Lingqu Canal Dredging and Borderland General Study in Ming Dynasty
Lingqu is one of the representative projects of frontier water conservancy.As the ancient waterway of communication between the inland and Lingnan,it has shouldered the role to facilitate the flow of materials and personnel since its construction.During the Ming Dynasty,Guangxi faced not only internal turmoil among various ethnic groups but also interactions and competitions with the outside Annan regime,which testified the character of its being borderland region.One of the Ming court's measures to govern Guangxi was through the method of"governing the border through water conservancy."The Lingqu Canal was dredged six times,which allowed to make it playing a role in military,administrative,and agricultural aspects.In addition to developing production and stabilizing the people,it effectively allocated the military defense force and further promoted the governance of Lingqu basin,which promoted the integration of various groups inside the basin area to a certain extent.Strengthening the smoothness of water transportation effectively ensured the transportation of grain and the allocation of soldiers,exerting an effective deterrent effect on the local Tusi and consolidating the governance of the dynasty in Guangxi.However,the Ming court,faced with recurrent unrest,responded in a somewhat weak manner.Furthermore,in its interactions with Annan,the canal effectively maintained border security while also playing a coordinating role in providing logistical support,alleviating the urgency of combat.From being a supply line to become a communication route,the canal continued to serve as an important channel for the exchange and cultural communication between the two countries,which lasted until the Qing Dynasty.The convenience brought by water transportation promotes the interaction and development between the border area and the mainland,effectively interprets the close relationship between the transportation and the stability of the border area,and provides a mirror for the border governance strategies of the later generations.
Ming DynastyGuangxiLingqu Canal dredgingfrontier management and strategydynasty governance
NETL
NSTL
万方数据
