Map Introduction

I. Military Conquest and Administrative Restructuring in the Early Ming Period

In 1382 (the 15th year of the Hongwu era), following the pacification of Yunnan, Ming forces established the Yunnan Regional Military Commission in Kunming. This body oversaw 42 guards (wei) and 72 battalions (suo), with key military strongholds in central Dali including the Dali Guard (headquartered at Taihe City) and the Erhai Guard (headquartered at Dengchuan). The Ming court abolished the Duan family's Tusi (native chieftain) regime, relocating the Dali Duan clan to Hubei. Concurrently, it implemented the "Tripartite Administration" system: the Provincial Administration Commission managed civil affairs, the Provincial Surveillance Commission handled judiciary matters, and the Regional Military Commission controlled military affairs, thereby establishing a centralized governance structure.

II. Migrant Settlement and Economic Transformation

During the early Ming period, large-scale migration to central Yunnan was organized through the "Hongwu Transfer of Guards." In 1389 alone, over 2 million soldiers and civilians from Hunan, Jiangxi, and other regions were relocated. The Dali area implemented a combined system of military, civilian, and merchant agro-colonies: * Military Colonies (Tuntian): Guard troops followed the "three-tenths garrison, seven-tenths farming" principle, with the Erhai Guard military households reclaiming up to 120,000 mu of farmland. * Civilian Colonies: Wealthy households from Jiangnan were forcibly relocated to Dali, introducing advanced rice cultivation and textile techniques. * Merchant Colonies: Salt merchants developed salt mines in Heijing, Yunlong, and other areas, creating a model of "using salt revenues to support the military."

III. Tusi System and Ethnic Governance

The Ming court implemented a dual "Tusi-Liu Guan (native chieftain and centrally-appointed official) joint administration" policy towards the Bai and Yi peoples. While native prefects were established in central Dali areas like Taihe and Zhaozhou, the court gradually promoted the "Gaitu Guiliu" policy (replacing native chieftains with state-appointed officials): * In 1415 (the 13th year of the Yongle era), the native prefect of Taihe was abolished and replaced with a circulating official. * During the Zhengtong era (1436-1449), the "native patrol inspectorate" system was implemented in counties like Dengchuan and Langqiong, weakening the military power of native chieftains.

IV. Cultural Integration and Social Change

Han culture permeated the region through the guard education system, leading to the phenomenon of "Yi mothers and Han fathers" in Dali: * Buddhist temples like the Chongsheng Temple were incorporated into the official state sacrificial system. * Bai intellectuals entered officialdom through the imperial examinations; Yang Shiyun from Zhaozhou (present-day Fengyi) became Yunnan's first Hanlin Academician. * Intermarriage between military colonists and the Bai people fostered ancestral memories tracing origins to "Liushuwan, Yingtian Prefecture, Nanjing."

V. Late Ming Turmoil and Frontier Crises

During the Wanli era (1573-1620), the Taungoo Dynasty of Burma invaded central Yunnan: * In 1583 (the 11th year of Wanli), Tengchong fell, forcing Ming troops to retreat to Yongchang (present-day Baoshan). * In 1626 (the 6th year of Tianqi), the Dali city walls were extensively repaired, with 12 additional watchtowers added.

Summary

Through military conquest, migrant settlement, and institutional restructuring, the Ming dynasty integrated central Yunnan into the centralized state system, creating a socially integrated "Han-indigenous" fabric. This process accelerated frontier development while simultaneously sowing the seeds of Tusi resistance, laying the groundwork for the comprehensive "Gaitu Guiliu" reforms implemented during the Qing dynasty.