During Song times, new developments in rice cultivation —
especially the introduction of new strains of rice from what is now Central Vietnam,
along with improved methods of
water controland irrigation — spectacularly increased rice yields.
Rice was used primarily as food, but was also used to brew the wine consumed in
homes and taverns.
Rice was grown primarily south of the Yangzi
River. This area had many advantages over the north China plain, as the climate
is warmer and rainfall more plentiful. The mild temperatures of the south often
allowed two crops to be grown on the same plot of land — a summer and a winter
crop.
The many rivers and streams of the region facilitated
shipping, which reduced the cost of transportation and, thus, made regional
specialization economically more feasible. During the Song period,the Yangzi River
regions became the economic center of China.
No comments:
Post a Comment