The Nature of Disaster in China

Studies in Environment and History

by Chris Courtney

In 1931, China suffered a catastrophic flood that claimed millions of lives. This was neither a natural nor human-made disaster. Rather, it was created by an interaction between the environment and society. Regular inundation had long been an integral feature of the ecology and culture of the middle Yangzi, yet by the modern era floods had become humanitarian catastrophes. Courtney describes how the ecological and economic effects of the 1931 flood pulse caused widespread famine and epidemics. He takes readers into the inundated streets of Wuhan, describing the terrifying and disorientating sensory environment. He explains why locals believed that an angry Dragon King was causing the flood, and explores how Japanese invasion and war with the Communists inhibited both official relief efforts and refugee coping strategies. This innovative study offers the first in-depth analysis of the 1931 flood, and charts the evolution of one of China's most persistent environmental problems.

Genres: History, China, Nonfiction

312 pages, Paperback

First published March 6, 2019

Reviews

[Jeanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this as a resource for a project. I was not disappointed. The story of this traumatic event, the incredible loss of life, the loss of farms and the ability for peasants to feed themselves, the rash of suicides, makes the fall of the government and slaughter by the Japanese and takeover by the Maoists all the easier to predict. What a sad history. Also, Lindberghs and the author Pearl Buck made significant contributions. However, the diseases that followed and the inability to get food to those who needed it sadly made most efforts insignificant. I was deeply touched by the stories of suffering. It left an indelible impression.

[Naked Fish · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not an entirely environmental history (first two chapters are refreshing). Showing the dynamic relation between human and environment for thousands of years translated natural hazardsinto humanitarian disasters. The anthropomorphic description of microorganism tries to blur the distinction between human and nature.

[Jiayue Jiang · Rating 5 out of 5]

A comprehensive documentation of a disaster happened in Wuhan, a city unfortunately known for the recent covid19. The author’s anthropological account on this event emphasises on the term “disaster regime”.