Yuan And Ming Dynasty Government To Tibetan Relief

During Yuan and Ming Dynasty, Tibet area suffered many disasters, includingflood, drought, earthquake, plague of insects, etc. The disasters exerted bad influence onthe local economy and people’s life and broke the stable of the whole area.To maintain the stability of Tibet area and make sure that people survive famines,the central government of Yuan Dynasty adopted a series of relief measures, includingfunds relief, food relief, tax exemption, etc., and outlined various guidelines andpolicies to ensure cooperation of different departments. Furthermore, based on thepriorities of administration, the central government of Yuan Dynasty relieved thespecific areas in specific years to maintain the stability of local society and smooth oftransportation. In Ming Dynasty, to help people survive famines, the central governmentestablished a series of policies to clarify the tax exemption policy and food relief law,adopted specific relief measures which featured tax exemption, material relief, fundrelief and food relief.From the view of relationship history, the relief meant the recognition of centralgovernment’s administration to Tibet and also that Tibet people are under managementof the central governments in Yuan and Ming Dynasty. Relief reflected pestilence ethicsin China during ancient times. Analyzed from the core of relief, the major position ofagriculture can be found in ancient times. The governors made sure production and lifeby establishment of relief policy and specific measures for famine relief.The thesis includes five parts:Part I introduces the reason and meaning of studying central governments’ relief toTibet area in Yuan and Ming Dynasties, the innovative points, methods and difficultiesof the research, as well as narration and comments of relative studies.Part II presents Tibetan administration and relief policy by Yuan and Ming centralgovernments.Based on relative historical materials of Yuan History, Ming History, The Memoirof Ming Dynasty, etc., Part III studies the records of famine, relief of departments andgovernors, specific relief measures and the case studies.Part IV lists the central government’s specific relief measures to Tibetan area inMing Dynasty, including cash relief, food relief, tax exemption, material relief, etc..Part VI narrates the time features of central governments’ relief to Tibetan area inYuan and Ming Dynasties, and the historical meanings of the relief cases.