This book offers a groundbreaking analysis of the ancient Ever-Normal Granary system, illuminating its significance in both historical and modern economic discourse. This work systematically explores the theories and practices of buffer stocks within the contexts of Chinese and Western economic histories, creating a dialogue between ancient wisdom and contemporary challenges.

What sets this book apart is its innovative framework, which evolves the concept of Ever-Normal Granary into a dynamic model of “Maintaining Balance through the Mean,” culminating in the formulation of the “Ever Normal Law.” This theoretical advancement highlights the “Spirit of the Middle Way” intrinsic to Chinese economic thought, revealing the unique insights that shape China’s economic strategies.

Designed for scholars, researchers, and students in history, economics, and agricultural policy, as well as policymakers and those interested in food security, this book strikes a balance between academic rigor and accessibility.

Xian Wen is a professor in the International Business School of Shaanxi Normal University. His primary research area is theoretical economics, with a focus on economic history. He also works in the fields of comparative economics, macroeconomics, and development economics. He pays particular attention to the comparison and integration of Chinese and Western economic traditions, as well as the construction of a Chinese discourse system in economics. He has published over thirty papers in academic journals, and has authored two Chinese monographs.