농사직설 Introduction
Introduction
틀:농사직설 목차 Book of farming methods appropriate to Korea’s natural geography.
This textbook on agricultural methods was written by civil servants, including Jeong Cho and Byun Hyo-mun, at the request of King Sejong (1418-1450). The book was first published in 1429, and was distributed to the governors of each province and other high-ranking officials throughout the country. It went through several editions until 1686, and the 1492 edition was passed on to Japan. It was widely quoted in other books on agriculture, including Sallim gyeongje (Farm Management) and Imwon gyeongje-ji (Sixteen Treatises on the Ways of Developing the Nation, Written in Retirement).
Although Nongsa jikseol was confined mainly to a discussion of the major grains and used simple descriptions, it was the first book to deal with agricultural skills specific to the natural features of Korea. As such, it became a guidebook for the promotion of Korean agriculture, and led to the publication of various books on the subject.
As is mentioned in its preface, publication of the book was necessary because the Chinese works on agriculture then in print were not very helpful owing to the differing natural environments of the two countries. The authors asked farmers across the country about farming methods, collected the results from the different regions, and compiled them into a book. Thus, Nongsa jikseol paved the way toward moving away from the use of Chinese agricultural skills unsuited to the Korean landscape.
The book is divided into ten chapters concerning how to: select and store seeds; plow the soil; sow and cultivate hemp; cultivate rice plants; cultivate Indian millet; cultivate barnyard millet; cultivate beans, red-beans, and small green peas; cultivate barley and wheat; cultivate sesame; and cultivate buckwheat.
Hence, the book concentrates on the cultivation of the major grains. It introduces four different methods for growing rice depending on environmental conditions such as the weather, irrigation, and geographical features, and goes on to describe what kinds of agricultural tools and fertilizer should be used. Furthermore, it recommends appropriate methods for tilling the soil according to the seasons.
As this work went through several revisions, it was enlarged with new chapters on matters such as how to deal with rice blight and the cultivation of cotton.
- "Nongsa jikseol", Encyclopedia of Korean Culture, Academy of Korean Studies.
