Chinese famine of 1906–1907

The Chinese famine of 1906–1907 struck the middle and lower course of the Huai River in the Qing Dynasty from Autumn 1906 to Spring 1907, administratively in northern Anhui and northern Jiangsu provinces. This Chinese famine was directly caused by the 1906 Huai River floods (April–October 1906), which hit the Huai River particularly hard and destroyed both the summer and autumn harvest.Li, Zhuohua [李灼华] (Guangxu 33-2-15 [28 March 1907]). "奏為皖北賑款不敷擬請截留練兵經費賑撫事". In Grand Council Copies of Palace Memorials [军机处录副奏折], First Historical Archives of China #03-5610-006. "入秋水退, 趕種秋禾, 乃中秋前後雨勢傾盆, 不減於夏, 河水復相灌注, 晚稼掃蕩一空, 遍野源嗷, 流亡相屬... 近聞飢民餓斃者，日凡四五十人，有閹家男婦投河自盡者，有轉徙出境沿途倒斃者，道殣相望，慘不忍聞". As cited in It has been estimated that between 20 and 25 million people died, although this figure is highly uncertain.

Affected area Northern Anhui On 21 December 1906, Shen Bao reported 16 counties in northern Anhui to have particular high mortalities. As cited in The edict by Emperor Guangxu on 9 February 1907 waived agricultural taxes to 40 counties in northern Anhui. The 40 counties were:

Northern Jiangsu On 29 November 1906, Duanfang, the Viceroy of the Two Yangtze Provinces requested Emperor Guangxu to permit Jiangsu to redirect the imperial taxes to disaster relief. He cited 13 counties to be disaster-stricken.Duan, Fang [端方] (Guangxu 32-10-14 [29 November 1906]). "奏為江蘇各州縣被災極重賑撫需款截撥新漕等事". In Grand Council Copies of Palace Memorials [军机处录副奏折], First Historical Archives of China #03-5609-059. 徐州所属之宿迁、睢宁、邱州，海州及所属之赣榆、沐阳，淮安所属之安东为最重”， “淮安所属之清河、桃源次之”，“徐州所属之铜山、萧县，淮安所属之山阳、阜宁......又次之” As cited in

Death toll The primary sources only reported fatalities in selected villages or counties. On 21 December 1906, Shen Bao, a leading Shanghai newspaper, reported "a precise death toll has become clear recently in 16 respective counties in Anhui" and amounted to 23,300. The Pilbarra Goldfield News, an Australian newspaper of the time, reported in 20 April 1907 that victims amounted to 5,000 daily. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/145926567

Anhui and Jiangsu had a combined population of 42.1 million as of 1911. Two commentaries from the 2010s estimated the total famine deaths in the range of 20–25 million, implying that most of the population of northern Anhui and northern Jiangsu population were wiped out; however, they offered no explanation as to how the calculation was made. As author Bas Dianda commented:

It is very difficult to distinguish fatalities due to the famine from deaths caused by the violence; however, some estimate placed the excess of lethality of the period at 20–25 million dead [...] Such a figure, though including deaths from starvation as well as repression, are appalling."

Relief work It was the first time in Qing dynasty history when the government formally acknowledged and collaborated with private organizations in disaster relief work ("官义合办"), which attracted a lot of academic interest. The relief campaign was coordinated by Sheng Xuanhuai and Lü Haihuan, two statesmen of Jiangsu origin. The lack of Anhui elites in Shanghai, however, led to a huge funding disparity to the much more stricken northern Anhui.

Most of the foreign relief fund came from American missionaries. The American Red Cross and the American newspaper Christian Herald furnished over two-thirds of foreign funds sent to China."CHINESE EXHUMING CORPSES FOR FOOD", San Francisco Call, Volume 101, Number 128, 7 April 1907, p.39. The Central China Famine Relief Fund Committee was established to coordinate foreign efforts.

On 26 June 1907, The Sydney Morning Herald reported that the crisis was at an end.

Chinese famine of 1906–1907

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