Urban life and Rural life Flashcards
18th Century chinese population
Warfare—conquest/pacification by Manchu/Qing dynasty(1644 +) → expansion of empire
peace & prosperity—long reigns of Kangxi (1661-1722) & Qianlong (1735-1796) emperors
new (“New World”) crops
How much of China was urban and rural?
urban 5-10%
rural 85%
What did Skinner’s market centre schema illustrate?
local markets being surrounded by villages
markets located between 2 mountains to show how it connects distant villages
Cities were central places for…
trade, government, culture, and services
name the 2 types of cities
administrative centres and commercial centres
Urban landmarks included …
official buildings, richness of city life, municipal services, city government
Characteristics of rural life
Peasants: Producers of food & other resources upon which survival of society depends.
High population density
Farming technology: land + water + seeds + human effort + tools
What kind of food did people from different social classes eat?
Poor: sweet potatoes
Middle: plus course grains (millet, etc.)
Rich: plus fine grains (wheat, rice)
All: vegetables, fruit, beans, soybeans
Upper classes: meat, fish
What did the villager’s world consist of?
the village
neighboring villages
market area/town
What were men’s and women’s traditional roles in rural areas?
Men farm and women weave
What are characteristics of northern rural regions?
frequent floods and draughts
4-6 month growing season
1-2 crops a year, low yields
frequent famines
gaoliang, millet, wheat, beans
long time residence
uniform ethnic makeup
Mandarin
What are characteristics of southern rural regions?
abundant rainfall
adequate water supply
9-12 months growing season
2-3 crops a year, high yields
famines rare
rice
southern migration
numerous ethnic groups
many different dialects
