Page 104 - Vol_2_Archaeology of Manila Galleon Seaport Trade

72 C. Wu

4.1.2 Maize

Maize, Zea mays L., originally was one of the most important domesticated crops of
native Indian in the central and south America. It was introduced and disseminated
to Europe and other regions all over the world after geographical discovery and
maritime globalization.
Maize species was introduced to China in late Ming Dynasty. The most famous
agricultural works Nongzheng Quanshu (!$!%&" The General Affair of
Agriculture, chapter 25th, by Xu, Guangqi) in Ming Dynasty recorded that maize
had been introduced from foreign country to China. But the details of both the exact
seaport of its landing and the sea route of its coming have not been presented in the
book.
According to other historical narrations as regional annals of Fujian, Taiwan,
Shandong, Henan (#$), Anhui (!#), Gansu (#!) and Qinghai (!"), maize
species had been introduced to and grown in these provinces in late Ming Dynasty.
This species varies its names in different regions in China. It is known as Bangzi
(!", meaning “stick shape crop”), Baogu (%!, meaning “wrapped crop”),
Baomi (%!, meaning “wrapped rice”), Baolu ("#, meaning “wrapped shoot”) in
the inner plain regions, all of them are the descriptions of its shape. But it is known
as Fanmai (!", meaning “foreign wheat”) in coastal regions in Fujian, Taiwan
and northwest Gansu and Qinghai, indicating its origin of oversea country.
Pingliang Fuzhi (Chronicle of Pingliang Prefecture, !&)'!" of Ming
)
Dynasty said:
Fanmai is also known as Xitianmai (!!" wheat from west region). (Zhao 1996, pp. 754)
Jinjiang Xianzhi (Chronicle of Jingjiang County !"!"!"of Qianlong ('
)
") period of Qing Dynasty called maize as “foreign wheat”:
Fandamai (!"", foreign wheat) is known as Yumi ($!, royal rice) in color of red and
yellow. (Zhu 1967, pp. 41)
Jiaqing Taiwan Xianzhi (Chronicle of Taiwan County of Jiaqing Period, !!(
$!##"!" said in Vol. 1st “Geography”:
)
Fammai (!") originally grew in oversea country. (Lu 1999, pp. 383)
The historical documents also recorded that Hokkiens had been the earliest
pioneers of the maize cultivating in China and suppressed by the of!cial in Qing
Dynasty. The chapter of Economy and Products of Jingde Xianzhi (Chronicle of
)
Jingde County, !#%"!" recorded:
Baolu was grown by the refugees from Fujian, Jiangxi (!!) provinces and Chizhou ('
!), Anqing (!() prefectures of Anhui (!#) province. They leased and reclaimed the
mountainous !eld for cultivating it. (Chen 1975, pp. 485)
Ningguo Xianzhi (Chronicle of Ningguo County of Jiaqing Period, !( !#"
)
'!" recorded in the chapter Annals of Economy and Products: