"Jingtian" redirects here. For the actress, see Jing Tian.
The well-field system (Chinese: 井田制度; pinyin: jǐngtián zhìdù) was a Chinese land redistribution method existing between the ninth century BCE (late Western Zhou dynasty) to around the Warring States period. Though Mencius describes examples from the Xia and Shang dynasties, these could be mythological or imagined.[1] The name comes from Chinese character 井 (jǐng), which means 'well' and looks like the # symbol; this character represents the theoretical appearance of land division: a square area of land was divided into nine identically sized sections; the eight outer sections (私田; sītián) were privately cultivated by farmers, or nong in Chinese, one of the occupations of the four occupations system; and the center section (公田; gōngtián) was communally cultivated on behalf of the government, or in some cases, the landowning aristocrat or Duke.[2][3]
The brown border between the farms resembles the character for well (井)
While all fields were government- or aristocrat-owned, the private fields were managed exclusively by farmers and the produce was entirely the farmers'. It was only produce from the communal fields, worked on by all eight families, that went to the government for famine distribution or the aristocrats and which, in turn, could go to the king as tribute.
However, in Mencius it is said that all people in office got 50 mu (about half an acre).[4]
As part of a larger fengjian system, the well-field system became strained in the Spring and Autumn period[5] as kinship ties between aristocrats became meaningless.[6] When the system became economically untenable in the Warring States period, it was replaced by a system of private land ownership.[7] It was first suspended in the state of Qin by Shang Yang and other states soon followed suit, though King Hui of Wei and King Xuan of Qi did think about restoring it after Mencius talked to them. They ultimately did not. [8]
As part of the "turning the clock back" reformations by Wang Mang during the short-lived Xin dynasty, the system was restored temporarily[9] and renamed to the King's Fields (王田; wángtián). The practice was more-or-less ended by the Song dynasty, but scholars like Zhang Zai and Su Xun were enthusiastic about its restoration invoking Mencius's frequent praise of the system.[10]
It is mentioned in the book of rites and it is said most anciently that the farmers only had to work the government fields 3 days a year; though it is unknown as to whether this is true, it is also said that the most ancient had houses given away, and 3 days was all that was required. In addition, it was stated the market of the goods would not be taxed; only a small fee for a stall, and travelers weren't taxed. It is later said in other texts that taxes were put on the market goods when a merchant was looking from side to side and people thought he was plotting.[11][12]
^Confucius (2016-08-29). Delphi Collected Works of Confucius - Four Books and Five Classics of Confucianism (Illustrated). Delphi Classics. ISBN978-1-78656-052-0.
Bloom, I. (1999), "The evolution of Confucian tradition in antiquity", in De Bary, William Theodore; Chan, Wing-tsit; Lufrano, Richard John; et al. (eds.), Sources of Chinese Tradition, vol. 2, New York: Columbia University Press
Lewis, Mark Edward (2006), The Construction of Space in Early China, Albany: State University of New York Press
Zhufu, Fu (1981), "The economic history of China: Some special problems", Modern China, 7 (1): 3–30, doi:10.1177/009770048100700101, S2CID 220738994
External linksedit
Encyclopædia Britannica
February 11, 2024
well, field, system, jingtian, redirects, here, actress, jing, tian, well, field, system, chinese, 井田制度, pinyin, jǐngtián, zhìdù, chinese, land, redistribution, method, existing, between, ninth, century, late, western, zhou, dynasty, around, warring, states, p. Jingtian redirects here For the actress see Jing Tian The well field system Chinese 井田制度 pinyin jǐngtian zhidu was a Chinese land redistribution method existing between the ninth century BCE late Western Zhou dynasty to around the Warring States period Though Mencius describes examples from the Xia and Shang dynasties these could be mythological or imagined 1 The name comes from Chinese character 井 jǐng which means well and looks like the symbol this character represents the theoretical appearance of land division a square area of land was divided into nine identically sized sections the eight outer sections 私田 sitian were privately cultivated by farmers or nong in Chinese one of the occupations of the four occupations system and the center section 公田 gōngtian was communally cultivated on behalf of the government or in some cases the landowning aristocrat or Duke 2 3 The brown border between the farms resembles the character for well 井 While all fields were government or aristocrat owned the private fields were managed exclusively by farmers and the produce was entirely the farmers It was only produce from the communal fields worked on by all eight families that went to the government for famine distribution or the aristocrats and which in turn could go to the king as tribute However in Mencius it is said that all people in office got 50 mu about half an acre 4 As part of a larger fengjian system the well field system became strained in the Spring and Autumn period 5 as kinship ties between aristocrats became meaningless 6 When the system became economically untenable in the Warring States period it was replaced by a system of private land ownership 7 It was first suspended in the state of Qin by Shang Yang and other states soon followed suit though King Hui of Wei and King Xuan of Qi did think about restoring it after Mencius talked to them They ultimately did not 8 As part of the turning the clock back reformations by Wang Mang during the short lived Xin dynasty the system was restored temporarily 9 and renamed to the King s Fields 王田 wangtian The practice was more or less ended by the Song dynasty but scholars like Zhang Zai and Su Xun were enthusiastic about its restoration invoking Mencius s frequent praise of the system 10 It is mentioned in the book of rites and it is said most anciently that the farmers only had to work the government fields 3 days a year though it is unknown as to whether this is true it is also said that the most ancient had houses given away and 3 days was all that was required In addition it was stated the market of the goods would not be taxed only a small fee for a stall and travelers weren t taxed It is later said in other texts that taxes were put on the market goods when a merchant was looking from side to side and people thought he was plotting 11 12 Contents 1 See also 2 References 2 1 Bibliography 3 External linksSee also editAgriculture in China Economic history of China Ejido Equal field system Sharecropper TenancyReferences edit Mencius 2004 10 28 Mencius Penguin UK ISBN 978 0 14 190268 5 Zhufu 1981 7 Mencius 2004 10 28 Mencius Penguin UK ISBN 978 0 14 190268 5 Mencius 2004 10 28 Mencius Penguin UK ISBN 978 0 14 190268 5 Zhufu 1981 9 Lewis 2006 142 Zhufu 1981 9 Mencius 2004 10 28 Mencius Penguin UK ISBN 978 0 14 190268 5 Zhufu 1981 12 Bloom 1999 129 134 Confucius 2016 08 29 Delphi Collected Works of Confucius Four Books and Five Classics of Confucianism Illustrated Delphi Classics ISBN 978 1 78656 052 0 Mencius 2004 10 28 Mencius Penguin UK ISBN 978 0 14 190268 5 Bibliography edit Bloom I 1999 The evolution of Confucian tradition in antiquity in De Bary William Theodore Chan Wing tsit Lufrano Richard John et al eds Sources of Chinese Tradition vol 2 New York Columbia University Press Lewis Mark Edward 2006 The Construction of Space in Early China Albany State University of New York Press Zhufu Fu 1981 The economic history of China Some special problems Modern China 7 1 3 30 doi 10 1177 009770048100700101 S2CID 220738994External links editEncyclopaedia Britannica Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Well field system amp oldid 1165822904, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
