世界农业起源地的地理基础与中国的贡献

本文以世界三大农作物起源地为核心,提出粟、黍、水稻等农作物的驯化是中国为世界文明进程作出的最大贡献。还重点讨论了农作物起源地的环境属性,并指出农业最初产生之地并非自然环境最优之处。自然环境的不利是迫使人们放弃采集渔猎、选择通过生产获得食物的原因;而自然条件良好的欧洲平原地带,正是由于动植物资源的充裕而长期处于野蛮状态,滞缓了文明发展的进程。因此,从地理的视角,审度人类的文明进程,起步之处却是环境脆弱地带。

Geographical Fundamentals of Worldwide Origination of Agriculture and Contributions from China

Based on studies on the three major places of worldwide origin of agricultural crops, we propose in this paper that China’s most significant contribution to the development of world civilization is domesticating foxtail millet, broomcorn millet and rice. We pay special attention on environmental settings of agriculture’s places of origins and point out that physical environment at those places was not the best. Imperfect environment forces people to give up hunting and gathering and to obtain food through agricultural practices. The excellent natural environment of European plains once provided abundant fauna and flora resources, but it led to a long period of barbarism and impeded the development of civilization. With a geographical perspective, we can see that originations of human civilization were areas with fragile environmental settings.