Henan Flood And Disaster Relief In Late Ming Dynasty－A Case Study Of Zhong Huamin Relieving

• Main Authors: Hui-ChenChan, 詹慧貞
• Other Authors: pan Ku
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2014
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/2y5s7j

碩士 === 國立成功大學 === 歷史學系 === 102 === Henan Flood and Disaster Relief in Late Ming Dynasty – A Case Study of Zhong Huamin Relieving Chan Hui-Chen Ku Pan Institute of history ＆ College of liberal arts SUMMARY The purpose of this paper was mainly to explore the situation of Henan flood and Zhong Huamin’s disaster relief in late Ming Dynasty. Firstly, it explained the background and reasons of the frequent occurrence of Henan floods in late Ming Dynasty from the aspects of natural environment and human policies, to understand the importance of Henan disaster relief measures. Secondly, it focused on the instances of Zhong Huamin Relief in Henan in 1594 to try to explain Zhong Huamin’s relief measures and contribution through analysis of Zhong Huamin’s academic thought, official deeds and relief cause as well as the discrimination between “Henan Relief Record” and “Disaster Drawings”. Finally, it discussed the issues of system and rule of man as well as the characteristics of civil power participation in disaster relief in late Ming Dynasty based on the process of Zhong Huamin’s relief and further explored the shaping and impact of Zhong Huamin’s relief model in late Ming and early Qing Dynasty. Key words: Zhong Huamin; late Ming Dynasty; Henan flood; disaster relief; relief INTRODUCTION In this study, the subject of three structures. First, explore the natural and human factors in the late Ming Henan floods. The second is to understand the situation of coping with famine relief to the famine of the late Ming government wishes to focus on Zhong Huamin’s relief. By finishing Zhong Huamin’ biography understanding related their thoughts and relief cause of, and identify “Henan Relief Record” and “Disaster Drawings” ,the purpose and content of the author. The third is to explore issues related to the late Ming Zhong Huamin disaster has set a model for the famine relief. MATERIALS AND METHODS In this paper, research methods, combining history, geography, water conservancy, politics, economics and other disciplines. Will be collected from the literature, and further to compare, summarize, integrated approach for analysis and verification. Use of the information, the historical interpretation by comparison, using the official historical, local county, memorial to the throne, notes, contemporary articles, etc., in order to objective statement late Ming Henan effectiveness of flood and famine relief. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Henan floods happened frequently in late Ming Dynasty. In terms of natural factors, there were effects of Henan geography, climatic factors, and Yellow River aqueous change; as for human factors, there were an attitude of the Ming Dynasty’s taking Mausoleum protection for Yellow River governance, as well as frequent replacement of governing officer, onerous labor taxes, poor maintenance of irrigation, and other issues. Thus, though the frequent occurrence of Henan floods in late Ming Dynasty might by caused by inevitable natural disasters, they were more impacted by human policy failures and social and cultural backgrounds. Henan century flood in 1593 caused countless casualties, Ming Shen-tsung sent Zhong Huamin to relieve the flood as Yang Dongming’s recommendation. Relief process was documented in “Henan Relief Record” and “Disaster Drawings”. The layout and content of the two were compared for analysis of the similarities and differences and collation of Zhong Huamin’s academic thought and official deeds in order to better understand Zhong Huamin’s relief actions and thoughts. With the spirit of statecraft, Zhong Huamin stressed assessing officials strictly, did everything in person, and patrolled disaster areas diligently in the relief process. In addition to relieve in disaster, he also stressed post-disaster pension measures and actively advocated ideas of preparing for natural disasters. Because of Zhong Huamin’s properties of being upright and honest and caring for people, he could successfully relieve Henan and hereby made all victims survive. The impact of officialdom on the effectiveness of disaster relief was known through Zhong Huamin’s relief initiative. In addition, the effectiveness of official disaster relief in late Ming Dynasty was ineffective due to the influence of officialdom and financial scarcity, and civil power was invoked to participate in disaster relief, forming a major feature of disaster relief in late Ming Dynasty. Therefore, through the comparison of the similarities and differences of the characteristics of Zhong Huamin’s disaster relief in late Ming Dynasty, the reasons of Zhong Huamin’s successful relief were revealed, which lied in adjusting relief methods and strategies advance with the times, in addition to personal characteristics. Thus, Zhong Huamin’s relief experience became the discussion subject for disaster relief literature in Ming and Qing dynasties as well as a model for disaster relief of future generations. CONCLUSION Despite the late Ming Dynasty Henan floods affect their natural, geographical factors, then the policy of the Ming Dynasty human factors, resulting in Henan is a major factor in the frequent floods. In particular, in late Ming Dynasty river policy and river official appointment, poor maintenance of irrigation, land development and other issues most critical. After the famine occurred, officials if relief efforts, you can minimize the impact of the famine. But in late Ming Dynasty official corruption, leading to the disaster the people, not only in order to get relief without resources, have more burdensome taxes, no wonder displaced persons, thieves after another, leading to the Ming Dynasty peasant uprising also resulting. Therefore, take the lead as the Zhong Huamin so diligent affairs, relief officials, in fact, the only commendable. If the late Ming officialdom could be more of the people like Zhong Huamin , and less of people like Yang Wenju , then the people in case of famine, though, still can survive. So the ancients made: from the natural disasters, man-made disasters followed. The truth can get a positive verification in famine relief in the late Ming.