1st Edition
Highlands and Lowlands A Historical Geographical Study of the Jiangnan Region Between the Eleventh and Sixteenth Centuries
Starting with the distinct geomorphological concepts of "highlands" and "lowlands" in the Jiangnan region, this volume examines the evolution of the agricultural hydraulic system, settlement patterns, land recultivation, and administrative divisions in the area east of Taihu Lake between the 11th and 16th centuries.
The book is divided into three parts. Part I, consisting of Chapters 1, 2, and 3, traces changes in agricultural-hydraulic patterns and the development of the commercial economy over 600 years. It also recounts the evolution of Taihu Lake's overall inflow and outflow patterns. Part II, comprising Chapters 4, 5, and 6, builds on Part I, exploring the region's settlement changes and land development beginning in the 13th century. This section covers significant topics, including changes in land tax policy, rural power growth, the grain chief system establishment, market town development, tax equalization reforms, and migrant peasant community formation for land recultivation. Part III, consisting of Chapters 7, 8, and 9, discusses how extensive land enclosure, heavy taxation on official fields, and the flourishing maritime transport system promoted the establishment of new administrative divisions. The chapter focuses on the evolution of these divisions and their relationship with land development in the region, revealing significant changes in the imperial Chinese social and economic landscape.
This book is intended for students and scholars of history, geography, and Asian studies, as well as general readers.
1. Introduction Part I Formation and Evolution of the Agricultural-Hydraulic System in the Highlands and Lowlands 2. Formation of the Agricultural-Hydraulic System in the Highlands and Lowlands during the Eleventh Century 3. Evolution of the Agricultural-Hydraulic System in the Highlands and Lowlands Between the Twelfth and Fifteenth Centuries 4. Hydraulic Management and Neglect in the Highlands and Lowlands During the Sixteenth Century 5. Summary of Part I Part II Settlement Evolution and Land Development in the Highlands and Lowlands 6. Township Commerce and Market Development Between the Fifteenth and Sixteenth Centuries 7. Reforming the Tax-Corvée System and Re-Cultivating the Abandoned Fields Between the Fifteenth and Sixteenth Centuries 8. Summary of Part II Part III Changes in Administrative Divisions and Inter-County Relations in the Highlands and Lowlands 9. The Trend of Increasing Administrative Divisions Between the Tenth and Fourteenth Centuries 10. Administrative Evolution of Taicang Between the Fourteenth and Sixteenth Centuries 11. The County-Subprefecture Relationship and the Finalization of Administrative Divisions During the Sixteenth Century 12. Summary of Part III 13. Conclusion
Biography
Xie Shi serves as Professor of History and Vice President at Sun Yat-sen University. His research interests include historical geography, the history of the Ming and Qing dynasties, and social and economic history. A relevant publication is Mountains, Seas, and Old Acquaintances: Maritime History and Island Societies of Zhejiang in the Ming-Qing Era (2020).
