1st Edition

Highlands and Lowlands A Historical Geographical Study of the Jiangnan Region Between the Eleventh and Sixteenth Centuries

By XIE Shi Copyright 2026
568 Pages 27 B/W Illustrations
by Routledge

568 Pages 27 B/W Illustrations
by Routledge

Starting with the distinct geomorphological concepts of "highlands" and "lowlands" in the Jiangnan region, this volume examines the evolution of the agricultural hydraulic system, settlement patterns, land recultivation, and administrative divisions in the area east of Taihu Lake between the eleventh and sixteenth centuries. The book is divided into three parts. Part I, consisting of Chapters... Read more

Introduction  Part I Formation and Evolution of the Agricultural-Hydraulic System in the Highlands and Lowlands  1. Formation of the Agricultural-Hydraulic System in the Highlands and Lowlands during the Eleventh Century  2. Evolution of the Agricultural-Hydraulic System in the Highlands and Lowlands Between the Twelfth and Fifteenth Centuries  3. Hydraulic Management and Neglect in the Highlands and Lowlands During the Sixteenth Century  Summary of Part I  Part II Settlement Evolution and Land Development in the Highlands and Lowlands  4. Development of the Highlands and Growth of Market Towns Between the Thirteenth and Fifteenth Centuries  5. Township Commerce and Market Development Between the Fifteenth and Sixteenth Centuries 6. Reforming the Tax-CorvĂ©e System and Re-Cultivating the Abandoned Fields Between the Fifteenth and Sixteenth Centuries  Summary of Part II  Part III Changes in Administrative Divisions and Inter-County Relations in the Highlands and Lowlands  7. The Trend of Increasing Administrative Divisions Between the Tenth and Fourteenth Centuries  8. Administrative Evolution of Taicang Between the Fourteenth and Sixteenth Centuries  9. The County-Subprefecture Relationship and the Finalization of Administrative Divisions During the Sixteenth Century  Summary of Part III  Conclusion Postscript Translator's Afterword

Biography

XIE Shi serves as Professor of History and Vice President at Sun Yat-sen University. His research interests include historical geography, the history of the Ming and Qing Dynasties, and social and economic history. A relevant publication is Mountains, Seas, and Old Acquaintances: Maritime History and Island Societies of Zhejiang in the Ming-Qing Era (2020).