Re-analysis Of "Gai Tu Gui Liu" In Qing Dynasty

The study of "Gai Liu"of Miao people's territory in the south-east of Guizhou province, has been a heating issue in the academic circle, and different people hold different views, which can be summed up in the following: firstly, whether developing Miao people's territory is concluded in the system of "Gai Tu Gui Liu"or not; secondly, what's the historical reasons of developing Miao people's territory; thirdly, in what methods used in developing Miao people's territory. According to some relative literatures, the "Tu"of the system of "Gai Tu Gui Liu", mainly, refers to any local administration policies against the central government administration policies, of course, including the system of "Tu Si". But abasement of "Tu Si"can not cover all the contents of the reforming of the system of "Tu", whereas abasement of the traditional administration authority systems is one of the contents of reforming the system of "Tu". Anyway, according to relevant historical records and the consequences of developing, the development "Sheng Jie "is within the rang of "Gai liu"as well. The reasons of "Gai Liu"are that Qing government strengthened domination of its border areas and increased tax revenues, that Qing government wanted to bring "Sheng Jie"within which the "Tu Si"systems had not been set up into the transferring official management systems with a view to changing the passive situation ranging from out-of-control to non-control. The main means of "Gai Liu"are placation and suppression which are used simultaneously, sometimes one means over another. As some government officials insisted that government should set up its deterrent image by killing people, which ignored its local particular cultural customs, the system "Gai Liu"became one of the main reasons why Qing dynasty changed from bad to worse. Therefore, the system "Gai Liu"of Miao people's territory is a progressive political reform, which not only strengthened Qing dynasty's control over that area, but also changed its isolation and backwardness to some degree, urging development of its social product and consolidating its control of border areas and holding to develop the unitary multi-national state. Thus, the careful study of historical situation of "Gai Liu"on Miao people's territory and of its merits and demerits plays an important part in respecting local minority people's life custom and cultural environment in developing western regions, in pushing forward the modern construction, and in avoiding the similar historical tragedies to recur.