The compilation of China Ancient Agricultural Books System Map and China Ancient Important Agricultural Books Evolution Table is also the grand vision and long-term plan for Shi Shenghan to further systematically and comprehensively sort out and study China ancient agricultural books. At this time, he was very concerned about the progress of ancient agricultural science research in China at home and abroad. He has said many times that it is really unreasonable for foreigners to engage in China's own precious history. We must work harder than foreigners.
196 1 year, Shi Shenghan went to Beijing for treatment due to illness. At that time, Li's head of the United Front Work Department was very concerned about his health. Seeing that Shi Shenghan was only 54 years old, Li personally contacted him and arranged for him to be hospitalized. He kindly said that he should treat the disease as soon as possible, continue to work and train successors. In the treatment, the doctor is reluctant. Shi Shenghan said frankly: "Please tell me the truth, I am not afraid of death. I am ready to return to nature with nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium ... I just ask you to tell me how much time is left so that I can arrange my work plan. " The doctor was very moved and replied, "Have a good rest and try not to get seriously ill. At least ten years. " .
After leaving the hospital, he devoted himself to intense work with higher enthusiasm. At that time, he learned from the contacts of several Sinology researchers in Japan that there were special people in Japan who studied China's ancient agricultural books, agricultural economic history and seasonal history. Faced with this situation, Shi Shenghan suggested to China Academy of Sciences and the State Council Secretariat that in order to improve China's academic status, we should organize domestic forces engaged in agricultural ancient books research, make plans and cooperate with each other, so as to make China's agricultural ancient scientific heritage play a greater role at home and abroad. Efforts will be made to shift the focus of studying China's culture, technology, science and history from abroad to China. This should be one of the main tasks of domestic academic circles. It is with this passion that Shi Shenghan, regardless of his declining health, worked hard day and night and began to proofread another masterpiece of agricultural books-The Complete Book of Agricultural Administration, which is a masterpiece of ancient agricultural science in China.
The Encyclopedia of Agricultural Administration was written by Xu Guangqi, an outstanding scientist and politician in the late Ming Dynasty, with a total volume of 10 and about 700,000 words. This book has extensively absorbed all the knowledge and experience necessary for agricultural production, quoted about 229 kinds of agricultural books and related documents before and after the Ming Dynasty, and made systematic excerpts and excellent comments. This book not only summarizes the achievements and experiences of agricultural production and science and technology in ancient China, but also reflects the development level of agricultural production technology in Ming Dynasty, and has become a collection of agricultural heritages before17th century in China. The book records important agricultural activities such as water conservancy, reclamation, planting, rice, cotton planting, sweet potato introduction and locust control. Shi Shenghan suffered from many diseases, such as asthma, emphysema, heart failure and so on. This is constantly tormenting him and making his health worse and worse. When others advised him to rest, he always said, "It doesn't matter, as long as he doesn't lie down, he will work." To tell the truth, over the years, I have never had a day when I was completely free from problems. But I have a way to deal with it, that is, there is no burden in my mind and I don't care. As long as I can get up, I must do something. "It is with this amazing perseverance that he has comprehensively sorted out and studied the Agricultural Administration Book on the basis of years of experience in sorting out agricultural books such as Qi Yao Min Shu. 1965, the collation of150,000 words of Encyclopedia of Agricultural Administration was finally completed. During this period, he successively wrote A Brief Introduction to China's Agricultural Heritage, A Review of Ancient Agricultural Books in China, A Collection of Grass Species in Southern Xu Zhong, A Collation of Agricultural Mulberry Collection, and translated Darwin's Insectivorous Plants.
The completion of Annotations to the Encyclopedia of Agricultural Administration is the first step for him to realize his grand vision and long-term planning of further systematically and comprehensively sorting out ancient agricultural classics in China. He is also considering his new work plan in the future.