Government is needed! Spatiotemporal distribution and effectiveness of famine relief in Ming China

Ming China developed a comprehensive famine relief system that still offers valuable lessons for contemporary countries and regions with dense populations and agricultural economies in mitigating famines and coping with climate change. In this study, which drew on historical documents and quantitative analytical methods, we systematically explored the temporal distribution, regional disparities, and social effectiveness of famine response measures in Ming China. The following conclusions were drawn. (1) The government response capacity of the Ming dynasty can be divided into five stages, with the period from 1522 to 1545 CE marking the peak governmental response and the period from 1619 to 1643 CE marking its nadir. (2) Significant regional disparities in response can be identified, with Jiangsu, Hebei, Zhejiang, and Shandong being the provinces that received the greatest amount of relief and tax exemptions, while the northern border regions also received targeted assistance due to their strategic importance. These differences were related to factors such as population density, transportation infrastructure, local grain production capacity, and political considerations. (3) Although the famine response did not completely prevent the occurrence of famines, it played a crucial role in mitigating large-scale population mortality and maintaining social stability. Therefore, it can be seen that in the face of natural disasters, governmental intervention is crucial. Thus, the government should not adopt a dismissive attitude towards such events.