When did the iron plow Niu Geng first appear?

Tieli Niu Geng first appeared in the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period. It was the most important mode of production in ancient China, which promoted the development of productive forces and the disintegration of the well-field system. The popularization of Niu Geng made agriculture develop rapidly in the Tang Dynasty. In the Yellow River Basin, Gansu and Xinjiang, the iron plow Niu Geng has been widely used in agricultural production.

Extended data

At the end of the Spring and Autumn Period, China had invented pig iron self-refining technology. These are 1900 years earlier than those in Europe, which is of decisive significance to the popularization of iron tools. The use of ironware in agriculture and handicraft production marks a significant improvement in social productivity. The situation of Niu Geng is not only recorded in the literature, but also reflected in some Niu Geng tombs and many murals in Dunhuang and Yulin Grottoes. Most of them are carried by two cows with long single-axis plows, and a few use one cow to plow the fields.

Crankshaft plow is lighter than straight-axis plow, and its axis is arched upward, which is convenient for deep ploughing, low traction point, stable plow frame, shortened plow shaft and convenient for rotation. This is the most advanced walking plow in ancient times. However, at that time, few people used this plow, and the most people used two cows to lift the bar. According to documents and archaeological data, Tieli Niu Geng is still popular in the frontier areas. The application of Niu Geng is a revolution of agricultural power.