“农业是整个古代世界的决定性的生产部门。”恩格斯的这一著名论断,对于中国古代社会发生与发展的物理机因的整体揭示,有着尤其明确而重要的意义。有关资料证明,早在七八千年前,我国原始农业已相当发达,这成为我国文明起源时期的直接的物质见证。我国古代农耕技术的成熟和发展,农作物的品种与数量之多,在相当长的历史时期内,保持着一种绝对的优 “Agriculture is the decisive production sector of the entire ancient world.” This notion of Engels has a particularly clear and important meaning for the overall revelation of the physical causes of the occurrence and development of ancient Chinese society. The data prove that as early as seven or eight years ago, our country’s primitive agriculture was quite developed, which became a direct material testimony of the civilized period of our country. In ancient China, the maturity and development of farming techniques and the variety and number of crops kept a certain degree of absolute superiority over a long period of history