Abstract: According to Yunnan's documentary ethnographic records, due to the impact of famine, war and population flow, corn and potatoes in Yunnan experienced the evolution from garden vegetables to sporadic cultivation in mountainous areas and then to large-scale cultivation. This process led to their es- tablishment as major food crops in Yunnan, profoundly influencing local population stability, agricultural economic structure, dietary culture, daily life and local industrial structure.

Key words:  late Qing Dynasty and Republic of China, corn, potato, Yunnan province, local society