The article, excerpts from Xu Zhuoyun's "Han Dynasty Agriculture," examines the formation of early Chinese agricultural economy and its profound impact. It primarily discusses how the "emphasis on agriculture, suppression of commerce" (重农抑商) policy, solidified during the Han Dynasty under Emperor Wu, unintentionally exacerbated land annexation by wealthy merchants who then invested more heavily in land. This policy led to mass migrations of landless peasants to frontier regions, where poor conditions and corrupt officials, combined with natural disasters, frequently sparked peasant uprisings. Ultimately, the text argues that this economic strategy prevented ancient China from escaping the Malthusian trap, a cycle of population growth outstripping food supply, by hindering the development of commerce and, consequently, scientific and technological advancement, leading to a significant divergence in development compared to Europe by the 18th century.