The Ethnic Relationships On The Kuizhou Road And Ethnic Development In Northern Song Dynasty

The Kui Zhou Road was located in the south-west of Northern Song Dynasty, where there were many different minorities with different origins. Minorities distributed in Yu Zhou state, Hong Zhou state,Fu Zhou state, Kui Zhou state, Ian Zhou state, Shi Zhou state, Liang Shanjun and Nan Pingjun . Especially in the Ji Mi area which was under the government of Qian Zhou state and Shi Zhou state, there were many minorities.Northern Song court considered the places where these minorities lived were "barren land"and those minorities were "terrier of the vagrant", so there was no good owning these places and minorities. Appointing the chiefs so they could manage themselves and always treating them as savages was the best arrangement. Upholding the concept,Northern Song Dynasty court carried out Ji Mi system in the minority areas of Kui Zhou Road ,and set up Ji Mi state. Northern Song Dynasty court appointed the chiefs of the minority as the officials of Ji Mi state, awarded them various positions and allowed hereditary system following the custom of the minority. At the same time, in order to keep good relation with minorities, the Song Dynasty accepted the tributary of the minorities, and gave rewards back. In order to keep frontier peaceful, Song Dynasty court selected proper officials to govern in sub-prefectures and counties. The criterion of appointing included not claiming credit, not making trouble, wining for peace as well as acquainting every roads and folk situation. When the Han nationality living with the minority, there were always contradictions. Song Dynasty court handled the conflict between the Han nationality and the minority with a policy of mollification and restrained the minority depending on the minority's laws and vows. When facing the frontier's invasion caused by the minority, the Northern Song Dynasty court performed reasonably. The Northern Song court often knew the truth and then took measures. They took this attitude because the minority invaded because of economic profit and they thought the local officials should take responsibility for it. Faced with the conflicts between the minorities and the inner contradictions, the Song court often pursed a policy of peace and handled the minorities'inner civil and criminal disputes.Song court set up Kui Zhou Road insurgent groups as a kind of country's army on the Kui Zhou Road. The insurgent groups were mainly composed of the minorities and could recruited more. The organization and the numbers of the army were regulated. The insurgent groups were restrained by each level's officials. They could get salaries and rewards, at the same time they need to undertake agriculture and could be promoted. After they had made contributions, they could move to the better places and gain more rewards. The Kui Zhou Road army supplemented the shortage of Northern Song army and took a great many responsibilities. They distributed in the frontier, acquainted the roads and were sent to fight against when faced with the minorities. They got much victory during the war of settling the minorities'rebelling and were sent to other places once they went to Jiao Zhi.There were close economic relationships and contacts between the Han nationality and the minority in the Kui Zhou Road, which characterized by the trade of tribute and reward and the frontier's trade. The Northern Song court exchanged with the minority for salt, copper and other materials according to the minority's needs.With increasing contacts with the Northern Song Dynasty, the behindhand minority district had developed clearly. Their developments mainly characterized by the strengthened Chinesization of the minority and the control of the center government directly ruling the original Ji Mi area. Some officials and gentry classes in Kui Zhou Road established education and advocated medicine so as to strengthen the Chinesization. Under the condition that the economic relationships between the Northern Song and the minority were strengthened, some districts belonging to the original Ji Mi were governed directly by the Northern Song court.