Advances in Agriculture
Chinese civilization had always been based on agriculture. Due to climate conditions, farmers in the north grew wheat, barley, and other grains while farmers in the south grew rice. Their experience with agriculture caused them to become expert farmers over thousands of years. In both the Tang and Song Dynasty, China developed new irrigation techniques and devices such as the dragon backbone pump. This device allowed one person to do the work of several. Using this portable pump, a farmer could scoop up water and pour it into an irrigation canal. New irrigation techniques, including the dragon backbone pump, allowed farmers to create elaborate irrigation systems that further advanced their culture.
During the Song, lands that had once been wild became farmland causing the amount of land under cultivation to increase. The new type of fast-ripening rice allowed farms to become more productive. This new advancement enabled farmers to grow multiple crops in the time it would take them to grow one. In addition, Chinese farmers grew new crops such as cotton efficiently. From processed cotton fiber, clothes and other goods were produced. The production of tea increased as well.
All of these new agricultural advances allowed people to raise a surplus, or more food than was needed. These agricultural surpluses helped pay taxes to the government. Food then became abundant in the countryside as well as the cities. This increase in food production caused China's population to grow immensely. At this time, China was the largest country in the world.
During the Song, lands that had once been wild became farmland causing the amount of land under cultivation to increase. The new type of fast-ripening rice allowed farms to become more productive. This new advancement enabled farmers to grow multiple crops in the time it would take them to grow one. In addition, Chinese farmers grew new crops such as cotton efficiently. From processed cotton fiber, clothes and other goods were produced. The production of tea increased as well.
All of these new agricultural advances allowed people to raise a surplus, or more food than was needed. These agricultural surpluses helped pay taxes to the government. Food then became abundant in the countryside as well as the cities. This increase in food production caused China's population to grow immensely. At this time, China was the largest country in the world.