summary
The Sui Dynasty was a relatively short but glorious dynasty in Chinese history, with significant contributions in the fields of politics, military, economy, and culture. Among them, the tuntian system was one of the important means of agricultural development and state revenue increase in the Sui Dynasty.
1. The background and origin of the tuntian system
The system of farmland cultivation practiced in the Sui Dynasty refers to the government-led organization of peasant farmland in strategic areas or border areas to reclaim wasteland. The government will divide these areas into tuntian districts and set up military towns to strengthen control and defense of the frontier. At the same time, the government will also organize human resources to cooperate with the development and utilization of various resources to maximize the use of land.
The implementation of the Sui Dynasty tuntian system was not only conducive to the agricultural development of the border areas and the increase of national economic income, but also promoted social stability and improvement of people's livelihood. Through the implementation of the tuntian system, the Sui government established a strong military and political position in the border areas.
At the same time, it also attracted a large number of people to move to these areas, strengthening the population base and cultural connotation of the border areas. In addition, the implementation of the Sui Dynasty tuntian system was also conducive to reclaiming wasteland, improving natural conditions such as water conservancy and soil, and improving productivity and economic efficiency in border areas.
The Cao Wei period was an era in Chinese history, established by Cao Cao in 220 after the three parts of the world, and experienced nearly 30 years of governance. During the Cao Wei period, there was economic and social stability, but there were also military and economic problems. In order to solve the problem of military expenditure burden and agricultural development, Cao Wei began to implement the tuntian system.
Cao Wei's tuntian system developed from the tuntian system of the Han Dynasty. In the Han Dynasty, the tuntian system was widely used to provide an effective means of increasing the income and supply of the army. During the Cao Wei period, due to the impact of the long war, social stability was threatened, and the natural environment in the north was not suitable for agricultural development, in order to improve this situation, the Cao Wei government began to implement the settlement system.
Cao Wei's tuntian system was formulated in the military and economic context of the time. Because the war lasted for a long time, a large amount of military expenditure and food supply were required, but the country's revenue was limited and the financial situation was tight, so the government increased the country's food revenue and military expenditure by implementing the land settlement system and using wasteland for agricultural reclamation. At the same time, the tuntian system also provided soldiers with a new source of livelihood and income, and improved the quality of life and combat effectiveness of soldiers.
2. Implementation of the Cao Wei Tuntian system
The Cao Wei government recognized that agriculture was the foundation and pillar of the country's economy, and that increasing agricultural productivity required a large amount of land and population. However, there was a large amount of wasteland and vacant land in the society at that time, and a large number of displaced people and refugees also needed to be resettled and subsistence. Therefore, the Cao Wei government distributed these wastelands and vacant lands to displaced people and refugees through the settlement system, encouraging them to cultivate these lands in order to increase cultivated land and increase agricultural productivity.
In addition, the tuntian system promoted population migration and regional economic development, providing the Cao Wei government with stable military food and state tax revenues. At the same time, through the introduction of new farming techniques and agricultural tools, the cantonment system also helps to improve the efficiency and quality of agricultural production, and provides strong support for social and economic development.
The tuntian system of the Cao Wei dynasty was gradually implemented under political and military pressure. The Government encouraged the establishment of land by both the government and the civilian population in order to increase agricultural production and food supplies for the army. First, the government allocates farmers to official or private land according to household registration, and provides them with seeds, cattle, farming tools and other agricultural tools. The government also provides training and guidance to farmers to improve their agricultural skills and productivity.
Second, the government has implemented a series of preferential policies to encourage farmers to settle the fields. For example, the government reduced agricultural taxes and forced labour, gave farmers their own control over the harvest of their fields, and encouraged farmers to cooperate with each other to cultivate the land. In addition, the government has also educated the children of farmers in the tuntian to improve their cultural literacy.
The government has strengthened the management and protection of the Tuntian area. Government officials are responsible for the management and supervision of the tuntian area to ensure that the rights and interests of farmers are protected. The Government has also strengthened the defence of the border areas to ensure the security and stability of the frontiers.
The implementation of the tuntian system during the Cao Wei period was gradually promoted through the guidance and support of the government, as well as the voluntary and cooperative cooperation of the peasants. In this process, the government has provided material and moral support to farmers, so that their production and life have been improved. At the same time, the tuntian system also provided a strong military and economic foundation for the Cao Wei government, ensuring the security and prosperity of the country.
During the Cao Wei period, the organization and management of the tuntian system could be described as very strict and standardized. In order to ensure the smooth implementation of the Tuntian Plan, the Cao Wei government took a series of measures to ensure the effectiveness of management.
First of all, the government will carry out detailed planning and scheduling from the central to the local level. According to the local geographical environment and resource situation, the corresponding settlement plan is formulated. The government will conduct rigorous inspections and assessments of each settlement site to ensure that the location of the settlement site and the allocation of land are reasonable.
Second, the government will send special officials to manage the affairs of the tuntian. These officials will set up an office at the Tuntian Point to manage and supervise the progress of the Tuntian work. They train and mentor farmers to ensure that they are able to plant and manage as required by the Farmland Program.
In addition, the government will pay attention to the safety of Tuntian Point. They will set up patrols and guards to ensure the safety and stability of the tuntian point. At the same time, the government will also formulate corresponding laws and regulations to punish violations of the tuntian regulations.
3. The effectiveness of the Cao Wei Tuntian system
The tuntian system implemented during the Cao Wei period was not only to increase the army's rations, but also to cultivate the skills of soldiers and improve their military literacy. In the process of cultivating fields, the army participated in many aspects of work, including land reclamation, construction of irrigation systems, construction of water conservancy and so on. These works not only provided food for the army, but also tempered the soldiers' practical ability and improved their combat effectiveness.
In order to ensure the training and morale of the army, Cao Wei also established a special military tuntian system, that is, soldiers were assigned to the tuntian area, so that they could participate in agricultural production in addition to military training. This system can not only ensure the ration needs of the army, but also enable soldiers to gain practical experience in farming, irrigation, etc., train their production skills, and improve their military quality.
In addition, the tuntian system during the Cao Wei period also promoted civil-military integration, bringing the military and the people closer together. The military and the local population work and live together, which enhances mutual understanding and trust, and provides a solid foundation for social stability and the morale of the army. At the same time, this integration also laid the foundation for future local governance, allowing the Cao Wei government to better control and manage the local region.
Through the tuntian system, the Cao Wei government concentrated a large number of labor in rural areas, promoted the development of agricultural production, and provided more food and resources for the country.
The tuntian system promoted the modernization of agricultural production. In the process of land settlement, the Cao Wei government paid attention to the modernization of agriculture, improved the level of farming technology and management, and promoted high-yield and high-quality crops, which made agricultural production reach an unprecedented height. At the same time, the settlement system has also promoted the development of agricultural science and technology, popularized modern agricultural production equipment such as agricultural tools and pesticides, improved agricultural production efficiency, and greatly increased the country's grain output.
With the implementation of the tuntian system, the Cao Wei government provided soldiers and peasants with land, seeds, agricultural tools and other means of production, providing them with a good production environment, so that agricultural production was vigorously developed, and agricultural output value and tax revenue were also greatly increased. This prosperity is not limited to agricultural production, but also affects commerce, handicrafts and services, thereby promoting the economic development of society as a whole.
In the process of cultivating fields, the Cao Wei government attached importance to the issue of civil-military relations and land ownership, provided land for soldiers and peasants, and exempted them from taxes and servitude, so that they were fully guaranteed and respected. This kind of care and support for farmers and soldiers has made people from all walks of life more united and harmonious and work together for the development and prosperity of the country.
After the implementation of the tuntian system, many troops and tuntian peasants were stationed and cultivated in the border areas, which increased the population and developed agricultural production in the border areas, and at the same time enhanced the security and stability of the border areas. The tuntian system during the Cao Wei period also promoted exchanges and unification between places. The army and the peasants came from all over the world, and the exchanges and integration between each other gradually disappeared the boundaries between different regions and strengthened the unity of the country.
It has also provided a large amount of material and wealth for the country, so that the country's finances have been improved and stabilized to a certain extent. These materials and wealth can be used for military and other expenditures, which is conducive to the development and growth of the country, thus maintaining the stability and unity of the country.
5. The limitations and problems of the Cao Wei Tuntian system
The Tuntian system requires a lot of human, material and financial investment, the government has to bear huge financial expenditures and organizational management responsibilities, and some local governments may not be able to ensure the normal operation of the Tuntian system due to insufficient finances and improper management.
Moreover, the land resources in the tuntian area are limited, and long-term settlement may cause land weakness and depletion, and it is necessary to adopt scientific and reasonable farming techniques and land conservation methods to ensure the sustainable use of land and the continuous improvement of productivity.
The government also needs to formulate relevant policies and regulations to protect the interests of farmers and prevent the exploitation and oppression of farmers by the settlement system.
Therefore, the government of the Cao Wei period needed to continuously strengthen the management and supervision of the tuntian system, improve the ways and methods of the operation of the system, and ensure the smooth implementation and long-term stable operation of the tuntian system.
The implementation of the farmland system benefits both the peasants and the soldiers. Farmers can get land and houses in the fields, and receive food and material supplies, which can reduce the burden on farmers. At the same time, it can also improve the productivity of farmers, promote the development of agricultural production, and bring prosperity and stability to the countryside.
For soldiers, the cantonment system can provide them with the opportunity to produce military supplies and food to ensure the army's food and grass supply. At the same time, Tuntian also provides an opportunity for soldiers to break away from the army, allowing them to gain practical skills and experience in production, and improve their abilities and qualities.
However, while the farmland system brought some benefits to farmers and soldiers, there were also some problems. Some local officials and officers may abuse their power for their own personal gain, resulting in the erosion of the rights and interests of farmers and soldiers. At the same time, because the army occupies a large amount of land resources, sometimes the land of the peasants is occupied, affecting their production and life.
During the Cao Wei dynasty, although the tuntian system was regarded as an important policy, it also faced many geographical and natural environmental constraints in its implementation. First, the climate, soil and topography vary greatly from region to region, making it difficult to establish farmland in some areas.
For example, terrain such as mountains, deserts and wetlands are extremely harsh, making it difficult to farm, let alone build military installations. Secondly, the lack of water sources in many areas, especially in the arid areas of the north, makes farming difficult, which affects the development of agriculture and the implementation of the settlement system.
In addition, the socio-economic backwardness of the Cao Wei period also limited the promotion and development of the tuntian system. Although the government has taken a series of measures, such as providing land, reducing taxes and recruiting labor, farmers and soldiers still face poor production conditions, insufficient manpower, and lack of food, resulting in low production efficiency and slow economic development.
In short, the settlement system of the Cao Wei period required the government to take more effective measures in the face of the constraints of the natural and socio-economic environment, so as to better promote agricultural production and the development of the national economy.
6. The influence and significance of the Cao Wei Tuntian system
The tuntian system allowed Cao Wei to expand and unify militarily. Through large-scale reclamation of fields, Cao Wei not only solved the food problem of soldiers, but also provided stable logistical support for the army, so that Cao Wei's military strength could be rapidly enhanced. This also gave Cao Wei a head start in the division and wars during the Three Kingdoms period.
Secondly, the settlement system also promoted the development of agricultural production and economic prosperity at that time. During the Cao Wei dynasty, the peasants in the Tuntian area were supported by means of production such as land, livestock and agricultural tools, and also received government guidance on farming techniques, fertilizers and irrigation, so agricultural production was greatly improved, and the Cao Wei economy developed and prospered rapidly.
In addition, the tuntian system also provided a stable source of fiscal revenue and tax revenue for the Cao Wei government. In the Tuntian area, farmers had to pay rent and taxes on time, which allowed the Cao Wei government to obtain reliable economic income and ensure the normal operation of the government.
Finally, the tuntian system also alleviated the population pressure and social contradictions during the Cao Wei period to a certain extent. Through the reclamation of tuntian, the Cao Wei government solved the employment and survival problems of a large number of military and civilian personnel in a relatively short period of time, thereby alleviating population pressure and social contradictions.
The tuntian system during the Cao Wei period had a significant impact on the political, economic and social life of the time, not only promoting the development of military and agricultural production at that time, but also providing a reliable source of fiscal revenue and tax revenue for the Cao Wei government, and also alleviating the population pressure and social contradictions at that time.
bibliography
1. A Brief Introduction to the Tuntian System in the Cao Wei Period, Kong Lingguang, 2021
2. "Discussion on the Relationship between the Northern Wei Juntian System and the Cao Wei Tuntian System", Song Wenjie, 2017
3. "Cao Wei's "Tuntian System" from the Perspective of Economic Management", Shi Xuan, Wu Xiangmin, 2014
4. A Brief Analysis of the Cao Wei Tuntian System, Xiao Yunling, 2006
5. "The Art of Splitting Fields in the Shi Cao Wei Tuntian System", Shi Guangming, 1987
6. "On Several Problems in the Cao Wei Tuntian System", Gao Min, 1981
7. "On the Historical Origins of the Cao Wei Tuntian System", Gao Min, 1980