Farmers of Forty Centuries; Or, Permanent Agriculture in China, Korea, and Japan

In this vivid account, a diligent observer journeys across China, Korea and Japan to uncover how centuries‑old farming communities have managed to feed massive populations on modest plots of land. The narrative blends careful scientific measurement with vivid descriptions of terraced fields, intricate irrigation networks, and the everyday lives of the peasants who tend them. Readers gain insight into the ways these societies preserve soil fertility, reuse waste, and integrate crops such as rice, tea and silk into a sustainable agricultural system.

The author’s perspective, shaped by early‑20th‑century Western assumptions about agriculture, highlights both the stark contrasts and surprising commonalities between Eastern and American farming practices. By documenting everything from the mechanics of canalisation to the cultural customs surrounding harvests, the work offers a rich, comparative look at how resource‑conscious techniques have endured for millennia. It invites modern listeners to reconsider what “permanent agriculture” might mean in today’s world.