The Historical Map of Guizhou in the Ming Dynasty
Map Introduction
I. Military Deployment Before Provincial Establishment (1368–1413)
In 1382 (the 15th year of the Hongwu era), Zhu Yuanzhang established the Guizhou Regional Military Commission to control the remaining Yuan forces in Yunnan, making it the military command center for the Yunnan-Guizhou region. This decision stemmed from the lesson of the Prince of Liang's entrenched power in Yunnan at the end of the Yuan dynasty. Guizhou's rugged terrain served as a natural barrier, and Ming troops needed secure passage through Guizhou to stabilize Yunnan. The guard station (wei-suo) system was subsequently implemented. By the end of the Xuande era (1435), Guizhou contained over 700 military colonies and forts, creating a landscape described as "a thousand garrisons scattered across the plains and wilds."
II. Establishment of Guizhou Province and Economic Development (Post-1413)
In 1413 (the 11th year of the Yongle era), the Yongle Emperor abolished the two major Tusi (native chieftaincies) of Sizhou and Sinan, establishing the Guizhou Provincial Administration Commission. It governed 8 prefectures (fu), 1 county (xian), and 39 chief's offices (zhangguansi), marking the formal creation of Guizhou Province. Following its establishment, military agro-colonies accelerated development: garrison troops introduced agricultural techniques from the Jianghuai region, promoting land reclamation in the Wujiang River basin and central Guizhou. A courier route system connected Huguang, Sichuan, and Yunnan, facilitating the flow of goods. Unique Tunbao culture emerged in places like Anshun, blending the military colony system with local customs.
III. The Tusi System and the Policy of "Gaitu Guiliu"
While the Ming dynasty preserved Tusi rule in Guizhou, it gradually weakened the chieftains' power through a system of "concurrent administration by native chieftains and circulating officials." The powerful Yang Tusi of Bozhou (present-day Zunyi) rebelled, leading to the Bozhou Campaign in 1600 (the 28th year of the Wanli era). After quelling the rebellion, the Ming court established the Zunyi and Pingyue prefectures, implementing "Gaitu Guiliu" (replacing native chieftains with state-appointed officials). By the late Ming dynasty, the reach of circulating official rule had expanded to eastern and northern Guizhou, laying the groundwork for the comprehensive "Gaitu Guiliu" reforms during the Qing dynasty.
IV. Cultural Integration and Frontier Governance
During his exile at the Longchang Post (present-day Xiuwen), Wang Yangming developed his philosophy of the "Unity of Knowledge and Action," promoting the spread of Confucian learning. Xu Xiake traveled through Guizhou for 51 days, documenting 25 sites including the Huangguoshu Waterfall, creating valuable early geographical records. Interactions between Ming dynasty Tunbao immigrants and local ethnic groups resulted in a socially integrated "Han-indigenous coexistence," strengthening central control over the southwestern frontier.
Summary
Through military colonies, administrative establishment, and cultural infiltration, the Ming dynasty transformed Guizhou from a "periphery within the periphery" into a strategic foothold in the Southwest. This process not only altered Guizhou's socioeconomic structure but also provided a model for the Qing dynasty's "Gaitu Guiliu" policy and the definitive formation of the modern province.