SOAS Research Online

Abstract

The goal of my research was to depict the state of agriculture in the Guan Zhong area of China from approximately the mid-third century through the mid-first century B.C. Various kinds of source materials, most of which have an implicit or explicit relationship to the Guan Zhong area enabled me to research different aspects of contemporary agriculture. These included the administration of agriculture, agricultural dwelling places and other buildings, and agricultural activities. Available written materials provided valuable information on the farmers' obligations to the government and government attempts to promote agricultural production via government policies and designated officials. They also contained many references to how and when agricultural activities were conducted. Information on the farmers' dwelling places and surroundings, as well as some of the activities in which they engaged, was obtained from Han tomb models of farmhouses, farming machinery, and village sites. I concluded that it was possible to make an in-depth study of the state of agriculture during the Qin/Han period if one focused on the Guan Zhong region.