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Chinese Water-Powered Mills

Type Object Region China Time 1351–1360

In the Jiangnan region around the Yuan-Ming transition, river water power was widely used to drive mills, hulling mills, and oil presses, with wooden…

Timeline

  1. 1351–1354Villages around Taihu Lake · JiangnanIn late Yuan Jiangnan, dense water networks supported water-powered mills along rivers and streams processing rice and wheat. Local gazetteers and agricultural treatises record water wheel types including undershot and overshot wheels, using the force of flowing water against blades to drive a shaft transmission system.
  2. 1355–1358Huating, Songjiang Prefecture · JiangnanWater mills were concentrated around towns such as Songjiang and Suzhou, providing grinding services to surrounding farmers and charging processing fees. Even amid warfare, grain circulation still relied on such hydraulic processing facilities, sustaining regional grain markets.
  3. 1358–1360Jiaxing Prefecture · JiangnanJiangnan hydraulic facilities were often combined with weirs, ponds, and waterwheel irrigation systems, with the same water system both irrigating paddy fields and driving processing machinery. This compound use improved the returns on hydraulic investment, reflecting the integrated character of Jiangnan agricultural technology.

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