Abstract
In response to the failing mechanisms of hydrological management in the Lower Yangzi Delta in the fifteenth century, some officials and local specialists collaborated to form a new strategy (in opposition to that used in conventional practice) to solve the problems. A regular maintenance approach was adopted to replace the formerly popular crisis–response approach, and building polder dikes was prioritized over dredging major waterways. In doing so, officials not only brought precedents under scrutiny, but also focused on the issues of institutional coordination, fundraising, and mobilization of labor. The reform redefined responsibilities of the state and the people by redistributing duties to both the influential and wealthy. This enabled the state to play a more active role in hydrological management to better benefit local society.