Suoshan nongpu 梭山農譜

Suoshan nongpu 梭山農譜 "Farmer's notes from Mt. Weaver's Shuttle" is an agricultural treatise written by Liu Yingtang 劉應棠 (1643-1722), courtesy name Youxu 又許, style Sumin 嘯民 or Suoshan Xiansheng 梭山先生. Liu hailed from Fengxin 奉新, Jiangxi, and failed in the lowest level of the state examinations, whereupon he dedicated his life to agriculture and teaching.

His book has a length of 3 juan, each of which consists of one chapter, namely ploughing (Gengpu 耕譜), weeding (Yunpu 耘譜), and harvesting (Huopu 獲譜). The text is a detailed explanation of farming processes, from the particular activities (shi 事) to descriptions of the farming tools (qi 器) needed for the particular work. Each chapter ends with a poem of praise (zanci 贊詞). The book was finished in 1674.

The book was written according to Liu's own experience and does consider earlier books. On the one hand, the information is first-hand and gives the book a particular character, while on the other, Liu misses some critical points and errs in some places. Liu is the first person to provide information on the "spring-wind disease" (qingfeng bing 青風病) which delays the ripening of grain, and the use of a "worm's comb" (chongshu 蟲梳) to eliminate harmful insects.

The book is found in Wu Kun's 吳坤 series Banmuyuan congshu 半畝園叢書 from 1870. In 1960, the Nongye Press 農業出版社 published a modern, annotated edition.