The wisdom of fertilizing in ancient China: The principle of ‘San Sai’ and its importance

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Ancient Chinese Fertilization Methods: The San Sai Principle and Its Importance

What is San Sai? The Wisdom of Fertilizing in Ancient China

Discover how the San Sai principle shaped ancient Chinese fertilization methods, improving agriculture, soil health, and sustainable farming practices.

The Ancient Chinese Secret to Fertilizing: Unlocking the ‘San Sai’ Principle

Agriculture is the basis of human life. The development of food, society and civilization has depended on it. But farming is not limited to just sowing seeds and harvesting crops. Maintaining the fertility of the soil and giving adequate nutrition to the crop is equally important. For this, fertilizers are used.

The Ultimate Guide to ‘San Sai’: Ancient Chinese Fertilization for Modern Gardens

Today's modern agriculture is highly dependent on chemical fertilizers. These have increased the yield, but at the same time the quality of the soil has deteriorated, water sources have become polluted and the environmental crisis has deepened. At such a time, understanding the wisdom of ancient societies regarding fertilizers can give us sustainable solutions. Ancient China is special in this respect, because there farming was not just a technical work, but was linked to philosophical thinking. The best example of this is the ‘San Sai’ (三才) principle.

San Sai: The Ancient Philosophy for Modern Sustainable Agriculture

What is the San Sai principle?

‘San Sai’ means "sky (climate), earth (soil) and human (farmer’s labour and understanding)". This idea is found in ancient texts such as the "Zhou Yi". In agriculture, it means that proper production is possible only when there is a balance between weather, soil and human effort.

This was further called the "Three Suitabilities (三宜)"–

1. According to the time (sky),

2. According to the land (earth),

3. According to the crop (human understanding and labour).

That is, the method of applying fertilizer and cultivation was decided keeping these three things in mind.

How Does Ancient China's San Sai Principle Inform Modern Farming?

Importance of fertilizer in ancient China

History and archaeology show that millet-based agriculture began in China about 6000 years ago. The **Loess Plateau** of northern China was a region with poor soil despite appearing fertile – it had low organic matter and lacked nitrogen. Farmers found a solution – they combined farming with animal husbandry. Pig farming in particular provided them with a permanent source of manure. Dung and organic manure strengthened the soil, providing food for large populations and allowing civilizations like Yangshao to flourish.

How Ancient Chinese Farmers Transformed Barren Soil with Manure

Bone inscriptions from the Shang period (about 3000 years ago) also mention manuring the fields. This shows that by that time manuring had become a regular and necessary task.

Ancient Innovation: How Shang Dynasty Oracle Bones Reveal 3,000-Year-Old Farming Secrets

Three main methods of manuring

Ancient agricultural texts describe three main methods of manuring:

Ancient Farming Secrets: How Chinese Farmers Used Manure to Coat Seeds 2,000 Years Ago

1. Seed fertilizer

Manure was used at the time of sowing seeds. The seeds were soaked in dung, bone broth or insect feces. The book "Fan Sheng Zhi Shu" mentions that seeds should be soaked in horse bone broth, insect feces and sheep dung mixed in it. This would germinate the seeds quickly, increase their ability to withstand drought and protect them from pests. This process was similar to today's "seed coating technique".

The Fan Sheng Zhi Shu Method: Enhancing Seeds in Ancient China

2. Base fertilizer

It was mixed deeply in the field before sowing. It provided nutrition to the crop for a long time. Human and animal excreta, green manure and plant residues were its main sources. Texts like "Nong Shu" state that before sowing paddy, the field should be plowed several times, manure should be mixed deeply and then seeds should be sown. This makes it clear that base fertilizer was considered the foundation of farming.

The Foundation of Farming: Ancient Base Fertilization Methods

3. Top dressing

When the crop was growing, additional fertilizer was added at intervals. It was given after looking at the crop's need, weather and soil moisture. This kept the growth of the plants balanced.


For more details 

The Future of Agricultural Green Development in China

It is clear from these three methods that farmers used to add fertilizer according to the entire life process of the crop.

How Ancient Farmers Mastered Top dressing to Feed Growing Crops

Importance of time and weather

Chinese farmers believed that farming could be successful only by following the weather. "Liu Shi Chun Chiu" says: “Seeds are not sown when the earth is frozen and the water is ice". That is, farming without ignoring the weather is futile. This idea is equally relevant today.

Ancient Chinese Farming Wisdom: Lessons from Liu Shi Chun Chiu

Role of humans

In San Sai theory, humans were considered the most important. Although soil and weather are the foundation of farming, the final result depends on the hard work and understanding of the farmer. The philosophers **Shun Zi** and **Han Feizi** both emphasized that farming without fertilizer and irrigation would fail. This shows that human labor and collective responsibility were the soul of agriculture.


San Sai Theory: Human Effort as the Soul of Agriculture

  • Lessons for modern agriculture-The challenges facing today's agriculture—soil erosion, overuse of chemical fertilizers, pollution, and nutrient imbalances—can be solved by the wisdom of ancient China.
  • Importance of organic manure–Ancient farmers used cow dung, green manure and compost. These keep the soil fertile for a long time and are also safe for the environment.
  • Farming according to season and crop – Applying manure according to the need of time and crop reduces wastage and improves yield.
  • Combination of animal husbandry and agriculture – This completes the nutrition cycle and the soil keeps getting manure continuously.
  • Human responsibility– Farming is not only a means of production, but it is also a responsibility towards society and nature.

Ancient Wisdom for Modern Farms: Sustainable Agriculture Inspired by China

Conclusion:-

In ancient China, applying manure was not just a technical work, but a "philosophy of life". Based on the San Sai principle, farmers used to apply manure according to the need of time, soil and crop and always kept in mind the harmony of sky, earth and human.

Ancient Wisdom, Modern Solutions: The San Sai Principle for Sustainable Agriculture

Today, as we grapple with problems like soil health, climate change and chemical dependency, this experience of ancient China teaches us that the right way to farm is in "balance with nature". For sustainable agriculture, we need to combine both modern technology and ancient wisdom.


FAQ:-

1. What were the main crops grown in ancient China?

Answer:In ancient China, crops like finger millet, foxtail millet, common millet, wheat and oats were mainly grown in the north; rice was the main crop in the south. Soybean, lentils, garlic etc. were also cultivated.

2. What was used as manure in ancient China?

Answer:Human excreta, animal excreta, green manure (crop residues), wood ashes, and compost were used as manure. These organic elements were useful in maintaining soil fertility.

3. How and when was manure applied in ancient Chinese fields?

Answer:

  • There were three main types of manure application:
  • Seed fertilizer – mixing seeds with manure (such as bone broth or cow dung) at the time of sowing
  • Base fertilizer – mixing manure deeply while preparing the field
  • Top dressing – adding nutrients intermittently during crop growth

4. How was nutrient balance and soil fertility ensured in ancient China? (Crop Rotation and Green Manure)

Answer:Farmers practiced crop rotation—such as rice followed by nitrogen-rich pulses such as soybeans. In addition, green manure and other organic residues were added to the soil to maintain soil fertility.

5. What innovations took place in agricultural techniques and equipment in ancient China?

Answer:In the Shang–Zhou period, ploughs, hoes and cogs made of wood and stone were in use. Later, tools such as iron tools, ox-drawn plows, complex irrigation systems, terraces, and seed drills were developed.

6. How was irrigation and water management done in ancient China?

Answer:Irrigation systems such as canals, dams, reservoirs, and systemic water management were developed. For example—the Dujiangyan Irrigation System—was built to control water in Sichuan.

7. In which texts was agricultural knowledge written in ancient China?

Answer:The major texts in the writing of ancient agronomy were: Qimin Yaoshu (Northern Wei period, circa 544 CE), which covers farming, soil, animal husbandry, manure, and more. This text quotes from nearly 200 older sources and preserved many earlier agricultural texts such as the Fan Shengzhi Shu.

8. What is the significance of "San Cai" in ancient Chinese agricultural philosophy?

Answer:"San Sai" means sky (climate), earth (soil), and man (farmer's hard work and understanding). Success in agriculture depends on the balance of the three—the needs of time, soil, and crops. This principle is found in the Zhou Yi and other texts.


Location: United States

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