1 2 In 587 he decreed: "The people of Lung and Shu who were captured and made slaves, whether those who have appealed to the courts or those who have not been reported by the judges, are all emancipated to be free citizens." In 588 he decreed: "Since the eighth year [583], the people of Yi Chow who were captured and made slaves are all emancipated to be free citizens. Those who 2 depend on others as inferior wives are all allowed to go away if they wish. Who dares to keep them shall be punished by the law of capturing persons, as it has been applied to Sü Chow and Ts'ing Chow." In 589 he decreed: "Since the eighth year, the slaves of Yi Chow2 and Liang Chow,' who have appealed to the local courts, are all emancipated to be free citizens. Those who were sold need not pay back the price to their owner."" 3 Some other em In Chinese history, although there were many emperors who freed slaves, Kuang-wu was the most important. He decreed freedom to the slaves nine times. Since his reign, China virtually has had no slaves at all. perors paid the price to the slave-owner, but he did not do So. He was the Abraham Lincoln of China, but he abolished slavery without civil war. In an absolute government, although the emperor can do wrong easily, he can also do good easily. Unfortunately, during the disturbance of the Five Barbarians (855-990 A. K. or 304-439 A. D.) and the conquest of the Tartars and the Mongolians, slavery was introduced into China by those barbaric tribes. From the Northern Wei dynasty to the beginning of the present dynasty (937-2195 A. K. or 386-1644 A. D.), however, the slaves were generally not actual slaves. They were 1 Kansu province. History of Latter Han, ch. i. 2 Szechuan province. mostly persons who pretended to be dependents of noble or rich families in order to escape taxes. At the end of 2460 (Jan. 1909 A. D.) slavery was absolutely abolished in China. We cannot say that China had no slaves at all. But we deny that China had such slavery as that of ancient Greece and Rome or that of the United States before the Civil War. CHAPTER XXI AGRICULTURE I. IMPORTANCE OF AGRICULTURE BASING our classification on the system of four groups, we shall divide the branches of production into three categories—namely, agriculture, industry and commerce. Although the group of students is productive like the other three groups, they do not produce material wealth. Therefore we shall take up the other three groups first, discussing the productivity of students later.' Among these three groups the farmers stand first; hence, we shall begin with agriculture. As man is supported by food, and food comes from the land, agriculture is always the primary occupation. And as the land of China is fitted to agriculture, and she has had a large population, the Chinese always attach the chief importance to agriculture. Therefore, the Chinese economy is mostly an agricultural economy. The importance of agriculture is indicated in the "Great Model." We have already seen that the "Great Model" puts food and commodities as the first and second of the eight objects of government. For this reason it says: "It is on the basis of agriculture that the eight objects of government can be attained." It is very clear that the "Great Model" lays the emphasis on agriculture, because food is the first of the eight objects. 1 See infra, pp. 487-8. 2 See supra, p. 50. 3 Classics, vol. iii, pt. ii, p. 324. Since ancient times there has been a system of "borrowing field ". This field contains one thousand acres, and the emperor cultivates it personally. As the emperor has no time to finish the cultivation of the whole field, and so borrows the labor of the people, it is called borrowing field. In 276 B. K. (827 B. C.), when Hsüan Wang did not plough the borrowing field, Duke Wên of Kuo gave him a remonstrance. In its beginning, he pointed out the importance of agriculture as follows: The greatest business of the people is agriculture. From agriculture, the millet which is used for the sacrifice to God is produced; the density of population grows; the expense of the businesses is supplied; social harmony and peace arise; the multiplication of wealth begins; and the characters of honesty, great-mindedness, integrity and solidity become a general habit of the people.1 According to the Record of Rites, in the first month, the emperor selects a good day, puts the plough in his own carriage, and conducts his three ducal ministers, nine high ministers, the feudal princes, and his great officials, for the personal cultivation of the "borrowing field." The emperor ploughs the land three times, each of the ducal ministers five, and the other ministers and feudal princes nine.2 This system is significant from two points of view. In the first place, it touches religion. The "Principles of Sacrifices says that this system is for the service of Heaven, Earth, the spirits of the land and grain, and the ancestors, because the new wine, cream, and vessels of grain are made from the products of the borrowing field. then, is a great expression of reverence." 1 Narratives of Nations, bk. i. 2 Li Ki, bk. iv, pp. 254-5. This procedure, 85 Ibid., bk. xxi, p. 222. too, from the economic viewpoint. The emperor, honorable as he is, ploughs the field personally; it is an encouragement of agriculture. To-day this system still exists, and the emperor and his representatives all perform this service throughout the provinces. This shows well the importance ascribed to agriculture. In the 28th year of the reign of Duke Chuang the Spring and Autumn records: "There is greatly no wheat and rice." This means that there was a great famine. In 432 A. K. (120 B. C.) Tung Chung-shu said to Han Wu Ti: 2 The Spring and Autumn does not record any other grain. But, when wheat and rice have no crop, it records them. By this statement it shows that the Holy Man gives the greatest importance to wheat and rice among the five grains.1 Now, the people of the metropolitan province have a custom of disliking to plant wheat. It loses annually what the Spring and Autumn regards as important, and diminishes the nourishment of the people. I wish your Majesty graciously to decree that the Minister of Agriculture order the people of this province to plant more wheat without delay." This proposal was carried into effect. Thus we see the theory of Confucius put into practice. All the Confucians are in favor of agriculture, and it is needless to quote all their words on the subject. During the Han dynasty there was a popular theory that the great profit of the world, in last analysis, is ascribable to agriculture. In urging the importance of agriculture, Chao Tso speaks strongly. He says that poverty comes from insufficiency of food, and insufficiency of food from the neglect of agriculture. When the people neglect agricul 1 The five grains are rice, millet, panicled millet, wheat and pulse. Shensi province. S History of Han, ch. xxiv. |