Chapter 3 Section 3 Territory Varieties

Since the beginning of written records, the specific conditions of regime forms, administrative systems, and jurisdiction methods that have appeared in Chinese history are very complicated, and there are great differences between different periods and regions. It is difficult to determine the definition of territory, and it is difficult to generalize.However, the main types of territories can be summarized as follows: Whether it is a dynasty in the Central Plains, or a regional or frontier regime, this is the main and basic part of their territory.They are generally set up in agricultural areas or semi-agricultural and semi-pastoral areas, and are managed by formal and hierarchical administrative agencies.These institutions have fixed or regular residences and clear jurisdictions, register household registration, collect taxes, taxes, and enforce laws for the people in the area.The Supreme Ruler has all powers internally and externally.Since the Qin Dynasty (221 BC - 206 BC), there have been counties, counties (hous), or prefectures, roads, roads, prefectures, provinces (provinces, chief ministers), and departments, with a few exceptions , are generally formal administrative districts.

In remote areas, newly controlled or occupied areas, and administrative areas established by non-Han (or non-ethnic) inhabited areas, the rulers give certain preferential treatment and implement relatively loose management, such as reducing or exempting part or all of the taxes, and do not conduct regular household registration.The names of these units are the same as the official administrative districts, and the chiefs are also appointed by the central or higher-level government.This kind of unit is often a transitional form, and it will be changed into a formal administrative area when the conditions are ripe.For example, the "Chujun" was established in the newly occupied areas in the southwest and south during the Western Han Dynasty, and the administrative units were newly established in remote areas in successive dynasties.

Military institutions set up in frontier areas to control, supervise, and manage local political power or a part of the administrative affairs area, such as the Western Regions Governor's Office after the Han Dynasty, the Western Regions Changshi's Office, most of the Governor's Office in the Tang Dynasty, and the edge of the Ming Dynasty Wei and Suo, generals of the Qing Dynasty.These units all station troops on a fixed or regular basis, carry out reclamation, and have clear defense areas or jurisdictions. The chiefs are appointed by the central government, but the way of exercising power over the administrative and civil parts of the jurisdiction is very different: some still retain local Some autonomous regimes do not intervene in their internal affairs; some have no administrative responsibility at all, and are managed by another set of administrative systems appointed by the central government; some also manage civil affairs, so they are no different from the above-mentioned special administrative regions.

Some of the administrative regions set up within the scope of ethnic minorities, areas inhabited by non-Han ethnic groups, or newly controlled local governments have maintained their original institutions and names, while others have undergone some changes.The common features of these regions are: chiefs are hereditary, or they are created according to the original local customs, but they must be approved or confirmed by the central or higher-level government; chiefs can retain their original titles, but they must recognize the status of subordinates; they can have their own The army, but external military operations must be approved by the higher-level government, or be dispatched by the higher-level government.They have internal autonomy, but the degree of autonomy varies. Some completely maintain the original civil administration system and implement the original administrative system. officials with a supervisory role; some must accept the appointment of a superior government to serve as a deputy, and bear certain taxes and labor; The native population and newly implemented laws cannot interfere.As for those units that only retain the original name of the leader and economic privileges, but no longer grant any administrative power, or units that only accept the name of the central government but are not actually controlled by the central government at all, they do not belong to this type. .

It is worth noting that the situation in this type of region is quite complex and often changes. Different places and different periods in the same region may belong to different types. Areas de facto controlled by a regime or political entity, de facto recognized by neighboring regimes or not subject to interference.Due to special production methods, economic backwardness or limited scope, such areas generally have no administrative divisions or institutions, and the means of governance are primitive and simple.Some have great mobility and have no fixed boundaries, such as nomadic regimes in the north, tribal ruled areas in the south, and ethnic regimes in remote areas.

To determine whether a place belongs to the territory of a certain regime, we should not only look at the name, but should look at the substance.We should not start from the feudal orthodox concept and narrow national concept, but should stand on the standpoint of the entire Chinese nation today, and use the viewpoint of materialist dialectics to make a realistic analysis. Generally speaking, the historical "paying tribute" cannot be used as a basis for attribution. There are roughly three situations for the so-called "paying tribute": The first is the relationship between a small country and a big country. For example, North Korea in the Ming and Qing Dynasties paid tribute to China in most years, and even the new king had to report to China in order to be recognized.But in fact North Korea has its own complete state institutions, and its internal affairs are not subject to China's interference.Its surrender to China is mainly out of awe of great powers and cultural traditions, in order to obtain security guarantees and legal continuity.Economically, there is no relationship between exploitation and being exploited. Tributes and rewards are often of higher value than the former, or at least equal.It is true that some regimes completely obeyed the will of the court after professing their vassals to the Central Plains dynasty, and voluntarily placed themselves in a subordinate position.However, due to considerations of national defense security, economic interests, or cultural differences, the Central Plains dynasty preferred to maintain the relationship between a large country and a small country, rather than accepting it as its own territory, such as the relationship between the Han Dynasty and the Xiongnu in the late Western Han Dynasty.As for some regimes that completely lost their sovereignty after paying tribute to the Central Plains dynasty and became autonomous regions under the rule of the dynasty, that is another nature.

The second type is commerce and trade by means of paying tribute to ministers.In history, many nomads and foreign businessmen, in order to obtain necessary materials or increase trade volume, often used tribute as a means of exchange for rewards from the Central Plains dynasty, tax-free privileges, or concessions for import and export.This is because normal trade is often prohibited or not legally protected, and the form of tribute not only caters to the arrogance of the rulers, but also has huge profits.It is not that these "tributes" all represent the countries where the tributes are located, let alone that these countries have all become vassal states of the Central Plains dynasty.

The third is purely wishful thinking of the Chinese rulers: the other party sent diplomatic envoys or trade representatives with equal status, but the Central Plains dynasty insisted on calling it a tribute.This only proves the arrogance and ignorance of the feudal rulers.Almost none of the Western envoys who came to China during the Opium War were not referred to as "tributary", "tributary", and "please seal". Naturally, we cannot think that Portugal, Britain, Italy, etc. at that time were all part of China's territory. In Chinese history, there was also a kind of administrative region of Jiji, and the situation was more complicated, which required specific analysis.The so-called "restraint" means "restraint" on the one hand, using military and political pressure to control it;This is a special administrative region set up by the Central Plains Dynasty in newly conquered areas and non-Han-inhabited areas. Although it also uses the same name as the official administrative region, it generally does not send administrative officials.Due to the different degrees of confinement, length of time, surrounding situation, and historical background, some confinement administrative regions have actually become ethnic autonomous regions or special administrative regions, while others are only in the stage of proclaiming vassals and paying tribute, and some even happened by accident. cannot be part of the territory without being connected.