Qimin Yaoshu
《齐民要术》
Written by Jia Sixie of the Northern Wei Dynasty，Important Arts for the People’s Welfare is the earliest and most complete agricultural encyclopedia still in existence in China. Born at Yidu County(today's Shouguang，Shan- dong Province)，Jia Sixie was a leading agronomist of his time. As China's first book on agronomy，lmportant Arts for the People's Welfare has 92 Chapters in 10 volumes and runs to nearly 110 000 characters together with the preface and an additional essay. The book covers a wide range of topics，detailing agricultural production experiences and methods for farming，horticulture，forestry，animal husbandry，fisheries and other sideline occupations，with farming and horticulture as its core. The book points out that “ effective cultivation relies on good timing for sowing and a proper measurement of land productivity”. It introduces sowing dates for millet，broomcorn millet and sorghum，techniques for seed selection and soaking and how to accelerate the germination of rice seeds. In addition，the book attaches importance to soil improvement and cultivation techniques by pointing out that proper moisture distribution and sufficient fertility in the soil are essential. The green manure crop rotation technique recorded in this book was developed more than 1200 years earlier than Europe. Apart from agronomical techniques and experiences. Important Arts for People’s Welfare also has introduced over 20 recipes of wine production and holds detailed accounts on methods of preparing glue ,paint brushes and ink. To this day，this book remains a valuable source of reference for the historical study of agricultural science.
作者贾思腮是我国南北朝时期杰出的农业科学家。他编撰的《齐民要术》是现存的一部内容丰富、规模巨大的农业生产技术著作。贾思韶，益都(今山东寿光)人。《齐民要术》分为10卷，共92篇，11万字。另外，书前还有“自序”、“杂说”各一篇，书中内容相当丰富，涉及面极广，包括各种农作物的栽培，各种经济林木的生产，以及各种野生植物的利用等等。《齐民要术》中讲到“有效的农耕取决于播种的时间和对土地产量的正确量算”。书中还介绍了小米，粟米和高粱的育种时间以及如何选种、泡种和加速种子发芽的技术。此外，书中还强调了土壤的养护和技术，认为适当的湿度和肥度是很重要的。《齐民要术》中记载的绿肥轮作技术比欧洲早1200年。同时，书中还详细介绍了各种家禽、家畜、鱼、蚕等的饲养和疾病防治，并把农副产品的加工(如酿造)以及食品加工、文具和日用品生产等形形色色的内容都囊括在内。因此说《齐民要术》对我国农业研究具有重大意义。
。