The relationship between the demise of the dynasty and the weather

Cold weather may not lead to the demise of the Ming Dynasty, but a series of changes brought about by cold weather aggravated the decline of the Ming Dynasty.

The heyday of the Little Ice Age in Ming and Qing Dynasties was from 156 to 189, during which the global temperature dropped. According to the records of Guangdong Tongzhi at that time, in the winter of Wanli period, it actually snowed heavily in Guangdong. Cold weather may not lead to the collapse of the Ming Dynasty, but a series of changes brought about by cold weather aggravated the decline of the Ming Dynasty.

In the past, agriculture relied entirely on "depending on the weather". Rainfall, temperature, insects and other factors would affect the growth of crops. In addition, there was no pesticide and chemical fertilizer at that time, and farmers' production efficiency was low, resulting in low yield per mu of crops. Therefore, farmers often produced only enough food for their own livelihood, and they could not hoard a large amount of food to prepare for disaster years. This also leads to farmers' weak resistance to risks when facing unexpected risks.