How did ancient China plant trees? The story of afforestation in ancient China

As we all know, China's tree planting day is on March 12 every year. At the initiative of Sun Yat Sen, the first tree planting day in China was designated as the annual Qingming Day in July 1915. After the death of Dr. Sun Yat Sen, in 1928, the national government held a tree planting ceremony to commemorate the third anniversary of Sun Yat Sen's death. Later, in order to commemorate Dr. Sun Yat Sen, the day of his death, that is, March 12, was designated as arbor day. However, the historical origin of afforestation in ancient China has a long history, which can be traced back to thousands of years. So how did ancient China plant trees? This article brings you the story of afforestation in ancient China.

in the pre-Qin period, the book of rites recorded: 'Meng Chun's moon, Sheng De in wood'. As early as the pre-Qin period, there were officials in charge of national mountains and forests. Such officials were called "Lin Heng" or "Shanyu". Shanyu is mainly responsible for formulating decrees to protect mountain forest resources and making decisions on tree planting and felling. Lin Heng has a relatively low position and is led by Shanyu. His main responsibilities are to inspect the mountains and forests and implement the ban. Even in the spring and Autumn period and the Warring States period, when there was a scuffle among the princes and four separate regimes, tree planting was still popular.

A large number of tree images can be seen in murals, stone portraits and brick portraits in the Qin and Han Dynasties. After Qin Shihuang unified China, he ordered to plant trees along the road. "Zhiyan" records: "the Qin Dynasty was Deng, and the Tao was in the world. The Tao was fifty steps wide, and the trees were green pines", which shows the prosperity of tree planting at that time. In the Western Han Dynasty, the wealth of people with many trees can be compared with that of thousands of marquis.

During the Sui and Tang Dynasties, although emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty left a lasting reputation, he attached great importance to afforestation. He loved to plant willows. He once ordered the people to reward one piece of fine silk for each living willow. There are 'Yongye fields' below the princes of the Tang Dynasty, which is equivalent to modern' private plots'. A certain number of trees must be planted in Yongye field. The Tang Dynasty also stipulated that trees should be planted between post stations. During the Kaiyuan period, it was also ordered to plant various trees on both sides of the thoroughfare to shade the travel.

During the song and Yuan Dynasties, Zhao Kuangyin, the emperor Taizu of the Song Dynasty, divided the people into five grades according to the number of trees planted, and ordered those who cultivated wasteland and planted mulberry and jujube not to pay the land rent. Officials who have led the people to plant trees can be promoted to one level. This shows that the court attaches importance to planting trees. In the Yuan Dynasty, Kublai Khan, the ancestor of the Yuan Dynasty, promulgated 14 articles of the system of agricultural mulberry, which stipulated that 20 mulberry and jujube trees should be planted every four years. If the soil is not suitable, elm, willow, etc. can be planted. At the same time, officials at all levels shall be strictly ordered to supervise and urge the implementation. In case of dereliction of duty or false report, they shall be punished according to the law.

In the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the scale of tree planting had greater development. Zhu Yuanzhang, the emperor of the Ming Dynasty, was known as the 'tree planting Emperor'. When Zhu Yuanzhang abdicated, it is said that hundreds of millions of trees were planted all over the country. In the early Qing Dynasty, local officials were also required to persuade the people to plant trees and prohibit off-time logging, trampling and theft of cattle and sheep. After the Opium War, a group of people of insight advocated reform. Emperor Guangxu ordered the development of agriculture and forestry and the establishment of agriculture and forestry education.