Abstract
Olivier Guyonvarch : Agricultural Tools in Fourteenth-Century China in the Light of Wang Zhen 's Nongshu. This paper is a partial and annotated translation of the chapters (juan ) describing agricultural tools in the Agricultural Treatise of Wang Zhen. This study is not philological or litterary, but resolutely technical. The author is dealing with agronomical relevance of the text, compared with present knowledge. The tools that axe chosen are the most representative and of the most interest for non-specialist readers : the plow for plowing ; hoes, harrows, and rolls to prepare the seed-bed ; the drill ; small hoes and rakes for weeding ; knifes, scythes, and cradle-scythes for harvesting. Readers have thus an access to the technical environment of the Chinese peasant In other respect, the text presents clearly the specialization of the tools and die way of using them, according as they are used in dry farming or in irrigated paddy-fields.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
