Historical Maps of Gansu Province during the Yuan Dynasty in China
Map Introduction
I. Establishment Background and Timeline
In 1281, the 18th year of the Zhiyuan era under Kublai Khan, the Gansu Branch Secretariat was formally established. Its administrative seat was located in Ganzhou Route, making it one of the eleven major Branch Secretariats of the Yuan Dynasty. Its establishment stemmed from:
- Strategic Need: To control the Hexi Corridor, a vital artery connecting Central China and the Western Regions, and to guard against the influence of Mongol princes.
- Administrative Consolidation: Previously, the Yuan had established the Western Xia Zhongxing Branch Secretariat; due to its overly large jurisdiction, the Gansu Branch Secretariat was subsequently created.
- Ethnic Governance: To consolidate rule over multi-ethnic areas by appointing Western Xia nobles and Muslim officials to key positions.
II. Administrative Divisions and Jurisdictional Evolution
The Gansu Branch Secretariat governed 7 Routes and 2 directly-subordinated subprefectures, including:
- Core Areas: Ganzhou Route, Suzhou Route, Shazhou Route.
- Extended Jurisdiction: Ningxia Superior Prefecture Route, Yongchang Route, Ejine Route.
- Special Establishments: Shandan Subprefecture, Xining Subprefecture.
Its jurisdiction far exceeded that of the modern Gansu Province, encompassing eastern Xinjiang, northern Qinghai, and the entire Ningxia region, covering approximately 420,000 square kilometers and ranking among the largest Yuan Branch Secretariats by area.
III. Political and Military Status
- Political Characteristics:
- Implemented a separation of military and civilian administration.
- The overseeing Darughachi officials were often Mongol nobles holding ultimate authority.
- Military Functions:
- Defended against incursions from the Chagatai Khanate, garrisoning key forts.
- Managed the courier station system of the Hexi Corridor, ensuring the Silk Road remained open.
IV. Economic and Cultural Development
- Economic Conditions:
- Agriculture: Implemented military agro-colonies, making areas like Ganzhou and Liangzhou grain-producing regions.
- Commerce: Trade Supervisories were established in Dunhuang and Zhangye, facilitating frequent travel by Western Regions merchants.
- Devastation: Warfare in the late Yuan led to severe economic decline.
- Cultural Blending:
- Tibetan Buddhism spread along the Hexi Corridor, with ongoing construction at the Mogao Caves.
- Muslim craftsmen introduced Western Regions technologies, promoting handicraft development.
V. Late Changes and Termination
- Late Yuan Turmoil:
- The Red Turban Rebellion spread to the Hexi region, triggering widespread popular uprisings.
- In 1370, Ming forces captured Ganzhou and Suzhou, ending Yuan control.
- Institutional End:
- In the early Ming, Gansu was incorporated into the Shaanxi Provincial Administration Commission, a structure lasting into the Qing Dynasty.
- This adjustment was driven by defense needs and the depopulated state of late Yuan Gansu.
Historical Evaluation
The establishment of the Gansu Branch Secretariat signified:
- Administrative Innovation: The first incorporation of the Hexi Corridor into a unified provincial-level administration.
- Ethnic Integration: Created a pattern of multi-ethnic co-governance involving Mongols, Han, Hui, and Tibetans.
- Geographical Legacy: Its jurisdictional outline profoundly influenced the later territorial extent of Gansu Province.