
Magnate Estates
Land Development is a building chain in Total War: Three Kingdoms. It is primarily used to produce food, cause population growth and gain various amounts of income. You also receive a discount for constructing any Military Buildings.
It should be noted that the two branches to turn this reliable source of food into markets that sell food are often terrible choices as their use is very situational. The penalties to food production are -18 or even -24 in the final upgrades. Combine that with the food penalties from the Settlement Administration buildings, up to a staggering -46 food in Imperial Cities, and an unprepared player might accidentally cause a famine to break out in a commandery, creating an almost unmanageable food shortage that causes faction support to plummet and forces citizens to leave the commandery in search of food. If you're not careful, your greatest cities can turn into ghost towns plagued by rebellion in only a few turns.
It is often best to simply build this building for the Magnate Estates branch. State Workshops are often a better choice to create more income than food markets. But, if you have plenty of food and you're in need of coin, then the Market branches might be good for you.
Building Chain[]

Land Surveying Office
Land Surveying Office (level 1)[]
Before sowing a single crop, test the health of the soil. An initial examination and mapping of the land provides valuable information on which acres will be the most suitable for farming. Tested and proved mathematical guidelines enable the complex measuring of the height, width, and volume of land, so that it can be mapped precisely for reference. Nearby rivers and canals are noted for their proximity to areas with good soil for potential diversion for irrigation purposes. Once this research is complete, land can be allocated for farming with confidence.
Upkeep: None
Cost: 1400
- +2K population growth (local county)
- +1 food production (farming)
- +70 income (peasantry)
- -10% Military buildings construction cost reduction

Land Registry Office
Land Registry Office (level 2)[]
Taxes are determined by the value of land, and are vital to China’s infrastructure. China’s economy is an agricultural one, and so each acre of farmland is a valuable resource that must be accounted for. Registration of land provides documented evidence in the case of future disputes over ownership, and a means of judging taxation. Land tax is based on the size of land and social standing of the owner, based on survey records. Correct taxation of land is vital to the China's economic infrastructure and a well-run office results in more food for the district.
Upkeep: None
Cost: 2000
- +4K population growth (local county)
- +2 food production (farming)
- +90 income (peasantry)
- -10% Military buildings construction cost reduction

Irrigated Farms
Irrigated Farms (level 3)[]
Divert the source directly to the destination. Irrigated farms increase the speed, and thus yield, of the crops grown there. China consists chiefly of arable land because of its rainfall and famed Yellow River with its many tributaries. These canals and rivers can be diverted and channelled towards farmland to provide water all year around, and more than that, can be controlled with chain pumps to raise or lower the height of the water. When twinned with rotation of crops to take advantage of the seasons, greater income and food revenue is created.
Upkeep: None
Cost: 2650
- +6K population growth (local county)
- +3 food production (farming)
- +110 income (peasantry)
- -10% Military buildings construction cost reduction

Farming Estates
Farming Estates (level 4A)[]
An estate where the workforce and landowners live as one and toil the land. Estates provide permanent homes for the local farming community, attracting people looking for regular work and increasing income and food for the province. This creates a miniature ecosystem, where the grain produce from the fields provides food and income for the local peasantry, who use it to pay rent, which in turn goes towards the upkeep of the farms. With this additional revenue, farming enterprises can be improved by purchasing better tools and hiring in more workers.
Upkeep: None
Cost: 3400
- +12K population growth (local county)
- +4 food production (farming)
- +130 income (peasantry)
- -10% Military buildings construction cost reduction
Requires Reform: Sharecropping

Magnate Estates
Magnate Estates (level 5A)[]
A vast and profitable estate; a legacy built from a community where land is both home and work. Years of toil in the fields have transformed the people here from peasants to expert grain farmers. In their lifetime, they have seen small plots develop into acres of fields, in concert with a growing community. They are filled with pride and a sense of achievement, knowing that their fate has been guided by their own hands and created a thriving farming income. A magnate estate is a physical representation of this legacy, and one that the magnate's children will continue after they have gone.
Upkeep: None
Cost: 4350
- +24K population growth (local county)
- +5 food production (farming)
- +150 income (peasantry)
- -15% Military buildings construction cost reduction
Requires Reform: Feudal Magnates

Food Trader
Food Trader (level 3B)[]
Regular trade in food or coin sustains a community and helps it thrive. Farmed food or food produced from reared livestock provides sustenance. After the supply for each household has been designated, any surplus is used for trade. A food trader will trade in coin and food, depending on their district’s main produce; if grain is scarce, for example, they will exchange produce for grain to bulk up the district’s supply, bringing in food and income to the district.
Upkeep: None
Cost: 2650
- +6K population growth (local county)
- -6 food production (farming)
- +220 income (peasantry)
- -10% Military buildings construction cost reduction

Food Market
Food Market (level 4B)[]
A market for merchants to ply their trade and make new contacts. As trade becomes more important to the Chinese way of life, the architecture of settlements are now planned and constructed with room for market areas. Though many consider mercantilism to be a lowly and somewhat distasteful career, being that they elevate income above produce, a good merchant will often become wealthier than those that look down upon them. Moreover, the money and food they receive in return for trade enriches the lives of the people within the district.
Upkeep: None
Cost: 3400
- +12K population growth (local county)
- -12 food production (farming)
- +250 income (peasantry)
- -10% Military buildings construction cost reduction
Requires Reform: Treatise of Agriculture

Grand Food Market
Grand Food Market (level 5B)[]
If it can be grown or raised, it can be purchased here. A grand food market enables trading on a large scale, becoming a hub of trading for the district. Here, produce from local farms and livestock can be sold once the needs of the populace’s food are taken care of. A food merchant can choose to specialise in one kind of food, or have a mixture for customers to choose from. Some food may even be sold on to third parties, who can then sell on in their own markets and, should the goods be scarce or impossible to grow, breed or farm in their own region.
Upkeep: None
Cost: 4350
- +24K population growth (local county)
- -18 food production (farming)
- +280 income (peasantry)
- -15% Military buildings construction cost reduction
Requies Reform: Intensive Cultivation Techniques

Livestock Market of the Commandery Capital
Livestock Market of the Commandery Capital (level 5C)[]
A market specialising in the finest quality livestock. With the growth of trade and the recognition of its value – sometimes reluctantly by those who follow the Confucian way – it is wise to keep a square in a settlement free for the eventual development of a market. This space is used for selling livestock, being that the district has a healthy animal trade. Chickens, sheep, pigs, dogs, cows and horses are reared and those sold here, either for coin for equivalent amount of other food.
Upkeep: None
Cost: 4500
- +24K population growth (local county)
- -24 food production (farming)
- +300 income (peasantry)
- +20% income from commerce
- -15% Military buildings construction cost reduction
Requires Reform: Intensive Cultivation Techniques
Requires Resource: Livestock
Requires Resource: Entrepreneurs