did not take long for China to recover its population because of its large population basis and a
We can thus imagine that China’s population has repeated the
following cycle: When a new dynasty is established, to recover from past destruction and
resulting loss of the population, it encourages population growth by relieving tax and other
obligations of its subjects, and as a result, the population increases. Population growth produces
wealth and allows the dynasty to seek more active policies such as territorial expansion or
construction enterprises, which deteriorates people’s living standard. The growth of agricultural
production cannot keep up with the pace of population growth, which causes overpopulation and
dislocation of people. Overpopulation reaches an unsustainable level and causes social unrest
and revolts. Finally, the central authority loses its control, local rulers become out of control, and
the dynasty collapses due to civil strives or foreign invasions. In this process, the oversized
population also collapses because of warfare, violence, or famine. While China experienced a
collapse of a dynasty and a drastic reduction in population size as a result, it continued to expand
territory in the south as it gradually recovered and increased its population with the beginning of
This combination of the environmental and demographic histories of China highlights the
Penny Kane, Famine in China, 1959-61: Demographic and Social Implications (New York: St.
Martin's Press, 1988), pp.26-27.
11
Kang Chao, Man and Land in Chinese History: an Economic Analysis, (Stanford, Calif.:
Stanford University Press, 1986), pp.31-32.
12
Tohru Kato, “Chu-goku no Jinko- no Rekishi” (The History of China’s Population, published
in To-kei no Izumi (Spring of Statistics) Hiroshimaken To-kei Kyo-kai (Statistics Association of
Hiroshima Prefecture), (Vol.587, June 1999),
(in Japanese)
Convention