introduction

Our country is the first country in the world to discover and use coal. As late as the Neolithic Age, our country has realized the carving ability of coal and used coal jade (also called coal essence, which is a dense and hard coal). Carved into various decorative works of art. In recent years, forty-six coal jade carvings have been unearthed from the Xinle Site in Shenyang City, Liaoning Province, and their raw materials were collected from the coal fields in western Fushun today [1]. A number of items from the Western Zhou Dynasty were also unearthed in Baoji, Shaanxi Province coal jade carvings[2].

In terms of understanding the flammability function of coal, our country has known about using coal as fuel since the Han Dynasty. During the excavation of the iron smelting site in Guying Town, Henan Province during the Han Dynasty, “it was discovered that cinders and slag were found in the fire pool of a kiln. Coal cakes, may use coal as fuel. [3] Raw coal blocks, coal cakes, and cinders were also found in the iron smelting site of the Han Dynasty in Tieshenggou, Gong County, Henan Province [4]. From the perspective of ancient literature, "Shui Jing Zhu" Quoting "Shi Shi's Two Domains", it says: "There is a mountain two hundred miles north of Quci. There is fire at night and smoke during the day. People take the coal from this mountain and smelt the iron from this mountain" (coal is coal) [5]. Liu Zhao's annotation of "Book of the Later Han Dynasty" quoted from "Yuzhang Ji": "There is Ge Township in the county, and there are two hectares of coal, which can be burned for cooking." [6] There are still some records about the use of coal in China during this period, so the focus of this article is to discuss It is not here, so it is not recorded, and the two books quoted above have been lost. According to Liang Qichao and Cen Zhongmian, it was written by Shi Daoan in the Eastern Jin Dynasty[7]. "Yuzhang Ji" was written by Lei Cizong, a native of Liu Song Dynasty in the Southern Dynasty. Written by [8]. If we only count the dates when the above two books were written, then our country has clear records of the use of coal for iron-making and cooking in the Jin Dynasty and the early Southern and Northern Dynasties at the latest. However, after that, until the Song Dynasty, this number For hundreds of years, there have been very few documentary records about coal use in China. As for archaeological research, except for the discovery of coal smelting sites in the Han Dynasty, no other coal-related materials have been found from the Han Dynasty to the Song Dynasty. Relics. Of course, in the future, using archeology and ancient documents, we will definitely discover some situations of coal use in our country during this period or earlier periods. However, we can say that the Song Dynasty was an era when coal was widely used in our country. Questionable. Why did our country already know the use of coal as fuel before BC, but it was not until the Song Dynasty after the second half of the tenth century that coal began to be widely used in the field of social production? This is one of the questions that this article will explore. This article mainly It is a comprehensive analysis and research on the production and application of coal during the Northern Song Dynasty in China.

1. Crisis of traditional fuels

Firewood and charcoal have been the traditional fuels of mankind for thousands or even hundreds of thousands of years in ancient times. They originate from the forest resources on the earth. Although trees can be replanted, they were not valued by the ancients. And artificial tree planting is far behind the indiscriminate cutting by humans. The speed of indiscriminate logging. Initially, when the forest on the plains around the settlement was cleared, people's felling would be pushed to distant places or valleys; but when this kind of medium-range felling became a problem, the only option was to carry out long-distance felling across regions, or even It is to the most remote mountainous areas. In the Song Dynasty, our country's forest resources were even more reduced. At that time, Shen Kuo once lamented this: "In today's Qi Dynasty, the pine forests in Shandong are all gone, and gradually in Taihang, west of Beijing, and south of the Yangtze River, most of the pine forests are full of children." "[9]. Even the supreme ruler felt the difficulty of "cutting wood and harvesting wood, the valleys were getting deeper, and the chariots were causing labor", and issued an edict that "it is advisable to review the contract"[10]. The reduction of forest resources is bound to also affect the Fuel use in the Song Dynasty. Historical records: "The benefits of raising sericulture in Heshuo, Shandong, exceed that of crops. The villagers stole mulberry branches for firewood in the cold months, which caused great harm" [11]. The sericulture industry in the Yellow River Basin began to decline after the Northern Song Dynasty. It seems that it is inseparable from this stupid thing of digging flesh to mend sores. This phenomenon of cutting down mulberry and jujube for firewood was very serious at the beginning of the Northern Song Dynasty. Therefore, in the third year of Jianlong of Taizu, there was a "forbidden people to cut down mulberry" "Jujube is used as fuel" [12]. And the punishment for those who violate this prohibition is very severe. "Xuzizhi Tongjian Changbian" says: "In our ancestors' time, it was forbidden to steal and peel mulberry trees. The withered ones were measured in feet, and the accumulation was four Twelve feet is one merit, and three or more merits are worth death." [13]. Although the court imposed heavy punishments, often "every time there was a defeat, the stolen goods were not much, and the punishment was not enough to punish them. If you want to punish them with hardship, you will be afraid. "For the prisoners" [14]. Obviously, there are too many people cutting mulberry trees and jujubes for fuel, and when the prisoners are full and the law fails to control the people, the government will be afraid of "the prisoners". Even the army There was also the phenomenon of "frequently going into villages to cut down mulberries and jujubes for firewood"[15]. Later, some people simply "cut down mulberries and jujubes for firewood every year"[16]. Mulberry and jujube trees were also used as firewood. market, which shows that this prohibited phenomenon is not only widespread, but also open. It not only reflects the seriousness of the traditional fuel crisis in the northern region during the Northern Song Dynasty, but also contributed to the decline of the sericulture industry in this region, which had to be replaced by the later It was replaced by the sericulture industry in the south. Judging from the record that "firewood is rare in Hebei" [17], Hebei Road was the area with the most serious firewood crisis in the Northern Song Dynasty.

In addition to cutting down mulberries and jujubes for fuel, another problem that caused the Northern Song Dynasty government the most headache was that the trees in the so-called spiritual relics of the sages and sages, temples and tombs of emperors and heroes of the past dynasties were constantly being harvested for fuel. In this regard,

, there were frequent bans in the Northern Song Dynasty. For example, Taizu of the Song Dynasty issued an order that "the sage Qiu Long also banned the harvesting of firewood" [18]. Zhenzong issued an edict: "The tombs of emperors in the past dynasties have banned firewood harvesting, and the offender's lawsuit will be considered as his crime" [19

]. According to statistics from "Xu Zi Zhi Tong Jian Chang Bian", there were four such bans during the reign of Taizu, and ten more during the reign of Zhenzong [20]. Although the government issued repeated orders, it could not be banned. Xining

In the tenth year, "(Tang Taizong's) Zhaoling Mausoleum has been completely cut down. Xining decreed that firewood harvesting was prohibited in the tombs of previous emperors" [21]. Because people cannot live without fuel. Therefore, in order to find fuel, the people of the Song Dynasty

, so I don’t have to worry about anything.

In the south, because the economy developed much later than in the north, the supply of traditional fuels was much better in the Song Dynasty than in the north. It was only at the end of the Northern Song Dynasty and the establishment of the Southern Song Dynasty that fuel crises appeared in some places.

For example: "Now I am stationed in Wu and Yue. The mountains and forests are not wide enough to provide woodcutters. Although there are beautiful flowers and beautiful bamboos, the catalpa trees in the tombs have become completely red over the years. The roots are small, and the branches are all over, and the buds are everywhere.

The tillers can no longer grow, and the benefits of coal are unavailable." [22] This is the scene of the fuel crisis in the Yangtze River Delta when Emperor Gaozong of the Song Dynasty fled south, which is no less than that in the north. Not only are the mountains and forests threatening to be cut down, but also the

Flowers, beautiful bamboos, and tomb trees have also been cut down to the point of digging out the roots, and the opportunity for vegetation to regenerate has been lost. The ornamental value of beautiful flowers and beautiful bamboos here is for people trapped in the desperate situation of the fuel crisis.

It is said that it is far less valuable than sending them directly into the stove. As for cutting mulberry and using jujube as fuel, it is not a pity to woodcut the forest trees in the scenic spot!

In this crisis, the salary shortage is more serious than in Kaifeng, the capital of the Northern Song Dynasty. Millions of people are concentrated in one settlement. The supply of fuel is already a problem, and in the era of firewood crisis, their life, production and

The problem of energy consumption is even more prominent. Although the Northern Song Dynasty has often given tax-free treatment to firewood, firewood, and charcoal transported into Kaifeng since the founding of the country [23], in order to increase Kaifeng's fuel sources. However, the shortcomings and deep penetration are beyond the reach of the whip.

By the end of the Northern Song Dynasty, Kaifeng's fuel shortage had not been alleviated. In the winter of the fifth year of Dazhong Xiangfu, "the people were running out of charcoal, and its price was very expensive, reaching 200 yuan per scale. Although Kaifeng Prefecture did not live in the treaty, it was like a dealer asking for money."

Profit, only growth" [24]. In order to help the residents in the cold, "the three companies offered 400,000 yuan of charcoal at half price to the poor" [25]. The citizens who saw the charcoal in dire straits rushed to buy, which finally resulted in

In the following years, the Third Division had to imitate the system of unwinding warehouses, "outside the year, five hundred thousand scales were shipped to Beijing,"

"To prepare for the people" [27]. In the eighth year of Dazhong Xiangfu, "the three companies sold charcoal at a reduced price of 100,000 pounds to help the poor."

"With the help of the government" [28], Kaifeng's fuel shortage seemed to have eased. However, the good times did not last long. In the first month of the fourth year of Qingli, "the capital was covered with snow and many people were frozen. They ordered the third division to buy rice at a reduced price, and to sell fuel for charcoal."

"Ji Zhi" [29]. From the winter of the third year of Jiayou to the spring of the following year, it can be regarded as the most terrible year in Kaifeng's salary shortage years. Historical records: "Since last year, the rain and snow have not stopped, and people have died of hunger and cold on many roads"; "This has been the beginning of spring.

Since then, it has been cold, rainy and snowy, the common people have lost their jobs, the streets have been lonely, many people have died due to the cold, and the price of fuel and food has doubled."

She asked for a place to die. Today, a woman froze her husband to death. She also hanged herself and found herself in an alley. There are countless people who have lost their homes." [30] Faced with this shocking and tragic scene, Emperor Renzong had to go on a diet and lose weight

In order to show the heart of "fearing heaven and caring for the people", it was the most grand festival in the Song Dynasty. The lively Lantern Festival had to be temporarily suspended amidst the snow and wind and the miserable wind [31]. The first year of Yuanfu

In winter, Kaifeng "the price of coal in the city is high, and the poor people do not pay for it in the cold winter. The special committee Wu Juhou is ordered to deal with the sale of coal in Beijing" [32]. In this crisis of traditional fuels, coal has indeed brought a great impact on the fuel use of Kaifeng in the late Northern Song Dynasty.

There have been many turning points. No wonder Zhuang Chuo, a native of the Southern Song Dynasty, said: "In the past, there were millions of families in Biandu, all of whom relied on carbon dioxide" [33]. However, until the end of the Northern Song Dynasty, the shadow of salary shortage always shrouded Kaifeng. In the late Northern Song Dynasty, the Ministry of Household Affairs still had

He said: "The capital city is large and has a large population. The people are very anxious about the use of fuel and charcoal."

The above is the situation among the people, and the government handicraft industry, relying on political guarantees, should not have the problem of salary shortage. However, in the sixth year of Xianping, the Ministry of Household Affairs had to ask the emperor for instructions: "The east and west kilns are short of firewood, so beg for it." The market is closed" [35]. However, the capital was already short of firewood, and if officials continued to buy it, the crisis would inevitably deepen. Therefore, Emperor Zhenzong had no choice but to "order the provincial ministers to make other plans." [36] The next four In that year, "the kilns in the east and west were abolished, and the fuel and steam were distributed to the various squads and armies" [37]. As for the Copper Coin Supervisor, "Raozhou's official market could not provide fuel charcoal, and the drum castings were distributed to Chizhou" [37] 38]. In terms of iron money supervision, "Jia and Deng used the rate to buy iron, and the charcoal was disturbed. Since the fourth year of Jiayou, casting has been stopped for ten years." [39]. Probably because there is less and less firewood in Dengzhou, the talents here have invented Giant bamboos were burned to make bamboo charcoal to make iron[40], and bamboo firewood was used to replace the missing firewood.

It is precisely because of the crisis of shortage of traditional fuels such as firewood and charcoal that it provided opportunities and a broad market for the in-depth exploration and widespread application of coal in the Song Dynasty. Therefore, coal has been used as iron-making fuel in China as early as the Han Dynasty. After being ignored for a long time, it was able to show its new appearance in the Song Dynasty.

2. Mining development and fuel

The Song Dynasty was a golden period for the rapid development of ancient China's metallurgical handicraft industry. In the first year of Yuanfeng, its copper output reached 14,605,969 jins [41], which was almost five times the copper output of the Tang Dynasty in the 15th year of Kaiyuan. Fifteen times [42]. The high amount of currency minted in the Song Dynasty was also unique in Chinese feudal society. "At the beginning of the Kingdom of China, in the south of the Yangtze River, 70,000 coins were minted every year. Later, it increased slightly, and to Tianshengzhong, mints were minted every year. More than one million guan, and during the Qingli period it reached 3 million guan; after the sixth year of Xining, more than 6 million guan of copper and iron coins were minted every year" [43]. Such a high amount of coins was not found in the previous dynasty, nor in any subsequent dynasty. Unrivaled. Iron output reached the highest level in the Song Dynasty during the Zhiping period, with an annual output of 8,241,000 kilograms [44]. It was almost four times that of the Kaiyuan 15th year of the Tang Dynasty [45]. This output , it seems trivial today, but it was very significant in the ancient agricultural society of manual operation.

The Song Dynasty was also an era when China's porcelain industry shined. The porcelain production, which had been laid in the Tang Dynasty, reached its peak in the Song Dynasty and reached a state of perfection. Porcelain kilns were spread all over the country, and their varieties, output and craftsmanship far surpassed those of the Tang Dynasty. Fine porcelain not only met domestic needs, but was also shipped overseas in large quantities, making porcelain a bulk export commodity following the export of silk in ancient times. People in the Song Dynasty also said that foreign trade merchant ships at that time "carried a lot of pottery" [46].

It is worth noting that both the rapid development of the metallurgical handicraft industry and the great strides of the porcelain making industry are closely related to fuel. Without fuel, these industries will achieve nothing. Before coal was widely used, the metallurgical and porcelain making handicraft industries The fuel consumed is traditional energy wood and charcoal. The charcoal yield rate of wood is about 30%. Calculated based on the volume ratio of 0.8/1 cubic meter, it takes about four cubic meters of wood to burn one ton of charcoal. "In ancient times, each time one was refining The consumption of charcoal to produce one ton of pig iron may be about four or five tons or more."[47] Others estimate that it consumes seven tons of charcoal[48]. Let's take the middle number of the two to calculate that one ton of iron requires charcoal. Six tons, assuming that all pig iron in the Zhiping period was made with charcoal, then smelting pig iron (more than 8 million jin,) would consume approximately more than 120,000 cubic meters of wood per year (the weight in conversion is based on Wu Chengluo's "China According to the "History of Weights and Measures" in the Song Dynasty, one kilogram is equal to 596.82 grams). The pig iron obtained from consuming so much wood is only a primary product, which needs to be processed into various utensils, weapons, and agricultural tools. , coinage or steelmaking, how much charcoal will be burned by this re-melting. It goes without saying that the same is true for the production of copperware and copper coins. According to copper smelting in the Ming Dynasty, "a basket of copper can be obtained at a high rate." One kilogram, based on the ratio of 250 baskets of ore, 700 tons of charcoal, and 1,700 pieces of firewood per weigh of copper per material [49], copper smelting consumes several times as much fuel as iron smelting. In addition, the ceramic industry, Salt boiling industry, brewing industry, gold, silver, lead, tin, vitriol mining and smelting, as well as people's daily energy and the production of various wood tools, construction materials, deforestation and land reclamation, etc., the annual consumption of wood will be hundreds of thousands of dollars. Ten thousand cubic meters. If we count from the time when Peking Man learned to use fire 500,000 years ago, to the Song Dynasty, the amount of wood consumed will be an astonishing astronomical figure, and this is based on the background of deforestation resources. From the Song Dynasty to the Song Dynasty, , there are very few forest resources, and the energy required for production and life is in short supply, which finally formed the traditional fuel crisis mentioned above. Revaluation and extensive development and application of coal energy naturally fell on the Song people. And China's coal reserves resources Fengguang provides favorable conditions for widespread use. In places where coal fields are not easily found, people will also find other firewood substitutes. For example, "Sichuan also has bamboo charcoal, which is made by burning giant bamboo. It is flammable, smokeless and durable, which is also strange." "Things. Qiongzhou produces iron and cooks it with bamboo charcoal, which is carried to the city by oxen and carts" [50]. This is what Lu Fangweng saw and heard in the early Southern Song Dynasty, which shows that the use of bamboo charcoal was already in use in the Northern Song Dynasty.

While looking for new fuel energy, people in the Song Dynasty also began to pay attention to the significance of energy conservation. In the wine making industry in Gyeonggi Road, someone invented a new type of energy-saving stove, called the "Japanese Three Stoves". It is known in history as: "Kinei Winery

If you connect three stoves in the same place, you can save more than 400,000 jins of firewood per year. If you compare it to one county in Chenliu, you can save 320,000 jins, which is about 160,000 jins of firewood per year in various states." [51] It can be seen that this new type of energy saving

The invention and promotion of the stove indeed saved a lot of fuel. Chenliu County alone could save 320,000 jins of firewood a year, which is a considerable amount.

As will be discussed below, the development needs of the mining and metallurgical handicraft industry in the Song Dynasty inevitably promoted the widespread use of coal; and the widespread use of coal greatly promoted the development of the mining and metallurgical industry in the Song Dynasty. Regarding this, Su Shi of the Song Dynasty

"Carboniferous Poems" provides the best explanation. The explanation of the original poem reads: There was no carboniferous in Pengcheng in the old days. In December of the first year of Yuanfeng, he sent people to visit the north of Baitu Town in the southwest of the state to smelt iron for military purposes.

Sharpness wins Chang Yun:

Didn’t you see that the year before last, the rain and snow prevented all travelers from traveling, and the residents in the city suffered from wind and liver splits.

Half a bundle of wet clothes is held in the quilt, and there is no place to change it when knocking on the door at dusk.

Unexpectedly, there is a treasure in the mountain, as upright as thousands of carts of charcoal.

No one knows about the flowing ointment, and the fishy wind blows it away.

The roots and seedlings are so vast that they are inspired by thousands of people and watched by thousands of people.

Throwing mud and water makes it brighter; shining jade and flowing gold make it more powerful.

The chestnut forests in the southern mountains are gradually dying down, but there is no need to work hard to forge the stubborn mines in the northern mountains.

I will forge a hundred-refined sword for you, and cut the long whale into ten thousand pieces [52].

This poem reveals the dependence of the iron smelting handicraft industry and coal in the Northern Song Dynasty. Xuzhou was one of the important iron-producing areas in the Northern Song Dynasty. "Since ancient times, it has been a gathering place for iron officials and merchants." "The land produces fine iron, and the people are good at forging." [

53]. However, it was not immune to the crisis of wood fuel and was also dying. Later, Su Shi sent people to find coal in Baitu Town, Honzhou, which restored Xuzhou's vitality, bringing "roots and seedlings are boundless, and thousands of people are inspired."

The exciting scene of "seeing people" has created a new situation for the iron smelting industry in which "the shining jade and the flowing gold show the powerful" and the weapons produced are also sharper than before. Because of the availability of coal, in the following years, Xuzhou's annual production

Various weapons and iron supplies were supplied in "huge quantities". Moreover, the new "Baofeng prison in Xuzhou was established, with a mint of 300,000 yuan per year" [54]. Coal has indeed pushed Xuzhou's iron smelting technology and production capacity to a new level.

new heights.

3. Coal used in handicraft production

The Beijing Iron and Steel Institute once conducted a laboratory analysis of the unearthed pig iron from the Song Dynasty, and the identification was that "the pig iron generally contains high sulfur, generally four to five times higher than that of the Han Dynasty, and in some cases the sulfur content is as high as 1%. Except for a few cases, it may be made of special

Except for high-sulfur ores, most of them may be smelted with coal." [55] This is due to the fact that coal (excluding coke) itself contains sulfur. Scientific identification has shown that pig iron in the Song Dynasty was mostly smelted from coal, which is also found in the literature.

reflected.

Let’s first look at Hedong Road in the Northern Song Dynasty (approximately most of Shanxi Province, one of China’s coal bases today, with coal fields covering more than two-thirds of the counties in the province). During the reign of Renzong, due to the use of troops in the northwest, Jin, Ze, and

Shi Sanzhou, Wei Shengjun and other places used iron and coal resources to cast large and small iron coins on the spot to support Shaanxi's military expenses [56]. This led to private coinage among the people, and Hedong's currency was in chaos. At that time, Li Zhaoyu of Zezhou said: "

People in Hedong burned charcoal and had smelting tools at home, and those who stole it were not to be questioned."[57] This was because coal was also used for privately cast iron coins among the people in Hedong. At that time, Han Jiang, who knew Taiyuan Prefecture, said: "The iron mines on this road are rich in charcoal.

"Make public money"[58]. Moreover, judging from what Li Zhaoxuan said, "the people risked the mountains to transport coal and suffered hard labor"[59], the coal used to make money was often taken from the common people in the form of taxes and labor. In the eighth year of Xining

, Emperor Shenzong once issued an edict: "In addition to the 700,000 yuan of coins cast in Hedong, an additional 300,000 yuan of small coins will be minted" [60]. It can be seen that the coal and iron output here are large, and this has created a group of "people living in a poor land"

"People who are poor and rely on coal for survival" [61]. Without widespread social consumption, it would be impossible for such a group of people to make a living from coal in Hedong. Coal is used to cast money in Hedong, while iron smelting and other iron tools are made

The industry is also inseparable from coal. In many documents about iron smelting in Hedong in the Song Dynasty, "iron and charcoal" are often mentioned together. For example, "In iron smelting in Hedong, charcoal is the most abundant" [62], which shows that iron smelting in Hedong has been integrated with coal.

It became an indissoluble bond.

Xuzhou is located in the coalfield belt of Huaibei, my country. Its iron smelting and weapons manufacturing industries were revived and developed by the discovery of coal. See "Carboniferous Poetry" cited above. Let's look at the North China region with the richest coal reserves.

Cixiangzhou on Hebei Road was one of the main iron-producing areas in the Song Dynasty. In the early Song Dynasty, various offices and supervisors were set up here [63]. Shen Kuo said: "Today, the land of Cixiang and Xing in Hebei Province is half iron and earth" [

64]. According to "Song Huiyao", the smelting business in Guzhen, Wu'an County, Cizhou, had an annual output of 1,814,261 kilograms of iron. In the first year of Yuanfeng, the annual output reached 1,971,000 kilograms.

One kilogram [65], accounting for over 35.8% of the total iron output of the Song Dynasty, which was 5,501,097 kilograms [66] in the same year. This shows the richness of Cizhou’s iron ore resources. In the eighth year of Xining, Shen Kuo visited Hebei and said, “To

"Cizhou Forge, you can only know real steel by watching the iron-making" [67]. This was the "Hundred Steel-making" that later became famous all over the world. Its unique tempering technology was only famous in history because of Shen Kuo's records. This is also the same as Cizhou, Xiang Erzhou.

It is related to the fact that it is located in an important coalfield area in China. More than 20 years ago, Chinese archaeologists excavated a large coal mine in the Song Dynasty in Hebi City [68], which was originally part of Xiangzhou in the Song Dynasty. The diameter of the mine mouth was 2.5 meters and the depth was 40 meters.

Six meters, of which the four longer tunnels are more than 500 meters long. There is also a complete drainage system underground. The mining scale is similar to the mining scope of Zhongxin Coal Mine in Hebi City today [69]. Measured by ancient standards, its mining scale

It is conceivable that the output is so large. This major archaeological achievement also raises a series of new questions for us. People have to ask in what form this large ancient coal mine was operated at that time? Did its products enter the market?

What is the scope of the consumer market that it is suitable for? Is it used as fuel for handicraft industry? Which handicraft industries use coal? etc. Here, this article preliminarily explores some of these topics. According to "Song Huiyao" in the fourth year of Tiansheng

It was recorded on October 27th: "Du Zhan, the transfer envoy of Shaanzhou West Road, said: If you want to command the coal, it will be equal to the coal produced in the state. From now on, in addition to the official payment and sales, the people are allowed to buy and trade at will. Follow this."

[70]. It can be seen that the right to buy and sell coal in Xiangzhou was monopolized by the government four years ago in Tiansheng. After that, private buying and selling was only allowed at the request of others. If there is not a larger consumption force to stimulate, Xiangzhou

It is impossible to form a large-scale mining operation like the Hebi Ancient Coal Mine. A certain production scale is compatible with a certain consumer market. This consumption stimulus comes from the developed iron smelting handicraft industry in this area. As mentioned above,

Jian, Ci and Xiangzhou were one of the main iron-producing areas in the Northern Song Dynasty. Xiangzhou was one of the four major iron supervisors in the early Song Dynasty [71]. Cizhou, which is closely connected to Xiangzhou, was the only one with a recent history of Guzhen Smelting Works in Wu'an County.

The iron output of two million kilograms accounted for more than 1/3 of the total annual pig iron output in the Northern Song Dynasty. In ancient times, such a small place could produce such a high iron output only by using local convenient coal resources as power.

Regarding the production of iron and coal from coal in Xiangzhou, it can also be seen from the coal use in the shipbuilding industry there. In the sixth year of Tiansheng (1028 AD), "Yang Jiaoyan, the transshipment envoy to the west of Beijing, used coal for the Chanzhou pontoon bridge."

There are forty-nine ships... Please come from Qinlong Tongzhou to cut wood, porcelain, and Xiangzhou to get iron and coal to build ships in this state." [72]. From then on, ten years later, that is, the fourth year of Jingyou (1037 AD)"

Judging from the records of "Moving to Xiangzhou to work with Tianxiong Army" [73], before the year of Jingyou, Ci and Xiangzhou not only had shipbuilding handicrafts, but also used coal to smelt nails, anchors, chains, etc. needed for ships.

Ironware. This shows that the wooden ship manufacturing industry also uses coal to refine ironware in small quantities. It can be seen that the most developed iron smelting industry in Cizhou and Xiangzhou is the capital of weapons manufacturing (such as the aforementioned Cizhou Forge. Xiangzhou Duzuoyuan)

The hospital can make 330,000 arrows at one time [74].) Coal must be used as its production resource, because "firewood is rare in Hebei" (see above [17]). Xingzhou, like Cizhou, is "half iron and half earth".

It is rich in iron ore resources. According to historical records, the annual iron output of Xingzhou Leicunye is 1,716,413 jins, and in the first year of Yuanfeng, it was as high as 2,173,201 jins [75]. The output is higher than that of Cizhou

.Does Xingzhou also use coal to make iron? According to "Changbian" Volume 111, Ji Chou recorded in September of the first year of the Ming Dynasty: "Abolition of Zhending Prefecture's Coal Petroleum Affairs". How to abolish it? This is irrelevant. But it shows

Only when Zhending Prefecture produced coal could the imperial court have coal mining business. Today, the important Jingxing Coal Mine in Hebei belongs to Zhending Prefecture of the Song Dynasty. Across Zhaozhou to the south is Xingzhou. From here, Xingzhou’s economic and geographical location can be clearly seen:
To be continued...