Emperor Wu of Han's Grand Canal and the State Monopoly on Grain

In this episode of Fexingo History, Lucas and Luna explore a transformative but often overlooked aspect of the Han Dynasty: the state-run grain transport system known as the 'Caoqu' or tribute grain canal network, expanded under Emperor Wu of Han. We dig into the engineering feat of the Zhengguo Canal and the Lingqu Canal, the bureaucratic machinery of the Grand Clerk of Agriculture, and the controversial 'equalizing and standardizing' policies of Sang Hongyang. How did moving grain from the Yellow River basin to the capital at Chang'an shape the empire's ability to wage war, feed armies, and control prices? What does the Discourses on Salt and Iron tell us about the tensions between state intervention and free trade? And what happened when the canal silted up? Along the way, we meet the hydraulic engineer Xu Bo, the historian Ban Gu, and the shadowy figures who profited from grain speculation. A fascinating look at the intersection of infrastructure, economics, and imperial power in ancient China.

#History #FexingoHistory #HanDynasty #EmperorWuOfHan #GrainTributeSystem #SangHongyang #ZhengguoCanal #LingquCanal #Caoqu #ChangAn #YellowRiver #DiscoursesOnSaltAndIron #Yantielun #BanGu #StateMonopoly #AncientInfrastructure #EconomicHistory #China

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