SinceMing DynastyPreviously, there have been many times in Chinese history that "smallIce AgeEach appearance was accompanied by the change of dynasties and the sharp decline of the population. However, inMing Dynastyperiod, this "small."Ice Age"The most extreme cold levels have been reached, and China 300 years ago has been plunged into a freezing and snowy situation.
1. Nanjing and Guangzhou under the cold
According to the records of the "History of the Ming Dynasty and the Five Elements", Nanjing is one of the four major furnace cities in China. However, inMing DynastyDuring this period, the winter in Nanjing became extremely cold, and the river even froze for several days, which was even colder than the current Northeast region. Similarly, Guangzhou, a southern city, is no exception. According to theGuangdong TongzhiIn 1506 A.D., there were thousands of miles of snow in Guangzhou, and the snow in the territory reached several feet thick, and the snow line even reachedHainan IslandTo the north, the frozen sight is incredible.
2. Disasters caused by extreme cold
ColdWeatherNot only does it make people feel extremely cold, but it also causes great damage to crops and livestock. Extreme coldWeatherThe devastating blow to the next crops, often followed by a cold spell and drought, has led to a significant reduction in food production. At the same time, livestock used for cultivation froze to death in the bitter cold environment, and were given to ordinary peoplelifeIt has caused a huge amount of trouble. In addition, since the river and land routes were almost frozen, transportation was severely hindered, the flow of goods was slow, and the emperor's edicts were difficult to convey, further exacerbating social instability.
3. Population decline and dynastic change
Every time "small."Ice AgeThe emergence of "" is almost always accompanied by a sharp decline in population and the change of dynasties. According to historical records,The end of the Eastern Han DynastyBy the early years of the Western Jin Dynasty, the population had been reduced to more than 7 million. WhileMing Dynastyperiod, the population even decreased by more than half. This extreme coldWeatherIt not only brought people's cold and hardship, but also caused social order to be unstable, and social turmoil such as peasant uprisings continued to occur.
Although it was subject to severe coldWeatherbut the ancients still tried their best to resist the cold. 《Qi Min wants to be skilledrecords some of the methods adopted by the ancients, such as the smoking method, the soil cultivation method, and the wrapping method. The fumigation method uses smoke from combustibles to weaken the ground cold air radiation and raise the temperature. The soil cultivation method is to thicken the soil layer on the crops to keep them warm. The wrapping rule is to wrap trees such as fruit trees with warm items. These temporary means can help people get through the times of urgency.
However, these manpower methods are only a temporary need and cannot solve the long-term extreme coldWeatherIssue. In the extreme coldWeatherMany plants and fruit trees cannot be planted because they cannot adapt to the environmentCottonand other crop yields decreased, ** to peoplelifeBrought even greater difficulties.
SmallIce AgeThe emergence of not only brought people a hugelifeThe difficulties have also had a profound impact on Chinese society and history. Every time there is a "smallIce AgeAll of them were accompanied by the change of dynasties, the sharp decline of the population and social unrest. Ming Dynastyperiod due to the "smallIce Age"Bring the coldWeather, which has had a serious impact on the country's economic and political stability. As a result of reduced crop yields and obstructed transportation, the fiscal revenues of the state treasury have decreased, and the country's fiscal situation has deteriorated. At the same time, social unrest such as peasant uprisings continued to occur, and social order was turbulent.
Other than that, coldWeatherAlso to the peopleHealthIt made a huge impact. People are susceptible to cold diseases such as frostbiteChilblainsWait. The occurrence of frostbite not only harms people's bodies, but also puts a certain amount of pressure on social security.
This history has also left us with a lot to reflect on. Climate change is an issue that cannot be ignored, especiallyGlobal warmingThe impact is even more severe. We need to recognize the impact of climate change on humanitylifeand the huge impact of social development, take corresponding measures to reduce the risk of disasters caused by climate change and protect the ecological environment of the earth. At the same time, it is also necessary to learn from the wisdom of the ancients and find better ways to adapt and cope with extreme climates.