A Study On Yuan And Ming's Native Chieftain System In Kuang-hsi

There are six chapters in this dissertation, about 250,000 words, with introduction included.Yuan and Ming are two most important dynasties for the establishment and development of native chieftain system in Kuang-hsi, which continued and improved the tribalization of Tang and Song Dynasty.As the feudal authority recognized and relied on native chiefs, there was a expansion of their influence, as a result, Ming's feudal authority maintained a long-time native chieftain system in kuang-hsi which covered the whole province.Ming government improved native chieftain system by establishing a greater degree of control over Kuang-hsi's native chiefs. This was achieved by the more strict rules about native chief's appointment, morning duty, succession, promotion, rewards and penalties, draft etc, along with other means such as circulating officer aid, keeping garrisons etc.With the expansion of native chieftain system, there was a growing gap between the central authority and native authority over power allocation. As a result, conflicts between them broke out.Native chieftain system, on the one hand, developed the economy and culture of native domains with the policies and measures taken by the centralizing state and native authorities; on the other hand, due to the inadequacies of the system, conflicts between and inside native chiefs continued, and the social productivity was adversely affected.The process of de-tribalization had started in some of Kuang-hsi's regions when Ming united Kuang-hsi, and it more or less weakened the native chieftain system and strengthened centralizing state's rule over these native territories. But the process was not carried out thoroughly.To conclude, Yuan and Ming's tribalization in Kuang-hsi was dependent on the feudal lord economy with a military support, bearing the characteristics of feudal lord divisions and feudal religion. It helped in the regional development of Kuang-hsi, maintained the unification of multi-nationality country, consolidated national defense, but it had fatal limitations which hindered the region's further development. On the whole, Yuan and Ming's native chieftain system in Kuang-hsi was suited to its then productivity level.