This article is the first in a series of the author’s research on famine and the Yangwu Movement, stressing the conditions of natural disasters in China during the era of the Yangwu Movement, their special characteristics and origins. In the author;s opinion, during the period of the Yangwu Movement from 1861-1895, China experienced a sudden and serious deterioration of the ecological environment, which resulted from both natural and social causes. These disasters caused enormous losses for the entire society. Thus, it is important to consider natural disasters when investigating the failure of the Yangwu Movement.