本文主要考察明清山西推廣水稻，與用水制度、水利糾紛及官方仲 裁之間的關係。全文分成三個部分，首先針對水稻用水的特性與稻 作推廣的消長，探討明清北方種植水稻時相當重要的概念：「用水極 大化」。此概念與種植稻米互為表裡，而且具有排擠其他作物用水的 效果。其次，山西推廣水稻除了收穫利益有關外，同時也受到官員 推廣的影響，特別是南方官員在北方推廣稻作的作為。這使得「用 水極大化」成為普遍存在的現象，進而造成用水的紛爭以及官員對 稻地的重整與限制。最後，以滹沱河流域以及晉水流域的實例觀察 水稻與用水糾紛的問題，透過長期觀察的例子說明水稻種植在官府 與民間、種植稻作者與非稻作者之間，因用水極大化造成的緊張及 多元聲音的交互作用。以此觀察中國北方種植稻作的環境影響、官 僚管理以及百姓的對應。

This three-part essay discusses paddy rice promotion, irrigation system, and related disputes in Shanxi during the Ming and Qing. The first part of the article investigates an important concept, “Irrigation to Maximization.” This concept played important role in both the growth and decline of the rice-growing area in Shanxi. The second part of the article addresses the impact of local official interventions on paddy rice cultivation in Shanxi. In particular, Southern officials promoted paddy rice cultivation in Shanxi for political and economic gain. This ultimately led to local water disputes, which prompted officials to place restrictions on paddy rice cultivation. The third part of the article focuses on two examples—the Hutuo and Jin river basins—illustrating the ways in which the environment, official management, and local response were all affected by “Irrigation to Maximization.”