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Dong Anguo 董安國

Jan 17, 2022 © Ulrich Theobald

Dong Anguo 董安國 was the title of an ancient book on agriculture written during the Former Han period 前漢 (206 BCE-8 CE). It is listed in the bibliographical chapter Yiwen zhi 藝文志 of the official dynastic history Hanshu 漢書 and had a length of 16 chapters. Dong Anguo, the presumable author, had the office of Chamberlain for the Capital (neishi 內史), but his dates of life are unknown. Yao Zhenzong 姚振宗 (1842-1906) identified Dong Anguo with a person called Dong Chi 董赤 who lived during the reign of Emperor Wen 漢文帝 (r. 180-157 BCE). This fits with that sovereign's aim to improve farming throughout the empire.

The text was lost at an early point of time.

Sources:
Gao Liushui 高流水 (1996). "Dong Anguo 董安國", in Feng Kezheng 馮克正, Fu Qingsheng 傅慶升, eds. Zhuzi baijia da cidian 諸子百家大辭典 (Shenyang: Liaoning renmin chubanshe), 447.
Wang Yuhu 王毓瑚, ed. (1964). Zhongguo nongxue shulu 中國農學書錄 (Beijing: Nongye chubanshe), 6.