Politics of Chiefdom and Frontier Defense Mechanism:Imperial Governance in Early Ming Northwest Sichuan
The period from mid Hongwu to early Xuande was a crucial phase for the Ming Dynasty in terms of engaging with,comprehending,and formulating frontier policies towards northwestern Sichuan.The continuous negotiations between central and border military institutions laid the groundwork for effec-tive governance in northwest Sichuan by the Ming Dynasty.On the one hand,as the Ming's frontier policy gradually took shape and its administrative division in northwest Sichuan underwent constant adjustments,the garrison system matured and exhibited a tendency towards the mercenary system.On the other hand,due to heavy reliance on indigenous leaders for indirect rule,the Ming Court allowed them to maximize local in-terests by capitalizing on court policies.Understanding the political logic of indigenous officials and tracing the evolution of frontier defense mechanisms are key perspectives for comprehending the geopolitical dy-namics of northwest Sichuan during the early Ming Dynasty.
Early MingNorthwest SichuanChiefdom politicsFrontier defense mechanism
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