Abstract: This paper analyzes the enclosure of fields, the transfer of seedlings and the personnel involved in paddy - field drainage and rice production in the Lake Tai region.Large embankments, tiered banks, and ditches facilitated the drainage of paddy lands.In the Qing dynasty drainage and bailing water depended on large scale water wheels located on larger embankments which required the mobilization of substantial manpower.Given the urgent need to distribute the water, many women took part in the work.The local dialect contains many phrases and locutions regarding seedlings and drainage that indicate the importance of the long term efforts to ensure p roper drainage and to protect against flooding.This local terminology directly reflects the direct connections between paddy land and water, and the transplanting of seedlings and flooding.