双语科技百科(农业) 第54期:《齐民要术》
Qunin, Yaoshu
Qunin, Yaoshu (also Main, techn,iques for the Welfare of the People ) is the most completely preserved of the anaent Chinese agricul-tural texts, and was written by the Northern Wei Dy-nasly offcial Jia Sixie. The book is believed to have been completed in the second year of Wu Ding of Eastern Wei, namely in 544, while anolher account gives the completion belween 533 and 544. The text of the book is divided into ten volumes and 92chapters, and records 1500-year-old Chinese ag-ronomy, horticulture, afforestation, sericulture, an-imal husbandry, veterinanlt medicine, breeding,brewing, cooking, storage,as well as remedies for barren book quoted nearly 200 ancient rtant agricultural books such as Fansheng Zhishu and Simin Yueling from the Han and Jin Dynasties are now lost, so future genera-tions can only understand the operation of agriculture at the time from this e the publication of the book, historical Chinese govemments have long otto-ched great importance to it. Since the book spread overseas, it has also often been considered a classic to study changes in the ancient species. When Charles Datwin was researching the theory of evolution, he made reference to an encyclopedia of anaent China. It is said that the book he referred to was in fact Qimin, Yaoshu book's name Qimin, Yaoshu can be explained as techniques by which common peo-ple make their livelihood, and also be explicated as techniques to harness the people's livelihood.
《齐民要术》是迄今保存最为完整的我国古代农学著作，由北魏时期官员贾思勰所著。有人认为《齐民要术》成书于东魏武定二年，即公元544年，还有记载说该书的完成时间在公元533和544年间。该书正文分十卷，共九十二篇，收录了中国1500年前农艺、园艺、造林、蚕桑、畜牧、兽医、配种、酿造、烹饪、贮藏以及治荒等方面的知识。书中援引古籍近200部，所引的重要农学著作如《泛胜之书》、《四民月令》等汉晋重要农书现已失传，因此后人只能从此书了解当时的农业运作。该书自出版后，长期受中国历朝政府重视，传遍海外后亦常被认为研究古物种变化的经典，达尔文研究进化论时曾参考一部中国古代百科全书，有说此书正是《齐民要术》。《齐民要术》可解作平民谋生方法，亦可解为治理民生的方法。
