Complete Collection of Chinese Desert Governance (Volume 1)

Author: Li Wenhai, Xia Mingfang
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-02-01
Features: To suppress banditry during years of famine and disaster, the people who refuse to accept death must rise up as thieves to prolong their lives. If they are not restrained, they will gather in large numbers, and the harm will be beyond description. I once observed that during the Qian Dao period, there was a severe famine in the Rang prefecture, and bandits gathered in various places, looting and stealing. At that time, the acting governor Chai Jin handed over his sword to the counties, saying: "Those who dare to be the ringleaders will be executed!" The bandits fled and hid at the sight of this. In the 15th year of the Chun Xi period, there was a famine in De Xing, and people looted on the roads. The county magistrate Zeng Cai, through investigation, found two thieves with their necks chained and ordered them to stand at the roadside, giving them one liter of rice a day, and releasing them on the day the wheat ripened. As a result, banditry declined. In the fourth year of the Shao Xiu period, there was a famine in Le Ping, and villagers went to buy rice with money and were robbed on the mountain road. The magistrate Yang Jian said: "If we cut off their legs, they will still become bandits; if we send them away, they will still escape. Cut off one of their tendons and post it for public display. The entire region became peaceful. Although this is an emergency measure, it deeply aligns with the idea of the Duke of Zhou's famine policies to eliminate banditry.
Suppressing Locusts In the past, Emperor Taizong of Tang ate locusts, and Yao Chong suppressed locusts, and some criticized him for defeating nature with human effort. I personally think otherwise. Natural disasters are not one and the same; some can be addressed, while others cannot. Water and frost are beyond human control, so we can only let them be. As for drought and locusts, there are methods to draw water and bury locusts. For everything that can be addressed, how can we sit idly by and do nothing? Officials should encourage the people to devise their own strategies to combat these disasters. Wu Zunlu, knowing that locusts do not eat bean sprouts and fearing that their eggs would cause trouble, widely collected and taught people to plant peas. Not only did the locusts not eat them, but the people also greatly benefited from them in the following March and April. The way the ancients handled matters was so thorough. I carefully note that in the eighth month of the eighth year of the Xining period, an edict was issued stating that in areas where locusts and nymphs appeared, the county magistrates and assistants should personally suppress them. If the area was vast, they should assign deputy magistrates, officials, and supervisory officers to lead the efforts. They should also recruit people who could catch five liters of nymphs or one bushel of locusts, giving them fine grain in return: one bushel of nymphs for one bushel of fine grain; one bushel of locust eggs for two bushels of coarse grain; and payment should be made at a fair market rate. The officials should also supervise the burial of locusts and nymphs, and the supervisory officers should inspect and report. If the digging and suppression damaged crops, the taxes should be waived, and compensation should be paid based on the damage. The amount of money the government gives to the landowners should not exceed one acre. Thus, the Tang Dynasty's laws were particularly detailed. I personally think that the Tang Dynasty's methods of suppressing locusts were strict, but when locusts first hatch, they are easy to catch. Often, villagers are misled by rituals and dare not suppress them, leading to ongoing harm. This is because they do not understand the debates of Yao Chong, Ni Ruoshui, and Lu Huishen. I have recorded them here. When locusts and nymphs appear, it is urgent to publish these as handbills and distribute them, asking scholars and elders to spread the word, which is also a way to enlighten the ignorant.
In the fourth year of the Kaiyuan period, there was a severe locust infestation in Shandong. The people performed rituals and watched as the locusts ate the crops without daring to suppress them. The prime minister Yao Chong submitted a memorial, saying: "Hand over these pests to the flames." This is an ancient poem about suppressing locusts. He then appointed censors as locust suppression envoys and divided them to kill the locusts. The prefect of Bianzhou, Ni Ruoshui, submitted a memorial, saying: "To eliminate natural disasters, one must use virtue. In the past, Emperor Liu Cong failed to suppress locusts, and the harm worsened. Yao Chong wrote a letter to mock him, saying: 'A false ruler's virtue cannot overcome evil, but now evil cannot overcome virtue.' In ancient times, good governors made locusts avoid their territories. Now, if we sit by and watch the locusts eat the crops for five years, what should the prefect say? Ruoshui was afraid and then allowed suppression, capturing 140,000 bushels of locusts. At the time, there was much debate, and the emperor was suspicious and asked again. Yao Chong said: 'Ignorant scholars cling to ancient texts and do not know how to adapt. Moreover, even if suppression is not complete, is it better to let them breed and cause more harm?' The emperor agreed. Lu Huishen said: 'Can natural disasters be controlled by human effort? Moreover, killing too many insects will disrupt the harmony of nature.' Yao Chong replied: 'In the past, King Chu swallowed leeches and his illness was cured, and Shu Ao cut a snake and blessings descended. Now, the locusts can be driven away. If we let them go, the grain will be finished. Killing insects to save people, the blame will fall on Chong, and I will not shift it to others.' The locust infestation was finally suppressed.
Ordinances on Suppressing Locusts In the 15th year of the Chun Xi period, an edict was issued regarding the initial appearance of insects and locusts...