn tens of millions of dollars by fishing and selling for a period of time. Is there any way to hide hundreds of millions of money? " Tao Zhugong replied, "There are many ways to make money and make a living. Breeding is one of the five roads in the lake area. " Wang Wei dug pond culture in the backyard, and he earned more than 300,000 yuan that year. For another example, when introducing the cultivation of vegetables, the author suggests that farmers must have a variety of melons, vegetables and eggplant if they are close to the city. , can not only meet their own needs, but also take the surplus to the city to sell and make a profit. It can be seen that the author's purpose in writing this book is to let farmers live a rich life and increase the state's fiscal revenue. Therefore, not only the scientific methods of stable and high yield are introduced, but also some experiences of getting rich are mentioned.