Looking at a map of the area in China (see my other comment here), the plots are indeed smaller than those in Dutch polders. Market towns are approx. 10km apart, walking to the nearest one is about 90 minutes at most.
Furthermore, these lands were reclaimed in the 19th and 20th centuries, when agriculture was very un-mechanised, so staying close to the farm and going to the town once in a while, instead of clustering in towns and trekking to your plot every day was probably more efficient.
Looking at a map of the area in China (see my other comment here), the plots are indeed smaller than those in Dutch polders. Market towns are approx. 10km apart, walking to the nearest one is about 90 minutes at most.
Furthermore, these lands were reclaimed in the 19th and 20th centuries, when agriculture was very un-mechanised, so staying close to the farm and going to the town once in a while, instead of clustering in towns and trekking to your plot every day was probably more efficient.