Historical Transportation Deterrence and Social Tolerance for Long-distance Travel in Ancient China Revealed by the Social Networks

Abstract

Utilizing historical national social network data and transportation network data, the researchers approximated the travel deterrence pertaining to social interactions, which can contribute to modeling historical transportation accessibility. The researchers first reconstructed the transportation network of ancient China, also delineating the social networks for three distinct periods (763-863, 1052-1152, 1472-1572) symbolizing three pivotal dynasties in Chinese history: Tang, Song, and Ming dynasties. A gravity model was proposed to articulate the social nexus between two cities, and an accessibility model was developed to represent the degree of a city's social integration. Within the framework of the gravity model, travel time deterrence exerted its relatively constant influence throughout the epoch of ancient history, underscoring the potential of transportation infrastructure to induce and perpetuate long-established social network configurations. The accessibility model sheds light on the prevailing societal acceptance for extended travel during different periods, a factor that would invariably influence political and economic architectures.