The Nature of Disaster in China
The 1931 Yangzi River Flood

Unearths the forgotten history of a catastrophic flood, examining its profound impact upon the environment and society of modern China.

Chris Courtney (Author)

9781108405799, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 19 December 2019

304 pages, 19 b/w illus. 3 tables
23 x 15.3 x 1.5 cm, 0.4 kg

'… the most detailed and explanatory book on the 1931 flood of central China. It fills an important gap and should remain a key reference on the subject.' Delphine Spicq, East Asian Science, Technology, and Medicine

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.

Introduction
1. The Long River??
2. The flood pulse
3. The Dragon King??
4. A sense of disaster
5. Disaster experts
6. The floating population
Epilogue.

Subject Areas: Asian history [HBJF]