Editing Qin dynasty (section)

=== Agriculture ===
Qin agriculture was mainly based on [[cereal]] cultivation, with millet, wheat, and barley being the [[staple crop]]s that comprised most of peasants' diets. The amount of land available for use as pasture was limited, with livestock raised mostly for household use of byproducts like milk.{{sfn|Sterckx|2018|pp=306–308}} Consumption of meat was generally restricted to the wealthy.{{sfn|Sterckx|2018|p=301}} The state of Qin under Shang Yang pioneered a policy of maximising the area of land under cultivation, resulting in states clearing most of the forest in the Yellow River valley and converting it into farmland. This land was divided into household-sized allotments, and inhabitants were forcibly relocated to work them. Another emphasis of Shang Yang's agricultural policy was the use of hoes to weed the soil, which improved its ability to retain moisture and provide nutrients to crops.{{sfn|Hara|2022|pp=69–71}}