noun
ever-normal granary; rice reserve system
Historical term for a government granary system in pre-modern East Asia, especially China and Japan, used to stabilize rice prices by buying in surplus years and selling in lean years.
常平倉は、古代中国で始まった食料備蓄制度です。
The ever-normal granary was a food reserve system that began in ancient China.
江戸時代の日本でも、常平倉の考え方が取り入れられた。
The concept of the ever-normal granary was also adopted in Edo-period Japan.
社倉 was a community-managed granary, whereas 常平倉 was typically a state-run institution.
From Chinese 常平倉 (chángpíngcāng), literally 'ever-level granary'. The term was adopted into Japanese with the same meaning.