晚清时期,自然灾害频繁发生,其中尤以光绪年间为重。张之洞为官时就处于这样一个时代。无论是其出任山西巡抚时期,还是督任两广、湖广时期,其辖区灾荒都极为严重。从人口方面讲,灾荒所造成的直接影响就是哀鸿遍野、走死流亡。从农业生产而言,灾荒所带来的影响主要表现在三个方面:一是灾荒导致被灾地区土地大量荒芜;二是老百姓的物质财富因之而遭到严重破坏;三是有些自然灾害发生的本身就是对社会物质财富的极大摧残。所有这些均给农业生产的恢复造成一定困难。传统工商业也遭到致命打击而一蹶不振。此外,灾荒还造成了严重的社会动荡,等等。 During the late Qing Dynasty, natural disasters occurred frequently, especially during the Guangxu period. Chang Chih-tung as an official at such an era. Whether it is during the period as governor of Shanxi, or governor of Guangdong and Guangxi, Huguang period, its area of ​​famine are extremely serious. Speaking from the population point of view, the immediate impact caused by famine is to devastate the country and go to exile. In terms of agricultural production, the impact of famine is mainly manifested in three aspects: First, the famine caused a lot of barren land in the affected areas; second, the material wealth of ordinary people was severely damaged; Third, some natural disasters took place Itself is a great devastation of the material wealth of society. All of these have caused some difficulties for the restoration of agricultural production. Traditional businesses have also been fatally hit and sluggish. In addition, famine has also caused serious social unrest, and so on.