Not Treating Without Irrigation: Water Management Literature and Folklore from Four Villages and Five Towns in Shanxi

Author: Dong Xiaoping
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-10-01
Features: The materials introduced in this book provide a relatively detailed description of the subject matter. Our selection criteria for investigation sites are as follows:
1. There are relatively abundant and collectible local materials that are essentially unpublished, such as folk water management stele records, etc. Using these materials, we aim to understand the stable inheritance of grassroots village and community water resource management and the social changes.
2. There are water management disputes recorded in local historical records or occurring in real life. Through these incidents, we seek entry points for investigation to further explore the relationships between village and community water use, management systems, and concepts of reasonable interests.
3. There are historically formed village and community organizations that can effectively control local water resources. These organizations are relatively independent but also partially cooperate with grassroots governments to ensure villagers' access to water.
4. There are local collaborators who are familiar with and value local history, can guide us in field investigations, can explain the collected materials with villagers, and are willing to compare local materials within a broader social and historical context.