The Elementary Research For Walled Town Sites Of Yuan Dynasty In Inner Mongolia

This thesis systematically collects relevant archaeological and textual evidence relating to walled town sites of Yuan Dynasty in Inner Mongolia. Built upon the foundation of the research of other scholars and a combination of archaeology and history, this thesis is a complete recoganization and reclassification of these sites. First, this thesis traces the development of the organizational system. During Yuan Dynasty,. modern Inner Mongolia was divided into the following administrative districts Zhongshu Province, Shanxi Branch Province, Gansu Branch Province and Liaoyang Branch Province. There were four administrative levels below the " Province" and " Branch Province", these are: Lu, Fu, Zhou, Xian. They all located to different dimensions' walled towns. Several of these city sites were simultaneously administrative centers of different Mongolian tribes;and, in the eastern steppe there were eastern-all-kings who ruled from many walled towns at respective enfeoffments.In addition, this thesis also includes descriptions of the special aspects of the important "Lu" level administrative centers. Although these "Lu" level centers were national loci of administrative control, their most important function was the service of the highest social class, becoming the private cities of these at the highest social echelon. Lastly, this thesis analyzes the governmental, military, economical and cultural significance of these sites. Governmental and military affairs were the most important function of these cities. On the one hand they were pivotal hinge for Central Plains' communication with the dukes of North Steppe. on the other they were important to the control of the dukes of the northwestern regions by the Yuan dynastic government. These sites were also important centers for "military farms", and these farms were one of the florescences to the historical development of agriculture in Inner Mongolia. These city sites were also important loci for the development of several religions during the Yuan Dynasty, incarnating the most basic religious policy of Great Mongolian Empire.