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《卷四十五 Volume 45》[View] [Edit] [History]
An aligned English translation of this text is available and can be displayed alongside the source text (instructions). Please note that AI has been used in creating these translations. Translation setting: [None] [English]1  | 卷四十五·荒政 Volume 45 · Policies for Disaster Relief |
《備荒考下 Examination of Measures for Preparing for Famine, Part Two》 | |
| 1 | 張朝瑞《建議常平倉廒》曰：伏睹《大明會典》，洪武初，令天下縣分，各立預備四倉，官為糴穀收貯，以備賑濟，就責本地年高篤實人民管理。蓋次災則賑糶，其費小；極災則賑濟，其費大。曰賑濟，則賑糶在其中矣。賑糶，即常平法也。奈何歲久法湮，各州縣僅存城內預備一倉，其餘鄉社倉，盡亡之矣。看得天災流行，國家代有，則救荒之政，誠當亟講。顧既荒而賑救之也難，未荒而預備之也易。今之談荒政者不越二端：曰義倉，曰社倉，此預備而斂散者也；曰平糶，曰常平，此預備而糶糴者也。昔魏李悝平糶法：中饑則發中熟之所斂，大饑則發大熟之所斂而糶之。漢耿壽昌請令邊郡築倉，以穀賤時則增價而糴以利農；穀貴時則減價而糶以利民，名曰常平倉。英雄豪傑，先後所見略同。萬世理荒之上策，在是矣。今欲為生民長久之計，則常平倉斷乎當復者。茲欲令各屬縣，備查四鄉，有倉者因之，有而廢者修之；無者各於東西南北適中，水陸通達，人煙輳集，高阜去處，官為各立寬大堅固常平倉一所。倉基約四畝。合用工料：本道查發贓罰，并該府縣查處無礙官銀輳合，陸續備辦建造。每歲將守巡道及府縣所理罪犯紙贖，實將一半糴穀入倉。或查有廢寺田產，及無礙官銀，聽其隨宜糴買。又或民願納穀者，一如祖宗已行之法，一千五百石，請敕獎為義民。三百石以上，勒石題名。或如近日救荒之令，二百石以上，給與冠帶；五十石以上，給與旌扁。大約每鄉一倉，上縣糴穀五千石，中縣糴穀四千石，下縣糴穀三千石，各實之。但不許逼抑科擾平民。各擇近倉殷富篤實居民二名掌管，免其雜差，準其開耗。每收穀一百石，待後發糶之時，每名準與平糶三石，二名共糶六石，以酬其勞。糶完即換掌管，勿使重役。城中預備倉，照常造送查盤，四鄉常平倉，免送查盤。止於年終，各倉經管居民，將舊管新收開除實在總撒數目，用竹紙小冊開報該縣。縣將四倉類冊，申送各院，并布政司，及道府查考。凡收糶，俱該縣掌印官，或委賢能佐貳官監督，不許濫委滋弊。穀到，用該縣原發較勘平準斛斗收量明白，暫貯別所，積至百石以上，方許稟官一收。如有臨收留難，及未收虛出倉收，既收侵盜私用，冒借虧欠等弊，查追完足，各縣徑自從輕發落。其有侵冒至百石者，通詳定奪。每歲秋冬之交，本道或該府掌印管糧官，單車間一巡視，以防掌印官之治名而不治實者。每除無饑小饑之年不糶外，或值中饑大饑，四鄉管倉人役，稟官監糶。另委富民數名，用官較平等收銀。其出糶一節，當與四鄰保甲之法並行。如該鄉穀多，即糶穀一日，保甲一⒈。穀少，則糶穀分為二三日或四五日，保甲一⒈。務使該鄉積貯之穀數，可待饑民冬春之糴數方善。四鄉不能盡同，各宜審量行之。大率賑糶與賑濟不同，不必每甲尋貧民而審別之，以多寡其穀數。如一甲應糴五斗、或一石、或二石，則甲甲皆同。惟以穀攤人，不因人增穀。糴銀每甲一封亦可，庶乎易簡不擾。或甲中十家輪糴，則每日每甲糴不過二人，每人糴不過二斗。此荒年賑糶之大較也。每鄉除無災都保不開外，先期將有災保甲，派定次序，分定月日，某日糶某保某甲，某日糶某保某甲。明日出令，保正副公舉貧民。至期，令其持價糴買。如富者混買，連坐保甲。仍行宋張詠賑蜀之法：一家犯罪，十家皆坐不得糶。中饑糶倉穀之半，大饑糶倉穀之全。俱照原糴價銀出糶，不可加增，寧減之，大約減荒年市價三分之一，方可壓下穀價，不至騰踴。或倉穀糶盡，而民饑未已，則慎選員役，持所糶之穀本，赴有收去處，循環糴糶，源源而來，民自無飢。救荒有功員役，分別獎賞。此蓋儲用社倉之法，而糶用常平之意者也。四鄉糶完，即將穀價送官，聽掌印官於秋成之日，就近各選殷實人戶領銀，盡數照時價糴穀。雖牙腳等費，曬揚等耗，與造冊紙張工食等項，俱準開銷。其穀曬揚乾潔，官監上倉，如法安置。仍總計糴穀正銀，并牙腳折耗等費，每石約共銀若干，報官貯冊，以為日後出糶張本。官不得將銀貯庫過冬，致殺價高難買。如穀賤不糴，責有所歸。是倉不設於空僻去處者，恐荒年盜起，是齎之糧也。穀不隸於台使查盤者，恐委盤問罪，是遺之害也。行平糶之政，而不用稱貸取息之法者，恐出納追呼，蹈青苗法之擾民也。蓋社倉之法立，則以時斂散，富者不得取重息，而貧民霑惠於一歲之中。常平之法立，則減價糶賣，富者不得騰高價，而貧民受賜於數十年後大飢之日。昔蘇文忠公自謂：「在浙中二年，親行荒政，只用出糶常平米一事，更不施行餘策。若欲抄劄饑貧，不惟所費浩大，有出無收。而此聲一布，饑民雲集，盜賊疾疫，客主俱敝。惟有依條將常平斛斗出糶，即官司簡便，不勞抄劄勘會給納煩費，但將數萬石斛斗在市，自然壓下物價。境內百姓，人人受賜。」此前賢已試之法，信不我欺。故曰常平法斷當復也。就經金衢二府勘議申呈，隨該本道看得城內之預備倉，以待賑濟。然有出無收，其費甚鉅。四鄉之社倉以待斂散，然易散難斂，其弊頗多。惟常平倉，胡端敏公所謂「不必更為立倉，就當藏穀于四鄉倉之側」者。其法專主糶糴，而糴本常存。蓋不費之惠，其惠易遍；弗損之益，其益無方。誠救荒之良策矣。矧今節奉明文，建倉積穀，以備凶荒，此正興復常平倉之大機也。但積穀固難，建倉尤難。建一時美觀之倉非難，建百年永賴之倉為難。欲如法建倉，非多方處費不可。今據二府屬縣查勘，四鄉倉基，雖各就緒，而營造之費，則未備也。本道隨查，將守巡兩道項下紙贖，每縣先坐發銀四十兩，各為買基造倉之費。餘少工料，合聽陸續議處外，惟事當經始，若非仰藉各院明示，允賜遵行，曷克有濟？合無候詳允日，備行各府定委管糧通判，專董其事。仍嚴督各縣掌印官，先將查出各鄉倉基舊址，及空閑官地，并尚義捐助者，聽從建倉外，若係湊買民地，即以所發紙贖，照時值給買，不得虧損於民。其倉務要宏敞堅固，可垂百年。蓋藏之計寧廣毋狹，寧質毋文，毋惜小費，毋急近功。見在興工，匠役食費，應照府議，行令各縣酌量動支預備倉穀給用倉簿內按季開報。欠少工料價值，悉聽本道陸續查發贓罰，或該府縣查處無礙官銀，請詳動支，輳合建造，並不許分毫科擾里甲。如工費一時不能接濟，許於四倉之中，擇近便或一倉或二倉，先行起建，餘聽漸舉。至於各倉穀本，以後許將守巡道并府縣所理罪犯紙贖，實將一半，糴穀入倉，仍聽查處別項無礙官銀，隨宜糴買，陸續積貯，不急取盈。如民間有義助建倉及輸粟備賑者，照依前例呈請分別獎勸，但不許坐派大戶，科罰擾民。其餘糴買安置掌管稽查糶放等項事宜，悉照前議舉行。工完之日，聽道府親行查閱。有功員役，甄別獎賞。年久倉有損壞，如無官銀，準及時支穀修理，但不許賤算穀價。仍令該府縣掌印官，遵照新頒保民實政簿式，將創修過倉廒積貯過穀數等項，逐款填造。遇蒙各院巡歷復命，及本官考滿，一體申送稽核。中間未盡事宜，俟本道博輿論，隨時斟酌舉行。 Zhang Chaorui's "Proposal for Establishing Changping Granaries" states: I have carefully examined the Da Ming Huidian. In the early Hongwu era, an edict was issued to all counties throughout the land, ordering each to establish four Preparatory Granaries. Officials would purchase grain and store it in preparation for relief efforts, entrusting local elderly and upright citizens with its management. In the case of a minor disaster, grain would be sold at reduced prices for relief, which required smaller expenditures; in the case of an extreme disaster, direct relief would be provided, requiring larger expenses. When it is said that relief and distribution are to be carried out, then grain sales at reduced prices are already included within this. Relief through discounted grain sales is the Changping method. Yet, over time, as years passed and regulations were neglected, each prefecture and county retained only one Preparatory Granary within the city; all other granaries in the rural communities have completely disappeared. It is evident that natural disasters frequently occur, and such calamities have been a recurring feature throughout dynastic history; therefore, policies for disaster relief should indeed be urgently discussed. However, it is difficult to provide relief after a famine has already occurred, whereas it is easier to make preparations before the onset of disaster. Those who today discuss policies for disaster relief do not go beyond two categories: "Yi Cang" and "She Cang," which refer to granaries that collect and distribute grain in preparation; and "Ping Tiao" and "Chang Ping," which refer to systems that prepare by buying and selling grain. In the past, Wei's Li Kui established a grain price-stabilization method: in times of moderate famine, grain stored from moderately good harvests would be released; in times of severe famine, grain stored from abundant harvests would be sold. In the Han dynasty, Geng Shouchang proposed ordering border prefectures to build granaries: when grain prices were low, officials would buy at higher prices to benefit farmers; when grain prices were high, they would sell at lower prices to benefit the people. These granaries were named Changping Cang (Changping Granaries). Heroes and outstanding individuals have had largely similar insights across generations. This is the supreme strategy for managing disasters throughout all ages. If we now wish to make long-term plans for the people's well-being, then it is certainly necessary to restore Changping Granaries. Now, it is intended to order all subordinate counties to investigate the four regions of their jurisdictions. Where granaries already exist, they should be maintained; where granaries exist but have fallen into disrepair, they should be repaired; and in areas without any granaries, each county should establish a spacious and sturdy Changping Granary at an appropriate central location that is accessible by both water and land, situated on elevated ground near densely populated areas. The granary foundation will cover approximately four mu (about 0.67 acres). The required labor and materials: the local circuit will investigate and allocate confiscated or penal funds, along with unencumbered official silver from the prefecture and county authorities. These resources will be consolidated and used progressively for construction. Each year, half of the paper fines collected from criminals handled by the local circuit and prefecture/county authorities will be used to purchase grain for storage in the granaries. If any abandoned temple lands or unencumbered official silver are found, they may be used as appropriate to purchase grain. Furthermore, if any civilians voluntarily contribute grain, they will be treated in accordance with the established methods of our ancestors: those who donate 1,500 shi of grain should be recommended for imperial approval to be honored as Righteous Civilians. Those donating more than 300 shi will have their names inscribed on stone tablets in recognition. Or, as per recent famine relief orders, those donating more than 200 shi will be granted a gowned and sashed title; those donating over 50 shi will receive an honorific plaque. Generally, each village should have one granary. In an upper-level county, 5,000 shi of grain will be purchased and stored; in a middle-level county, 4,000 shi; and in a lower-level county, 3,000 shi. These amounts shall be fully implemented. However, it is strictly forbidden to coerce or harass common people through levies and disturbances. In each case, two nearby wealthy and upright residents should be selected to manage the granary; they will be exempt from miscellaneous duties and allowed a reasonable margin for grain handling. For every 100 shi of grain collected, when it is later sold for relief purposes, each manager will be allowed to sell three shi at the regulated price; together, the two managers may sell six shi as compensation for their labor. Once the grain has been sold, they should be replaced by new managers to avoid overburdening them with continuous duties. The Preparatory Granaries within the city should follow regular procedures for submitting records and undergoing inspections; however, the four rural Changping Granaries will be exempt from sending reports or being inspected. At year's end, the residents managing each granary should report to their respective county offices using small bamboo paper books, detailing the previous holdings, newly received grain, and the actual total stock. The county will compile a categorized register of the four granaries and submit it to each respective office, as well as to the Bureau of Civil Administration (Buzhengsi) and the circuit prefecture for review. All grain purchases and sales must be supervised by the county's official in charge of seals, or a capable deputy official entrusted with this duty; it is strictly forbidden to appoint unqualified individuals who may cause corruption. When grain arrives, it should be measured clearly using the standard measuring containers originally issued by the county for verification. The grain will be temporarily stored in a separate location; only when accumulated to over 100 shi may an official be requested to oversee its receipt into storage. If any difficulties arise during the receipt process, such as delaying or obstructing collection, falsely recording grain into storage before it is actually received, stealing or misappropriating stored grain after receipt, or illegally borrowing and defaulting on grain, these abuses will be investigated. The missing amounts must be recovered in full, and each county may handle such cases independently with lenient punishment. Those who embezzle or fraudulently appropriate as much as 100 shi shall be reported in detail for higher authorities to decide the appropriate punishment. At the turn of each autumn and winter, this circuit or the respective prefecture's official in charge of grain administration should personally conduct occasional inspections by traveling alone in a simple carriage to prevent officials from merely maintaining appearances without addressing actual governance. Except in years of no famine or minor famine when grain is not sold, if a moderate or severe famine occurs, the personnel managing the four rural granaries should report to officials for supervision during grain distribution. Several wealthy local residents will be entrusted separately to collect silver using official standard measuring tools and scales. The process of grain distribution should also be implemented concurrently with the system of neighborhood security (baojia) in four surrounding areas. If a village has an abundance of grain, then one day may be allocated for selling grain and another day for the baojia system. If the grain is scarce, then the sale of grain may be divided into two or three days, or even four or five days, with one day allocated for baojia affairs. It is essential that the amount of grain stored in each village be sufficient to meet the needs of famine-stricken people during winter and spring, which would constitute a proper arrangement. The four villages cannot all be exactly alike; each should assess its own circumstances and implement accordingly. Generally, grain sales for relief differ from direct relief distribution; it is not necessary to search out and individually examine poor households within each baojia unit in order to allocate varying amounts of grain. For example, if one baojia is entitled to purchase five dou, or one shi, or two shi of grain, then all baojia units should be treated equally. Only distribute the grain according to population; do not increase the amount of grain based on individual circumstances. Each baojia may collect and submit a single sealed envelope for the silver, which would ensure simplicity and avoid disturbances. Alternatively, if ten households in a baojia take turns purchasing grain, then each day no more than two people per baojia would be allowed to purchase, and each person may not buy more than two dou. This is the general principle of grain relief sales during years of famine. For each village, except for the districts and baojia that are unaffected by disaster, a schedule should be established in advance. The affected baojia will be assigned an order of priority, with specific dates allocated: on which day grain is to be sold to a particular district's baojia, and so forth. The next day, an order will be issued for the head and deputy of each bao to publicly recommend poor households in their area. On the designated date, they are ordered to bring payment and purchase grain accordingly. If wealthy individuals attempt to buy grain fraudulently, both the baojia officials and those involved will be held jointly responsible. We should also implement Zhang Yong's method used during the relief of Sichuan in the Song dynasty: if one household commits a crime, then all ten households within its group will be held accountable and denied grain sales. In the case of moderate famine, half of the granary's stored grain will be sold; in the case of severe famine, all of the stored grain will be distributed. In both cases, grain should be sold at the original purchase price in silver; it must not be increased. If necessary, prices may be reduced, approximately by one-third of the market price during a famine year, so as to suppress rising grain prices and prevent sharp increases. If the granary grain is sold out and yet the people remain in famine, officials should carefully select personnel to take the proceeds from the grain sales and travel to areas with surplus harvests to purchase more grain for resale. This cyclical process will ensure a continuous supply of grain, thus ensuring that the people suffer no further hunger. Personnel who have rendered meritorious service in famine relief should be awarded and rewarded accordingly. This is essentially the method of storing grain using She Cang (Community Granaries), while implementing the principles of Changping (Price-Stabilization) for distribution. Once the grain sales in the four villages are completed, the proceeds should be sent to the official authorities. The official in charge will then, on the day of autumn harvest, select nearby wealthy and trustworthy households to receive the silver and purchase an equivalent amount of grain at current market prices. Even expenses such as middlemen's fees, losses from drying and handling grain, and costs for paper, labor, and food required for compiling records are all allowed to be deducted. The grain must be dried and cleaned thoroughly under official supervision before being stored in the granary, following established procedures for proper placement. In addition, the total amount of official grain purchase silver and expenses such as middlemen fees and handling losses per shi should be calculated. The approximate total in silver for each shi will then be reported to the authorities and recorded in a register, serving as a reference for future grain sales. Officials must not store the silver in the treasury over winter, which could lead to inflated prices and make it difficult to purchase grain later. If grain is cheap but officials fail to buy it, responsibility for this failure will be clearly assigned. These granaries must not be established in remote or desolate locations, for fear that during years of famine bandits may rise and the stored grain would become a target. Grain should not be subject to inspection by itinerant officials, for fear that they may arbitrarily investigate and assign blame, thus creating unnecessary harm. Implementing the policy of price-stabilizing grain sales without employing methods involving loans and interest collection is essential, for fear that demands for repayment may lead to harassment similar to the disturbances caused by the Qingmiao Loan system. Once the She Cang (Community Granary) system is established, grain will be collected and distributed at appropriate times. Wealthy individuals will no longer be able to charge exorbitant interest, allowing poor people to benefit throughout the year. Once the Changping system is established, grain can be sold at reduced prices. Wealthy individuals will not be able to artificially inflate prices, and thus poor people will receive relief on days of severe famine many years later. In the past, Su Wenzhong Gong once said: "During my two years in Zhezhong, I personally implemented policies for disaster relief. I used only one measure—selling grain from the Changping granaries—and did not implement any other strategies." If one wishes to register and assist famine-stricken poor households, it will not only incur enormous expenses but also result in outflows without any returns. Once this announcement is made, famine-stricken people will gather in large numbers, leading to banditry, epidemics, and exhaustion of both local residents and visitors. Only by following the regulations and selling grain from Changping granaries can officials act conveniently, avoiding the laborious process of registering households, investigating needs, and distributing relief with its associated expenses. Simply placing tens of thousands of shi of grain in the market will naturally lower prices. All the people within the region will benefit." This is a method tested by previous virtuous officials, and it has proven to be reliable. Therefore, it is said that the Changping system must certainly be restored. Accordingly, a proposal was submitted and examined by the Jin and Qu prefectures. This circuit has reviewed that the Preparatory Granaries in the city are to be maintained for direct relief purposes. However, this system involves outflows without corresponding inflows and incurs substantial expenses. The She Cang granaries in the four villages are intended for collection and distribution, but they face difficulties in collecting grain after it has been distributed. This system is prone to many abuses. Only the Changping Granaries, as stated by Hu Duanmin Gong: "There is no need to establish new granaries; grain should simply be stored in the side areas of existing granaries in the four villages." This method focuses specifically on buying and selling grain, with a continuous reserve for purchase. For this is a form of benefit that requires no expenditure—such benefits can easily reach all; it is also an advantage that causes no loss, and such advantages are boundless. This truly constitutes an excellent strategy for disaster relief. Especially now, with clear official decrees mandating the construction of granaries and accumulation of grain to prepare for disasters, this is precisely a great opportunity to revive the Changping Granary system. However, while accumulating grain is difficult, constructing granaries proves even more challenging. It is not difficult to build a granary for temporary aesthetic purposes, but it is truly difficult to construct one that will serve as a lasting reliance for generations. To properly establish such granaries according to the regulations requires careful planning and allocation of resources from multiple sources. Now, according to investigations conducted in the counties under the two prefectures, although the sites for granaries in the four regions have been prepared, the construction costs remain unsecured. This circuit has investigated and decided to allocate, from the paper fines under both the local inspection circuits, forty taels of silver per county in advance for each county's use as funds for purchasing land and constructing granaries. For the remaining minor expenses for labor and materials, it is appropriate to handle them gradually as circumstances allow. However, since this matter marks the beginning of a new initiative, unless we receive clear instructions from each respective office and are granted permission to proceed accordingly, how can we hope to achieve success? Therefore, once approval is received, the respective prefectures should be instructed to appoint a designated official in charge of grain affairs (tongpan) to oversee this matter exclusively. At the same time, all county officials in charge should be strictly supervised to first investigate and identify existing granary sites, idle official land, as well as any voluntary donations from benevolent individuals for use in constructing new granaries. If it is necessary to purchase private land, then the silver allocated from paper fines must be used to buy the land at current market value; no losses should be imposed on the people. The granaries must be spacious, solidly constructed, and durable enough to last for generations. For the purpose of storage, it is better to be spacious than narrow, better to emphasize quality over ornamentation. Do not be stingy with small expenses, and do not rush for immediate results. For the current construction work, labor and food expenses should be handled according to prefectural regulations. Orders will be issued for each county to appropriately allocate funds from the Preparatory Granary grain budget, with quarterly reports submitted in accordance with granary records. Any shortages in the cost of labor and materials will be addressed by this circuit through ongoing investigations into confiscated or penal funds, or by allocating unencumbered official silver investigated and approved by the respective prefecture or county. These resources may be requested for use, consolidated, and used for construction, with strict prohibition against levying even a single coin from local baojia households. If construction costs cannot be immediately covered at one time, it is permissible to select the most convenient one or two granaries from among the four for initial construction, while the remaining ones may proceed gradually. As for the grain reserves in each granary, henceforth half of the paper fines from criminals handled by both the local inspection circuits and prefecture/county offices will be used to purchase and store grain. Additionally, any other unencumbered official funds identified through investigations may also be used as appropriate for purchasing grain. These efforts should proceed gradually with continuous accumulation, without urgent pressure to reach full capacity immediately. If civilians voluntarily assist in building granaries or donate grain for disaster relief, they should be recommended and rewarded according to previous examples. However, it is strictly prohibited to impose levies on wealthy households or penalize the people through arbitrary demands. All other matters concerning grain purchases, storage arrangements, management, inspections, and distribution shall be carried out in accordance with previous agreements. On the day construction is completed, the circuit or prefecture officials will personally conduct an inspection. Officials and laborers who have performed well should be identified and rewarded accordingly. If granaries that have stood for many years suffer damage, and there are no official funds available, grain may be used in a timely manner to cover repair costs. However, the price of the grain must not be undervalued. The respective prefecture or county officials in charge are also ordered to follow the newly issued regulations for protecting the people and implementing practical policies, and to complete detailed records item by item regarding newly constructed granaries, stored grain quantities, and other related matters. Whenever the officials are summoned to report on their tours of inspection by various departments or when they complete their term evaluations, these records must be submitted for review and verification in a unified manner. Any matters not fully addressed here will await further deliberation by this circuit, to be handled as appropriate at the right time. |
| 2 | 一、定倉基：凡倉基，俱南向，以四畝為率。或地不足四畝者，聽其隨地建造。前後左右段落，務要酌量停勻，毋使偏邪。甚有基地不足三畝者，聽其將社學及看倉耳房，從便另造于別地，不造入倉內亦可。然地基窄狹者，正廳房門可小，而兩倉房間架斷不可校以其每間盛穀，原約四百石有餘，小則難容也。各倉基址，必擇高阜之處，以避水濕侵穀。若地有不平者，須填補方正平坦，方可興工。四面水道，必開濬歸一，不得聽其二三漫流。各縣先將四倉四至丈尺畝數，坐落地名，與應建倉廒廳舍間數，每倉畫圖一張，貼說明白。并應給買民基價數，一一勘處停妥，徑送二道及該府廳查覈。 1. Determining Granary Sites: All granary sites should face south, with a standard size of four mu. If the land is less than four mu, construction may proceed according to the available space. The front, back, and sides of the site must be carefully measured and arranged evenly; no part should be uneven or skewed. If the base area is less than three mu, it may be permissible to construct the community school and granary watchrooms separately at another location; they need not be built within the granary itself. However, for narrow and cramped sites, the main hall's room and door may be smaller. Nevertheless, the structural dimensions of each granary must not be reduced, as each originally holds more than 400 dan of grain; a smaller size would make it difficult to accommodate such quantities. Each granary site must be selected on elevated ground to avoid water and dampness damaging the grain. If the land is uneven, it must first be filled in and leveled into a square, flat area before construction can begin. Drainage channels on all four sides must be dredged and directed to flow into a single channel; it is not permissible to allow two or three separate streams to spread randomly. Each county should first measure and record the exact boundaries, dimensions in mu, specific locations, and the number of granaries and buildings to be constructed for each of the four granaries. A map must be drawn for each granary with clear explanations attached. Additionally, the exact prices to be paid for any private land purchases must be carefully surveyed and finalized before being directly submitted to both circuits and the respective prefectural offices for verification. |
| 3 | 一、定倉式：保民實政簿開：各縣立四鄉倉，每縣積穀，務期萬石為率，州縣大者倍之。則大縣當儲二萬石，中縣一萬五千石，小縣一萬石矣。今議頒倉式：該府廳督令各縣相度地基，依式建造。每縣各分四鄉，每鄉建倉一所。頭門一座，約高一丈三尺八寸，中闊一丈，入深連簷一丈七尺六寸。兩傍耳房每間闊八尺，以便住看倉人役。頂上用大竹箯覆之，蓋瓦。大門二扇，每扇闊三尺。東西廒房，大縣共該貯穀五千石，每邊應造廒房七間。中縣約共四千石，每邊應造廒房五間。小縣約共二千五百石，每邊應造廒房三間。每廒房一間，約貯穀四百石以上，約高一丈三尺六寸，闊一丈一尺二寸，入深一丈六尺。廒內先用地工將廒深築堅實外，簷用石板鑲砌，內用厚磚砌底，仍用條石墊擱楞木，從宜鋪釘松木杉木厚板，方鋪簟⒎。其倉頂上方木為椽，椽上用板幔，板上用大貓竹打笆覆之。笆上用土，土上蓋瓦，其瓦須密。各⒈圍廒墻角，闊二尺八寸。先行築實，方用條石砌腳三層，上用地伏磚扁砌，純灰抿縫。中用稍碎磚瓦，少以泥和填實，仍用鐵牽钅兮釘。如地勢高燥者，四面俱用磚墻。廒後及兩側，墻俱包簷，廒前牆上，簷闊二尺四寸。不拘七間五間三間，中俱隔為三段。七間者，中三間，兩傍各二間。五間者，中三間，兩傍各一間。三間者，亦隔三段，各開三門。氣樓亦如之。其廒內貼墻處，用木柵釘相思縫厚板，使穀不著墻，以防浥爛。廒口亦用相思厚板橫閘。如地勢卑濕者，廒前一麵不用磚牆。廒板外用圓木柵欄一帶，上麵建廊，闊五尺六寸。廳前及兩倉外、明堂空地，俱用石板鋪平，以便曬穀。正廳三間，中間止作一天花板，懸聖諭六條，以便朔望講習鄉約，約高一丈九尺六寸。中間闊一丈四尺八寸，兩傍每間闊一丈四寸，入深除簷二丈六寸。中間照壁門六扇。廳前兩傍用欄杆，外簷三尺。頂上用便磚，磚上用瓦，內地用方磚砌。簷下石板幔。三面墻垣，墻腳闊二尺，先用地工築實，方用大石板砌腳三層，上用地伏磚扁砌，亦用鐵牽钅兮釘牢固。後社學三間，或買舊磚建造。約高一丈七尺二寸，中間闊一丈一尺二寸，兩傍每間闊一丈，入深一丈六尺四寸。頂上用幔板鋪完蓋瓦，內地用方磚砌，兩傍用磚砌。腰墻上用窗，每邊四扇。中間用槅門四扇。三面墻垣，墻腳闊二尺，先用地工築實，腳用石砌二層。高二尺，上用磚砌。本倉外⒈圍墻垣，墻腳闊三尺五寸，約高一丈一尺。上用墻梯瓦蓋。先用地工深築堅實，墻腳用大石塊砌，高三尺，方用土築。務離倉墻一二丈，內可容人行。其土不可貼近本墻掘取。以上各項倉房廳舍，務期堅固經久，不在華美。其丈量地基，起造房屋，並量木植磚石，俱用大官鈔尺為準。其木匠小尺不用，須使畫一，毋致參差。 1. Establishing Granary Standards: According to the "Bao Min Shi Zheng Bu" (Book of Practical Policies for Protecting the People): Each county should establish four township granaries, and must aim to store 10,000 dan of grain as a standard; larger prefectures or counties may double this amount. Thus, large counties should store 20,000 dan, medium-sized counties 15,000 dan, and small counties 10,000 da. Now, the regulations for granary construction are being issued: The prefectural and county offices shall supervise each county in assessing suitable sites and constructing according to these standards. Each county is divided into four townships, with one granary built for each township. One main gate is to be constructed, approximately 13.8 chi in height, 10 chi wide at the center, and 17.6 chi deep including the eaves. The side rooms on both sides should be eight chi wide per room to accommodate granary attendants and staff. Large bamboo mats are to be used on the roof, covered with tiles. The main gate consists of two panels, each three chi wide. For large counties, the east and west granaries should collectively store 5,000 dan of grain, with seven rooms to be built on each side. For medium-sized counties, the total storage should be approximately 4,000 dan; five granary rooms are to be built on each side. 小县约共三千石，每边应造廒房四间。 Translation of the next sentence for reference: For small counties, the total storage is about 3,000 dan, with four granary rooms to be constructed on each side. For small counties, the total storage should be approximately 2,500 dan of grain, requiring three rooms to be built on each side for granaries. Each granary room should store at least 400 dan of grain. The height is approximately 13.6 chi, the width 11.2 chi, and the depth 16 chi. Inside each granary, the floor should first be solidly compacted to a suitable depth. The eaves are to be paved with stone slabs, and the interior base is to be built with thick bricks. Additionally, long stones should support the wooden beams, and as appropriate, thick planks of pine or fir wood should be laid and nailed down before placing bamboo mats on top. The roof structure of the granary is to use wooden rafters, with planks laid over them. On top of these planks, large bamboo mats should be woven and placed as a covering. A layer of earth is to be spread on top of the bamboo matting, followed by tiles laid over it; these tiles must be tightly arranged. The corners of each granary wall should be 28 cun wide. First, the foundation must be firmly compacted; then three layers of long stones should be used to build the base. Above this, flat bricks are laid with pure lime filling the joints. The middle section should use slightly broken bricks and tiles, mixed with a small amount of mud to fill in and solidify the structure. Iron tie rods (tianxi ding) are also used for reinforcement. If the ground is high and dry, brick walls should be built on all four sides. The rear and both side walls of the granary should extend to cover the eaves, while on the front wall of the granary, the eave overhang is 24 cun wide. Whether there are seven rooms, five rooms, or three rooms, each should be divided into three sections in the middle. For granaries with seven rooms: the central section consists of three rooms, and there are two rooms on each side. For granaries with five rooms: the central section has three rooms, with one room on each side. For granaries with three rooms: they should also be divided into three segments, and three doors are to be opened accordingly. The same applies to the ventilation tower (qi lou). Along the inner walls of the granaries, wooden frames with thick planks should be nailed in place at intervals to ensure that grain does not come into contact with the walls, thus preventing dampness and decay. Thick planks of xiangsi wood should also be used horizontally at the granary entrances as gates. If the ground is low and damp, brick walls are not to be built on the front side of the granary. Outside the granary planks, a circular wooden fence should be constructed along one section, with a corridor built on top that is 5.6 chi wide. The area in front of the hall and outside both granaries, as well as the open space in the central courtyard (mingtang), should all be paved with stone slabs to facilitate grain drying. The main hall consists of three rooms; only the central room has a ceiling. The "Six Precepts" (Shengyu Liu Tiao) should be hung there for monthly and biweekly gatherings to discuss local regulations, with the height being 19.6 chi. The central room is 14.8 chi wide, while each of the side rooms is 1.4 chi wide; the depth, excluding eaves, is 26 cun. The central room has six panels for the screen door (zhao bi men). On both sides in front of the hall, railings should be installed with an overhang of three chi. The roof is to use flat bricks laid on top of which tiles are placed, while the interior floor should be paved with square bricks. Stone slab eaves coverings are used beneath the eaves. The walls on three sides should have a base width of two chi. First, the ground must be compacted solidly; then, three layers of large stone slabs are used to build the foundation. Above this, flat bricks with pure mortar are laid, and iron tie rods (tianxi dings) are also employed for reinforcement. The rear community school consists of three rooms; it may be constructed by purchasing existing brick buildings. It should be approximately 17.2 chi in height, with the central room 11.2 chi wide and each side room one zhang (10 cun) wide; the depth is 16.4 chi. The roof should be covered with planks and tiles, while the interior floor is paved with square bricks; the side walls are also built of brick. Windows should be installed on the waist wall (mid-wall), four panels on each side. Four sliding doors are to be placed in the central section. The walls on three sides have a base width of 2 chi; first, the ground must be solidly compacted. The foundation is built with two layers of stone masonry. The height of this stonework should be two chi, followed by brick construction above it. The surrounding wall of the granary has a base width of 35 cun and an approximate height of 11 chi. Tiles with overlapping ridges are used on top for the wall covering. First, the ground should be deeply and firmly compacted; large stone blocks are used to build a three-chi-high foundation for the wall base before earthen walls can be constructed. The surrounding wall must be one or two zhang away from the granary walls, leaving enough space inside for people to walk through. Soil should not be excavated directly next to the main wall. All granary rooms and halls mentioned above must be built solidly and durably, without emphasis on ornate or luxurious design. When measuring land for foundations, constructing buildings, and estimating the quantities of timber, bricks, and stones, all measurements must be based on the official standard imperial ruler (da guanchao chi). The smaller carpenter's rulers should not be used; instead, a uniform standard must be applied to avoid inconsistencies. |
| 4 | 一、辦倉料：倉廒，每邊七間，合用柱木每根徑六寸，矮柱每根徑六寸，桁條每根徑五寸五分，抽楣每根徑四寸，椽木每根徑三寸，穿柵木每根徑四寸，地板楞木每根徑五寸，地板壁板，每塊厚八分。正廳三間，合用中柱木每根徑一尺一寸，用實木邊柱每根徑九寸，大梁每根長二丈、徑一尺四寸，二梁每根長一丈、徑一尺一寸，步梁每塊長八尺、徑一尺，抽楣木每根徑四寸五分，桁條每根徑六寸，椽木每根徑三寸。門房三間，合用柱木每根徑五寸，桁條每根徑四寸，抽楣木每根徑三寸。大門二扇，每扇闊三尺。後社學三間，合用柱木每根徑六寸，桁條每根徑五寸五分，抽楣木每根徑三寸五分，大梁每根徑九寸、長一丈八尺，二梁每根徑八寸五分、長一丈，椽木每根徑二寸五分。頂上用幔板鋪完蓋瓦。其餘幫機連簷門窗等項，開載不盡者，俱要隨宜酌量，買製作，務使與各項材木，大小規式相稱。凡磚瓦，就於近倉之地，立窯一二座，令窯戶自燒造。石灰見買。地伏磚每塊長一尺二寸，闊七寸，厚三寸，秤重十八斤，上燒常平二字。開磚每塊長一尺一寸，闊五寸，厚一寸，上燒常平二字。方磚每塊長一尺，闊一尺。便磚每塊長七寸，闊六寸三分。瓦每塊長九寸，闊七寸，重一斤半。凡買木植，俱要選擇圓長首尾相應，乾燥老黃色者。毋將背山白色嫩木搪塞虛應。石板買上好青白堅細者，黃色疏爛者不用。其磚瓦須擇青色者，如黃色者不用。以上各項物料，各縣掌印官，親將每倉應造廒房廳舍，逐一親自從實勘估。酌量某項應用若干，該價若干；某項應用若干，該價若干，估定照數給銀，責令原定各役，買木石等料。搬運一到，即具數報掌印官，並佐貳委官及總管，各查驗揀眩選。堪用者收之，不堪者即時退換，不得虛冒混收。燒造磚瓦不如式者，不許混用。仍置簿送縣印鈐，日逐登填收發數目明白。委官不時稽查，各縣仍將查估過工料價銀總撒數目，逐一造冊，報道查核。東西兩邊倉廒與正廳，一應木石磚瓦，皆用新料。其門房社學材植等料，倘有見成民房願賣，可以改用者，一照時價，給與見銀平買，庶工省費廉，建造尤速。惟不虧其價，而人自樂從矣。 1. Procurement of Granary Materials: For granaries with seven rooms on each side, the required materials are as follows: Each column should have a diameter of six cun; each short column (dai zhu) also has a diameter of six cun. Rafters should be five cun and five fen in diameter per piece. Purlins should measure four cun in diameter per root, rafters (chuan mu) three cun, cross beams (chuangzha mu) four cun each, floor joists (di ban leng mu) five cun in diameter, and floor planks (di ban bi pan), with a thickness of eight fen per piece. The main hall with three rooms requires central columns (zhong zhu mu) of one chi and one cun in diameter each, solid wooden side columns (shi mu bian zhu) nine cun in diameter per piece; the main beams (da liang) should be two zhang long and 14 cun in diameter. Secondary beams (er liang) are to measure one zhang in length with a diameter of 1 chi and 1 cun, step beams (bu liang) eight chi long and one chi in diameter per block; purlins (chou mei mu) should be four cun and five fen wide each, rafters six cun in diameter per piece, and rafters three cun in diameter for each. The gatehouse with three rooms requires column wood of five cun in diameter per piece for each, rafters four cun in diameter and purlins (choumei mu) measuring three cun in diameter. The main gate consists of two doors, each 3 chi wide. The rear community school with three rooms requires columns of six cun in diameter each; rafters five cun and five fen per piece, purlins (chou Mei mu) measuring 3.5 cun in diameter; main beams nine cun in diameter and one zhang eight chi long; secondary beams 8.5 cun in diameter with a length of one zhang; and rafters two cun and five fen each in diameter. The roof is to be covered by laying planks first, followed by tiles on top. For other items such as supporting structures, eaves, doors, and windows not fully detailed here, they must be measured and adjusted according to local conditions. Materials should be purchased and crafted accordingly, ensuring that all components are proportionally consistent with the specified sizes and standards of various types of timber. All bricks and tiles should be produced at one or two kilns established near the granary site, with local potters responsible for their own production. Lime is to be purchased as needed. Flat bricks (di fu chuan) should measure 12 cun in length, 7 cun in width, and 3 cun in thickness. Each brick weighs eighteen jin and is marked with the characters "Changping" on top. Flat bricks (kai chuan) should be 11 cun long, 5 cun wide, and one cuser thick. Each brick is marked with the words "Changping" on top. Square bricks (fang chuan) are to be 10 cun long and wide per piece. Flat bricks (bian chuan) should measure seven cun in length and six cun three fen in width. Each tile is to be nine cun long, seven cun wide, and weigh one jin and a half. Whenever purchasing timber, it is essential to select pieces that are round in shape with consistent length from end to end and have a dry, aged yellow color. Do not use young, pale wood taken from the shaded side of mountains as substitutes or for superficial compliance. Stone slabs should be selected to be high-quality, blue-white, solid, and fine-grained; yellowish, loose, or crumbly stones are not acceptable. Bricks and tiles must be selected for their blue-gray color; those that are yellow should not be used. The county officials in charge must personally inspect and accurately estimate the required materials for each granary, hall, and room of every warehouse. They should carefully estimate how much of each item is needed and the corresponding cost; for example, a certain amount of one material at a specific price, another material in a different quantity with its own price. After determining these estimates, silver will be allocated accordingly, and the designated laborers are to purchase timber, stone, and other materials as required. Once the materials are transported to the site, their quantities must be immediately reported to the county official in charge, as well as to assistant officials and supervisors, who will jointly inspect and select them. Materials that are fit for use should be accepted; those found unsuitable must be returned or exchanged immediately, and it is strictly forbidden to falsely accept them. Bricks and tiles that are not made according to the required specifications may not be used indiscriminately. A register should still be maintained, submitted for the county seal, and daily entries made to clearly record the quantities received and issued. Supervising officials should conduct inspections at irregular intervals, and each county must still compile a detailed list of the total estimated costs for labor and materials that have been inspected, submitting it to higher authorities for review. All timber, stone, bricks, and tiles used in the eastern and western granaries as well as the main hall must be new materials. As for the materials needed for door houses and community schools, if there are existing civilian buildings willing to be sold that can be repurposed, they may be purchased at current market prices with immediate payment in silver. This will help reduce labor costs and expenses while enabling faster construction. As long as the price is fair, people will naturally be willing to comply. |
| 5 | 一、督保甲：凡保甲之法，先行府，督令各縣舉行。當趁冬月農隙之時，上緊督催，各查照原行審編。其四鄉保甲，以在城保甲，分東西南北各統之。凡各縣倉工如有遲悮，即以在城保甲，各催在鄉保甲，以在鄉保甲，各催管工人役。不得用公差下鄉，恐滋煩擾。 1. Supervising Baojia: The system of baojia should first be implemented at the prefectural level, with orders given to each county to carry it out. They should take advantage of the winter months when farming is less busy, and urgently supervise and urge progress, carefully following the original review and compilation. The baojia of the four surrounding towns should be managed by the urban baojia, divided into eastern, southern, western, and northern sections for overall supervision. Whenever there is a delay in the construction of granaries in any county, the urban baojia will urge the rural baojia to act, and through them, supervise the laborers responsible for the work. It is not allowed to send official messengers 下乡 (xiāng xiāng) [to go down to the countryside], as this may cause unnecessary disturbances and complications. |
| 6 | 呂坤《積貯條件》曰：穀積在倉，第一怕地濕房漏，第二怕雀入鼠穿。此其防禦，不在人力乎？大凡建倉，擇於城中最高處所。院中地基，務須鏊背。院墻水道，務須多留。凡鄰倉庾居民，不許挑坑聚水。違者罰修倉廒。 Lü Kun's "Conditions for Grain Storage" states: The first concern in storing grain in granaries is damp ground and leaking roofs; the second concern is birds entering and rats burrowing through. Is this kind of defense not dependent on human effort? Generally, when constructing granaries, one should select the highest location within the city. The foundation of the courtyard must be firm and level. Drainage channels along the walls of the courtyard should be abundantly provided. Residents living near granaries are not allowed to dig pits or collect water, as this is prohibited. Those who violate this rule will be punished by being required to repair the granary storerooms. |
| 7 | 一、倉屋根基，須掘地實築。有石者石為根腳，無石者用熟透大磚磨邊對縫，務極嚴匝。厚須三尺，丁橫俱用交磚，做成一家，以防地震。房須寬，寬則積不蒸；須高，高則氣得洩。仰覆瓦，須用白礬水浸，雖連陰彌月，亦不滲漏。梁棟椽柱，務極粗大：應費十金者，費十五二十金。一時無處，固利於苟完，數年即更，實貽之倍費。故善事者一勞永逸，一費永省，究竟較多寡，一費之所省為多也。以室家視倉廒者，當細思之。一、風窗，本為積熱壞穀，而不知雀之為害也。既耗我穀，而又遺之糞，食者甚不宜人。今擬風窗之內，障以竹篾，編孔僅可容指，則雀不能入倉。墻成後，洞開風窗過秋，始得乾透。其地先鋪煤灰五寸，加鋪麥糠五寸，上墁大磚一重。糯米雜信、浸和石灰稠粘，對合磚縫。如木有餘，再加木板一⒈；缺木處所，釘⒎一⒈可也。一、假如倉廒五間，東西稍間，各用板隔斷，與門楣齊。穀止積於四間，留板隔東一間，如常閑空。值六七月久陰氣濕，或新收穀石，生性未除，倘不發洩，必生內熱。州縣官責令管倉人役，將穀自東第三間起，倒入東一間閑空之處，一間倒一間。是滿倉翻轉一遍，熱氣盡洩，本味自全，何紅腐之有？一、太倉禁用燈火。今各倉積柴安灶，全無禁約，萬一火起，何以救之？以後不許仍用。官吏以下飯食，外面吃來，不得已者送飯。冬月但用湯壺。如違重治。一、倉斛：有洪武年間鐵樣，用木邊角以鐵葉固之，以防開縫。仍用印烙其四裏，以防剜穵。但有不係官烙，自作矮身闊口，及小出大入者，坐贓重究。 1. The foundation of the granary buildings must be dug and solidly compacted. Where there is stone, it should serve as the foundation; where there is no stone, large bricks that are thoroughly fired and have their edges ground must be used, with joints precisely aligned to ensure utmost tightness. The thickness should be three chi; both vertical and horizontal bricks must be interlocked in a crisscross pattern, forming an integrated structure to prevent damage from earthquakes. The rooms should be wide; if they are wide, the grain will not become damp and moldy. They must also be high; if they are high, air can circulate freely to release moisture. Roof tiles must be soaked in alum water; even if there is continuous overcast weather for an entire month, they will not leak. Beams, rafters, and pillars must be as thick and sturdy as possible: if ten jin of expense is required, fifteen or twenty jin should be spent. If materials are temporarily unavailable and construction is hastily completed at a lower cost, it may seem advantageous in the short term; however, within several years repairs will be necessary, ultimately resulting in double or greater expenses. Therefore, those who handle matters wisely achieve lasting results with one effort and permanent savings through a single expense. In the long run, when comparing the total costs, the amount saved by this initial investment is substantial. Those who regard granaries as they would their own homes should carefully consider these matters. 1. Ventilation windows are originally intended to prevent heat from spoiling the grain, but people often overlook the damage caused by birds. Birds not only consume our grain but also leave droppings behind; such contamination makes the grain unsuitable for consumption and harmful to people. Now, it is proposed that within the ventilation windows, bamboo strips be installed as barriers, with woven holes just wide enough to allow a finger through. This would prevent birds from entering the granary. After the walls are completed, the ventilation windows should remain open throughout autumn to ensure thorough drying of the structure. First, a five-cun layer of coal ash should be laid on the ground, followed by a five-cun layer of wheat chaff, and then one layer of large bricks should be paved on top. Glutinous rice mixed with lime, soaked until thick and sticky, is used to fill the brick joints. If there is extra timber available, an additional layer of wooden planks can be added; in places where timber is lacking, it suffices to nail wooden strips. 1. For example, if a granary has five rooms, the eastern and western side rooms should each be partitioned off with wooden boards up to the level of the door lintel. Grain is stored in only four rooms, while one room on the east side should be left partitioned and kept empty as usual. During June or July, if the weather remains overcast and humid for a long time, or when newly harvested grain is still prone to moisture retention, failure to release this dampness will inevitably lead to internal heat buildup. The local officials should order the granary staff to transfer the grain, starting from the third room on the east side, into the empty space of the first eastern room, moving one room at a time. This way, the entire granary's grain is turned over once, allowing all heat to dissipate and preserving its original quality—how could there be any red rot? 1. The use of open flames or fire is strictly prohibited in the main granary (Tai Cang). Currently, firewood and stoves are stored freely within various granaries without any restrictions. If a fire were to break out, how could it be extinguished? From now on, such practices must not continue. Officials and staff should eat their meals outside the granary; if absolutely necessary, food may be brought in for them to eat. During winter months, only soup pots (tang hu) are allowed to be used. Those who violate this rule shall be severely punished. 1. Granary measuring containers (cang hu): There are iron templates from the Hongwu era, with wooden edges reinforced by iron plates to prevent gaps from forming. They should also be stamped on all four sides with an official seal mark to prevent tampering or carving. Anyone who uses containers not officially stamped, which are made with a short body and wide mouth for the purpose of measuring less when giving out grain and more when receiving it, shall be punished as if committing embezzlement. |
| 8 | 附：筍粥法：《吳興掌故》雲：「嚐見山僧作筍粥，幽尚可愛。」又云：「山僧煮筍用大塊，云薄則味脫。大塊久煮令軟，其味自全。」贊寧寄問天目舊友「山中所出」？伊僧報詩云：「山中人事違，天眼中修定。我本無根株，只將筍為命。」但筍亦有毒，須用或茱萸醬制之。一說滑利大腸，而益于肺，謂之「刮腸笓」。一雲：「竹實少陽之氣，而剋脾土。」 Appendix: Method for Bamboo Shoot Porridge: According to "Wuxing Zhanggu": "I once saw mountain monks making bamboo shoot porridge, which was refined and delightful." It also says: "Mountain monks cook bamboo shoots in large pieces, saying that if they are too thin, the flavor will escape." Large pieces should be boiled for a long time until tender; their flavor is thus preserved intact." Zan Ning sent a message to his old friend at Tianmu asking, "What are the local products of the mountains?" The monk replied with a poem: "In the mountain, worldly affairs are left behind; in the eyes of heaven, cultivation and meditation proceed." "I have no roots or lineage myself; I rely solely on bamboo shoots for my sustenance." However, bamboo shoots can also be toxic and must be prepared with either prickly ash (zhi yu) or preserved in soy sauce to neutralize the toxicity. Another saying is that bamboo shoots are slippery and beneficial for the large intestine, and they benefit the lungs; thus, they are called "Gut-Scraping Bamboo Shoots" (gu chang su). Another view states: "Bamboo shoots embody the lesser yang qi, which can suppress the earth element of the spleen." |
| 9 | 淡黃齏煮粥法：取菜洗淨，貯缸中。用麥⒏入滾熱水調極薄漿，澆菜上，以石壓之，不用鹽滲。六七日後，菜變黃色，味有微酸，便成黃齏矣。此後，但以菜投入齏汁中，便可作齏，更不復用⒏。取齏切碎，齏米相兼，煮粥食之，每米二升，可當三升之用。用蕪菁為之，獨可當米。雖不及純米飬人，充塞飢腸，聊以免死，亦儉歲節縮之一法也。往從陽羨山中野人家得此法，念其可以度荒，每用語人。且如此用菜，菜之用益弘。穀不熟曰饑，菜不熟曰饉。古人饑饉並言，良有以也。 Method for making light yellow vegetable porridge: Wash the vegetables thoroughly and store them in a jar. Add wheat bran into boiling water to make a very thin paste, pour it over the vegetables, press them down with a stone, and no salt is needed for fermentation. After six or seven days, the vegetables turn yellow in color and develop a slightly sour taste; this is when they become yellow pickled vegetables (huang ji). Afterward, simply add fresh vegetables into the existing brine; they can then be pickled without needing additional bran. Take some of the pickled vegetables, chop them into small pieces, mix with rice, and cook porridge. For every two sheng of rice, this method can provide enough for three sheng's worth of food. When using turnips (wu jing) to make the dish, they alone are sufficient to substitute for rice. Although it is not as nourishing as pure rice, it can fill an empty stomach and help prevent starvation; this method serves as one way to conserve resources during lean years. I once learned this method from a rural family in the Yangxian mountains; I have always shared it with others, thinking that it could help people survive during times of famine. Moreover, using vegetables in this way significantly enhances their utility. A year of poor grain harvest is called "ji," while a year of poor vegetable harvest is termed "xin." Ancients often mentioned both "ji" and "xin" together, which indeed has good reason. |
| 10 | 辟穀方：用黃蠟炒粳米充饑，食胡桃肉即解。 Method for fasting without grain: Use yellow wax to fry polished rice as a substitute for food; eating the flesh of walnuts will relieve hunger. |
| 11 | 千金方：蜜二斤，白⒏六斤，香油二斤，茯苓四兩，甘草二兩，生四兩，去皮乾二兩，炮為末，拌勻搗為塊子。蒸熟陰乾為末，絹袋盛。每服一匙，冷水調下，可待百日。玄扈先生曰：「未必然。」 Qianjin Fang: Take two jin of honey, six jin of wheat bran (possibly a typo for "white bran"), two jin of sesame oil, four liang of Poria cocos (Fu Ling), two liang of licorice root (Gan Cao), four liang of raw rhubarb (Sheng Da Huang) with the peel removed and dried, and two liang of another herb or ingredient. Roast them into powder, mix evenly, and pound into small blocks. Steam until cooked, air-dry in the shade, grind into a fine powder, and store it in a silk bag. Take one spoonful at a time, mixed with cold water; this preparation can sustain someone for 100 days. Master Xuanhu said: "Not necessarily." |
| 12 | 生服松柏葉法：用茯苓、骨碎補、杏仁、甘草，搗羅為末，取生葉蘸水袞藥末同食，香美。 Method for eating raw pine and cypress leaves: Take Poria cocos (Fu ling), Drynariae Fructus (Gu su bu), apricot kernels (Xing ren), licorice root (Gan cao), pound them into a powder, take fresh leaves, dip in water, roll the leaf with the powdered medicine, and eat together; it is fragrant and delicious. |
| 13 | 食草木葉法：用杜仲、醋鹽炒，去絲。茯苓、甘草、荊芥，等分為末，糊丸如桐子大。每服數丸，細嚼，即吃草木，可以充飢。止有竹葉惡草不可食。嚐見苦行僧人入山耽靜，必炒鹽入竹筒攜往。云食草葉有毒，惟鹽可解。玄扈先生曰：或云，先食碧芸草，則草木葉皆可食。 Method for eating leaves of herbs and trees: Use Du Zhong (Eucommia bark), stir-fried with vinegar and salt, remove the fibers. Mix Poria cocos (Fu ling) , licorice root (Gancao), and Schizonepeta tenuifolia (Jingjie) in equal portions into a powder, make pills with paste as large as Chinese persimmon seeds. Take several pills at each dose, chew them carefully, and then eat the leaves of grasses or trees; this can help satisfy hunger. Only bamboo leaves and certain noxious weeds are inedible. I once saw ascetic monks entering the mountains for meditation; they always carried salt that had been stir-fried and stored in bamboo tubes. They said that eating leaves of certain grasses can be toxic, but only salt can neutralize the poison. Master Xuanhu said: Some say that if one first eats Qinghao (Artemisia annua, also known as Qing Hao or "Biyuncao"), then the leaves of all grasses and trees can be safely consumed. |
| 14 | 食生黃豆法：取槿樹葉同生黃豆嚼之，味不作嘔，可以下咽。每日食豆二三合，可度一日。 Method for eating raw yellow soybeans: Take Hibiscus leaves and chew them together with raw yellow beans; the taste will not cause nausea, making it possible to swallow. Eating two or three ge of soybeans per day is enough to sustain one for a whole day. |
| 15 | 服白滾水法：水經百滾煎熬，亦能補人。曾在嚴陵，見衲僧枯坐深崖，多積山柴，每日煎服沸水數碗，棗數枚，芝麻合許，可百日不死。 Method of drinking boiled water: Water that has been repeatedly boiled and simmered can also nourish the body. I once visited Yanling and saw a monk meditating in deep cliffs, with a large accumulation of mountain firewood. He boiled several bowls of boiling water each day, ate a few dates, and consumed about one ge of sesame seeds; he could survive for 100 days without dying. |
| 16 | 療垂死飢人法：邊海有失風船，飄至塘。船中人餓將絕者，急與食，往往狼吞致死。有煮稀粥潑桌上，令饑人漸漸吮食之，盡生。饑腸微細，不堪頓食也。 Method to treat a starving person on the brink of death: Along the coast, there are ships that have lost their way due to storms and drift ashore. Those aboard who are starving on the verge of death should not be fed immediately, as they often swallow too quickly and die from it. Some people prepare thin porridge, pour it onto a table, and let the starving person slowly lick it up; this method has saved lives. The stomachs of the starving are weak and cannot tolerate sudden large meals. |
| 17 | 救水中凍死人法：凡隆冬冒冰雪，或入水中凍死。急取綿絮蓋煖，用熱灰鋪心臍間，可活。若遽用火烘炙，逼冷氣入內，多不能生。 Method to rescue people frozen to death in water: In severe winter, when someone is exposed to snow and ice or falls into cold water and freezes to death. Quickly cover them with cotton wadding for warmth, and spread hot ashes over the area around their navel; this can revive them. If one hastily uses fire to roast or warm them, forcing cold air inward, it often results in death. |
| 18 | 長史卞同序《救荒本草》曰：植物之生於天地間，莫不各有所用高識人。苟不見諸載籍，雖老農老圃，亦不能盡識。而可亨可芼者，皆躪藉於牛、羊、鹿、豕而已。自神農氏品嚐草木，辨其寒溫甘苦之性，作為醫藥，以濟人之夭劄，後世賴以延生。而本草書中所載，多伐病之物，而於可茹以充腹者，則未之及也。敬惟周王殿下，體仁遵義，孳孳為善，凡可以濟人利物之事，無不留意。嘗讀《孟子》書，至於「五穀不熟，不如荑稗」。因念林林總總之民，不幸罹於旱澇，五穀不熟，則可以療饑者，恐不止荑稗而已也。苟能知悉，而載諸方冊，俾不得已而求食者，不惑甘苦于荼薺，取昌陽，棄烏喙，因得以裨五穀之缺，則豈不為救荒之一助哉？於是購田夫野老，得甲坼勾萌者四百餘種，植於一圃，躬自閱視。俟其滋長成熟，迺召畫工繪之為圖，仍疏其花實根幹皮葉之可食者，⒌次為書一帙，名曰《救荒本草》，命臣同為之序。臣惟人情，於飽食暖衣之際，多不以凍餒為虞，一旦遇患難，則莫知所措，惟付之於無可奈何。說盡世人情故治己治人，鮮不失所。今殿下處富貴之尊，保有邦域，於無可虞度之時，乃能念生民萬一或有之患，深得古聖賢安不忘危之旨，不亦善乎？神農品嘗草木，以療斯民之疾；殿下區別草木，欲濟斯民之饑，同一仁心之用也。雖然今天下方樂雍熙泰和之治，禾麥產瑞，家給人足，不必論及於荒政。而殿下亦豈忍睹斯民仰食於草木哉！是編之作，蓋欲辨載嘉植，不沒其用，期與《圖經本草》並傳于後世。庶幾萍實有徵，而凡可以亨芼者，得不躪藉于牛羊鹿豕，苟或見用於荒歲，其及人之功利，又非藥石所可擬也。尚慮四方所產之多，不能盡錄，補其未備，則有俟於後日云。 Changshi Bian Tongxu's "Jiu Hua Ben Cao" (The Herbal for Disaster Relief) says: All plants that grow in the world each have their own uses High Shi Ren. If they are not recorded in written sources, even experienced farmers and horticulturists cannot fully recognize them. And those that can be cooked or used as vegetables are all known only through the grazing of cattle, sheep, deer, and pigs. Since the Divine Farmer (Shennong) tasted herbs and plants, distinguishing their cold, warm, sweet, or bitter properties to use as medicine for healing people from illness and injury, future generations have relied on this knowledge to prolong life. However, many entries in herbal medicine books focus on substances used for treating diseases, and rarely mention those that can be eaten to satisfy hunger. We respectfully consider the Royal Prince of Zhou, who embodies benevolence and upholds righteousness, diligently pursuing good deeds. Any matter that can benefit people or be useful to others is something he pays close attention to. He once read the Book of Mencius, and when he came upon the passage "If five grains do not ripen, it is better to use weeds like tibi,". He then thought of the countless people who, unfortunately suffer from drought or flood and face a failure of the five grains; in such cases, there must be more than just tibi and bai that can relieve hunger. If one can thoroughly understand these plants and record them in books, then those who are forced to seek food out of necessity will not be confused by the bitterness or sweetness of herbs like tea and qi. They would know which ones to take (like changyang) and which to discard (like wuhui), thereby compensating for the lack of the five grains. Would this not serve as a great aid in disaster relief? Thus, he sought out farmers and old men from the countryside, obtaining over four hundred types of plants with sprouting shoots or cracked shells. He planted them in one garden and personally inspected them. After they grew and matured, he summoned painters to create illustrations of them. He also described in detail the flowers, fruits, roots, stems, bark, and leaves that were edible, arranging these into a book titled "Jiu Hua Bencao" (The Herbal for Disaster Relief), and ordered me to write its preface. I believe that human nature, when in a state of having enough food and warm clothing, often does not worry about freezing or starving. But once misfortune strikes, people are at a loss for what to do, left with nothing but helplessness. This captures the essence of human sentiment among ordinary people Therefore, those who govern themselves or others rarely fail to find their proper place. Now, Your Highness, in the position of wealth and honor, safeguarding your domain, is able to think ahead about possible hardships that may befall the people during times when there seems no cause for concern. This deeply reflects the principle of ancient sages who never forgot danger even in times of peace—this is not admirable? Shennong tasted herbs and plants to cure the illnesses of the people; Your Highness distinguishes among grasses and trees in order to relieve their hunger—this is but one manifestation of benevolence. Although today the world enjoys a peaceful and harmonious administration, with grains bearing auspicious harvests and every household well-provided for, it may seem unnecessary to discuss policies for disaster relief. Yet how could Your Highness bear the thought of seeing the people relying on grasses and trees for sustenance! The purpose of compiling this work is to identify and record useful plants, ensuring their value is not forgotten, with the hope that it will be passed down alongside "Tu Jing Ben Cao" (Illustrated Classic of Materia Medica) for future generations. May this work serve as evidence of the value of these plants, so that all those which can be cooked or eaten will no longer need to rely on cattle, sheep, deer and pigs for their discovery. Should they ever come into use during years of famine, the benefit they bring to people would far surpass that of medicine or stones. We still fear that many plants produced in different regions cannot be fully recorded here; future supplementation to complete what is lacking will have to await the efforts of later generations. |
| 19 | 僉事李濂序重刻《救荒本草》曰：《淮南子》曰：「神農嘗百草之滋味，一日而七十毒」，由是《本草》興焉。實心實語陶隱居、徐之才、陳藏器、日華子、唐慎微之徒，代有演述，皆為療病也。嗣後孟詵有《食療本草》，陳士良有《食性本草》，皆因飲饌以調攝人，非為救荒也。《救荒本草》二卷，乃永樂間周藩集錄而刻之者，今亡其板。濂家食時，訪求善本，自汴攜來。晉臺按察使石岡蔡公，見而嘉之，以告於巡撫都御史蒙齊畢公。公曰：「是有裨荒政者。」乃下令刊布，命濂序之。按《周禮》大司徒以荒政十二聚萬民，五曰舍禁。夫舍禁者，謂舍其虞澤之厲禁，縱民采取以濟饑也。若沿江瀕湖諸郡邑，皆有魚蝦螺蜆菱芡茭藻之饒，饑者猶有賴焉。齊梁秦晉之墟，平原坦野，彌望千里。一遇大侵，而鵠形鳥面之殍，枕藉於道路。吁可悲已！後漢永興二年，詔令郡國種蕪菁以助食。然五方之風氣異宜，而物產之形質異狀，名⒌既繁，真贗難別。使不圖列而詳說之，鮮有不以虺床當蘼蕪，薺苨亂人參者，其弊至於殺人，此《救荒本草》之所以作也。是書有圖有說，圖以肖其形，說以著其用。首言產生之壤，同異之名；次言寒熱之性，甘苦之味；終言淘浸烹煮蒸曬調和之法。草木野菜，凡四百一十四種。見舊本草者，一百三十八種，新增者二百七十六種雲。或遇荒歲，按圖而求之，隨地皆有，無艱得者。苟如法采食，可以活命。是書也，有功於生民大矣。昔李文靖為相，每奏對常以四方水旱為言。範文正為江淮宣撫使，見民以野草煮食，即奏而獻之。畢蔡二公刊布之盛心，其類是夫！ Qianshi Li Lian's preface to the reprinted edition of "Jiu Hua Bencao" says: The "Huainanzi" states, "Shennong tasted the flavors of a hundred herbs and encountered poison seventy times in one day." From this, the tradition of herbal medicine arose. Sincere words and earnest intent Tao Yinju, Xu Zhicai, Chen Cangqi, Rihua Zi, Tang Shenwei and others followed in successive generations, all elaborating on herbal medicine for the purpose of curing diseases. Later, Meng Shen compiled the "Shiliao Bencao" (Herbal for Dietary Therapy), and Chen Shiliang wrote the "Shixing Bencao" (Herbal on Food Properties). These works focused on using food to regulate health, not for disaster relief. The two-volume "Jiu Hua Bencao" was compiled and printed by the Zhou Prince during the Yongle period, but its printing blocks have now been lost. While at home dining, Lian sought out a good copy and brought it back from Bian. Shan Tai Ancha Shi Shigang, Cai Gong, upon seeing it, praised the work and informed the Xunfu Duyushi Meng Qi Bishi Gong. The official said: "This is indeed beneficial for policies of disaster relief." He then ordered it to be published and instructed Lian to write a preface for it. According to the "Rites of Zhou," the Grand Tutor used twelve policies for disaster relief to gather the people, and the fifth was to lift prohibitions. To "lift prohibitions" means to remove restrictions on hunting and fishing in royal domains, allowing the people to gather resources for relief from hunger. In all towns and counties along rivers and lakes, there are abundant fish, shrimp, clams, mussels, water chestnuts, lotus seeds, reeds, and algae; the starving still have resources to rely on. The plains of Qi, Liang, Qin, and Jin are vast and level, stretching for thousands of miles as far as the eye can see. In times of great famine, emaciated corpses with hollow eyes and bird-like faces lie piled up along the roadsides. How tragic! In the second year of Yongxing during the Later Han dynasty, an imperial edict ordered all commanderies and states to plant wujing (turnips) as a supplement for food. However, the suitability of plants varies with regional climates and conditions; their appearances and properties differ greatly. With so many names and forms, it is difficult to distinguish genuine from false ones. If these plants are not illustrated and described in detail, few will avoid confusing huichuang with miwu or qini with ginseng. Such mistakes can be fatal—this is why the "Jiu Hua Bencao" was written. This book contains both illustrations and descriptions; the illustrations depict their forms, while the descriptions explain their uses. It first discusses the soil in which they grow and their various names; next, it describes their cold or hot properties and sweet or bitter flavors; finally, it explains methods of washing, soaking, cooking, boiling, steaming, drying, and seasoning. There are a total of 414 kinds of wild herbs and vegetables. Of these, 138 species appear in previous herbal texts, while 276 are newly added. In times of famine, one can refer to the illustrations and find them locally; they are everywhere available without difficulty. If collected and consumed according to these methods, people may survive. This book has rendered great service to the people's survival. In the past, Li Wenjing served as a chancellor and often mentioned droughts and floods in various regions during his court presentations. Fan Wenzheng, when serving as the Xuanfu Shi (pacification commissioner) of Jianghuai, saw people boiling and eating wild grasses; he immediately reported this to the court and presented samples. The earnest efforts of these two officials, Bi Gong and Cai Gong, in publishing this work are similar! |
| 20 | 卷，乃永樂間周藩集錄而刻之者，今亡其板。濂家食時，訪求善本，自汴攜來。晉台按察使石岡蔡公，見而嘉之，以告於巡撫都御史蒙齊畢公。公曰：「是有裨荒政者。」乃下令刊布，命濂序之。按《周禮》大司徒以荒政十二聚萬民，五曰舍禁。夫舍禁者，謂舍其虞澤之厲禁，縱民采取以濟饑也。若沿江瀕湖諸郡邑，皆有魚蝦螺蜆菱芡茭藻之饒，饑者猶有賴焉。齊梁秦晉之墟，平原坦野，彌望千里。一遇大侵，而鵠形鳥麵之殍，枕藉於道路。籲可悲已！後漢永興二年，詔令郡國種蕪菁以助食。然五方之風氣異宜，而物產之形質異狀，名⒌既繁，真贗難別。使不圖列而詳說之，鮮有不以虺床當蘼蕪，薺苨亂人參者，其弊至於殺人，此《救荒本草》之所以作也。是書有圖有說，圖以肖其形，說以著其用。首言產生之壤，同異之名；次言寒熱之性，甘苦之味；終言淘浸烹煮蒸曬調和之法。草木野菜，凡四百一十四種。見舊本草者，一百三十八種，新增者二百七十六種雲。或遇荒歲，按圖而求之，隨地皆有，無艱得者。苟如法采食，可以活命。是書也，有功於生民大矣。昔李文靖為相，每奏對常以四方水旱為言。範文正為江淮宣撫使，見民以野草煮食，即奏而獻之。畢蔡二公刊布之盛心，其類是夫！ This volume was compiled and printed by the Prince of Zhou during the Yongle era; however, its printing blocks have been lost to this day. While at home dining, I sought out a fine copy and brought it from Bian. Shan Tai Ancha Shi, Shigang Cai Gong, saw it and praised the work, then reported it to Xunfu Duyushi Mong Qi Bi Gong. The official said: "This is indeed beneficial for disaster relief policies." He then issued an order to publish it and instructed me, Lian, to write a preface. According to the "Rites of Zhou," the Grand Tutor used twelve disaster relief policies to gather the people, one of which was "removing prohibitions." "Removing prohibitions" means lifting restrictions on royal hunting and fishing grounds, allowing the people to collect resources freely in order to relieve hunger. In towns and counties along rivers or near lakes, there are always abundant fish, shrimp, mussels, clams, water chestnuts, lotuses, reeds, and aquatic plants; the starving still have something to rely on. The plains of Qi, Liang Qin, and Jin are level and vast, stretching for thousands upon thousands of miles as the eye can see. In times of great famine, corpses with hollow eyes and gaunt faces like birds lie piled up along roadsides. How tragic! In the second year of the Yongxing era during the Later Han dynasty, a decree was issued ordering all commanderies and states to cultivate wujing (a type of turnip) as an aid for food. However, the suitability varies with different regional climates and conditions, while the forms and properties of local produce differ greatly. With so many complex names, it is difficult to distinguish between genuine and false ones. If these are not illustrated and explained in detail, it is rare for people to avoid confusing huichuang (a plant) with miwu or qini (another plant) with ginseng; such mistakes can lead to fatal consequences. This is precisely why the "Jiu Hua Bencao" was written. This book contains both illustrations and explanations; the illustrations depict their appearances, while the explanations clarify their uses. It first discusses the soil where they grow and their similar or different names; next, it explains their cold or hot natures and sweet or bitter tastes; finally, it details methods of washing, soaking, boiling, steaming, sun-drying, and seasoning. There are a total of four hundred and fourteen kinds of herbs, vegetables, and wild plants. Of these, one hundred and thirty-eight species appear in older herbal texts, while two hundred and seventy-six are newly added. In times of famine, by referring to the illustrations one can find them anywhere; they are readily available without difficulty. If collected and consumed according to the methods described, people may be saved from death. This book has rendered a great service to the lives of the common people. In the past, when Li Wenjing served as chancellor, he often mentioned floods and droughts in various regions during court audiences. Fan Wenzheng served as the Pacification Commissioner of Jianghuai and, upon seeing people boiling wild grasses for food, immediately reported it to the court and submitted samples. The earnest efforts of the two officials, Bi Gong and Cai Kong, in publishing this book are indeed similar! |
| 21 | 《救荒本草》總目 General Table of Contents for "Jiu Hua Bencao" |
| 22 | 草木野菜等共四百一十四種，出本草一百三十八種，新增二百七十六種。草部二百四十五種木部八十種 There are a total of 413 kinds of herbs, wild vegetables, etc. Of these, 138 appear in existing herbal texts and 276 have been newly added. Herbs: 245 kinds; Trees: 80 kinds |
| 23 | 米穀部二十種果部二十三種菜部四十六種葉可食二百三十七種 Grains and Rice: 20 kinds; Fruits: 23 kinds; Vegetables: 46 kinds; Leaves that are edible: 237 kinds |
| 24 | 實可食六十一種葉及實皆可食四十三種根可食二十八種根葉可食一十六種 Fruits that can be eaten: 61 kinds; Plants with both edible leaves and fruits: 43 kinds; Roots that can be eaten: 28 kinds; Plants with edible roots and leaves: 16 kinds |
| 25 | 根及實皆可食五種根筍可食三種根及花可食二種花可食五種 Plants with both edible roots and fruits: 5 kinds; Plants with edible root sprouts: 3 kinds; Plants with edible roots or flowers: 2 kinds; Flowers that can be eaten: 5 kinds |
| 26 | 花葉可食五種花葉及實皆可食二種葉皮及實皆可食二種莖可食三種 Plants with edible flowers and leaves: 5 kinds; Plants where flowers, leaves, and fruits are all edible: 2 kinds; Plants where leaves, bark, and fruits can be eaten: 2 kinds; Stems that can be eaten: 3 kinds |
| 27 | 筍可食一種 Shoots that can be eaten: 1 kind |
| 28 | 筍及實皆可食一種 Plants where shoots and fruits are both edible: 1 kind |
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