宋代的水稻生产

The Rice Production and Farming Technique in the Song Dynasty

宋代(公元10～13世纪)是中国科学技术高度发展的朝代,在中国科学技术史上占有突出的地位。无论是天文、数学、地学、兵器、造船、印刷术、医药、建筑、纺织、冶金、瓷器等领域或行业,都有可观的成就。农业生产也不例外,特别是水稻的生产(以及蚕桑)在中国历史上第一次超过北方的粟麦,使水稻的生产从此更为巩固和进一步得以发展。稻米历来是中国南方的主粮,自唐朝以后又负担起向北方供应漕粮的重担,特别是江苏、浙江、江西、安徽四省。唐末经历了五代十国的几十年封建割据局面,战乱频仍。

Science and technology reached a new high in the Song Dynasty(960-1279 A.D.),and so did the rice production and the rice cultivation technique. The paper discusses rice production of the time in two aspects.Firstly,the Song Dynasty excelled all its predecessors in the develoment of irrigation and cultivated land. Vigorous support was given to irrigation and water conservancy and terraced and embankment fields were built extensively to increase the cultivated land. Secondly,rice yield per unit area showed a considerable increase as a result of the advanced farming technique and effective measures including technique extension. introduction of early-ripe,drought-enduring varieties,intensive farming and field manage- ment,and marked increase in rice varieties and multiple cropping area. Besides,an explanation.was made for the decline of rice production in North China of the time.