The Research On The Dual-capital System Of Ming Dynasty

The site of capital was considered to be a major event related to the fate of the country in the Chinese ancient history.The dual-capital system or the multi-capital system often becomes the best choice of capital for the rulers.The dual-capital system can date from Western Zhou Dynasty,which has been through the development in Han Dynasty,Sui Dynasty,Tang Dynasty and Song Dynasty,and it has been innovated on the basis of the previous generation.This mainly refers to in the dual-capital system of Ming Dynasty Nanjing and Beijing established a central administration respectively. So the subordinate capital looked like play a quite important role in the dual-capital system ,which had a very important impact on the politics and society in Ming Dynasty.The introduction of this thesis is devoted to a review of researches about this subject. It defines the subordinate capital and the dual capitals and thus laids a foundation for this paper.In the first part,it describes the dual-capital system's development and establishment in Ming Dynasty.The initial dual-capital system came from the form of dual-capital and one city in the Hongwu years.It was the important aspect of the process that Yongle Empor moved capital to Beijing.The system established finally from the years of Hongxi, Xuande until Zhengtong.The dual-capital system is that the Ming rulers integrated with various factors such as politics,military,economy in the early years, which was consistent with the reality.The second part introduces the establishment of the bureaucracy and the relationship of the two capitals.It gives emphasis on the establishment of Nanjing Garrison and Nanjing Political Counselor,and on this basis explains the subordinate relationship between Nanjing and Beijing.Although the two capitals established a complete central administration respectively,Nanjing Governments were limited to Beijing everywhere with the aspects of the terms of reference and the political executing procedure.This became the actual subordinate relationship.The third part is the key point of this paper,which analyzes the functions of Nanjing in the dual-capital system.The first is the economic center of the country which shows that Nanjing was the important base for the national fiscal revenue and its industrial and commercial economy also developed very quickly.The second is Nanjing played an aided function for Beijing,which became the Shelter of the officers frustrated in the official career,the alternative capital dealed with the critical situations and the command center defensed the Japanese Pirates.And it points although the political functions were very important ,Nanjing couldn't instead of Beijing.The third is the cultural center which set an example of development.The authority education developed in company with the folk education,and the citizen's culture was very prosperous.Meanwhile,Nanjing still was famous as a place of writing and collecting books.Because of being far from the political center,the religious thoughts showed quitely activity.It was proved that putting the dual-capital system into practice in Ming Dynasty was true through the important functions of Nanjing.The fourth part discusses the influences and the abuses of the dual-capital system of on the former basis.The dual-capital system adapted to the development practices of the history of Ming Dynasty,which was beneficial to consolidate the rule and promoted the economic and cultural exchanges between the North and the S- outh.Nevertheless,there also have been some abuses at the same time.The system not only brought about heavy fiscal burden but also produced very wicked influences on the subordinate capital and the whole country.On the one hand,it was convenient to the officers acting wildly against law and public opinion in Nanjing.On the other hand,it caused the fierce combat of political parties.Need to point it,though the dual-capital system exs- ited many abuses,the positive influences of this system in Ming Dynasty should be confirmed.The epilogue of this paper summarizes up the questions of the Dual-capital system of Ming Dynasty,and concludes the major factors of impacting the choice of capitals.This can give us a better knowledge of the dual-capital system of Ming Dynasty.