A Comparative Study Of Chieftain System In The Border Area Of Southwest And Northwest China During Ming Dynasties

The central government carried out the chieftain system at border areas of china during Yuan Ming and Qing dynasties. There are some different between the border areas of southwest and northwest China, as the areas of chieftain system to implement board and profound influence. In this paper, I will choose the Mu's at Lijiang Yunnan and Li's Xining Qinghai as an example to discuss the differences. The following are the main contents of the article:The first part summarizes the different polices adopted about Yuan and Ming dynasties in the border areas of southwest and northwest China, especially about Lijiang and Xining. The second part discusses the strategic position of border areas of southwest and northwest China from the state border-control during Ming dynasty.The third part discusses the different with three parts about those two areas. Firstly, in political, it compares with the conferment of chieftain, inheritance of chieftain and military affairs. Then, it analyses of the tribute and taxes of chieftains in economic level. Finally, it discusses on the cultural level, from spread of Confucianism and marriage of chieftains. Then, we can find there are so many different in the process of implementation between the chieftain system at border areas of southwest and northwest China; otherwise, in the system parts, there are same.The forth part analyses the cause about those different from the strategic position and religion belief of border areas of southwest and northwest China. Further, discuss the influence of two areas.On the whole. Ming dominator takes a similar system both in border areas of southwest and northwest China to carry out his reign. On the other hand, they follow the ideal of "management by local customs, change by different areas", use different measures in order to take advantage of local condition.