Historical map of Ili Baliq in Ming dynasty
Map Introduction
I. Basic Overview and Geographical Positioning of Yilibali
Yilibali was a regional polity established from the 14th to the 17th century north and south of the Tianshan Mountains in present-day Xinjiang, China, by descendants of the Mongol Chagatai Khanate. It is also known as the Eastern Chagatai Khanate (Ming Chinese records often referred to it as "Yilibali" or "Beshbalik"). Its administrative center was located in the present-day Ili region of Xinjiang. The name "Yilibali" phonetically approximates "Ili Baligh," representing the core territory centered on the Ili River basin. At its peak, the khanate's territory extended east to Turpan and Lop Nur, west to the Amu Darya River, north to the Tarbagatai Mountains, and south over the Hindu Kush Mountains, covering approximately 3.5 million square kilometers, making it the largest tributary state in the Western Regions during the Ming period. The relationship between Yilibali and the Ming Dynasty was that of a tributary vassal to a suzerain, not a directly administered frontier garrison.
II. Tributary Relations between Yilibali and the Ming Dynasty
Establishment of Tributary Relations In 1391 (the 24th year of Hongwu in the Ming Dynasty), after Khizr Khoja of the Eastern Chagatai Khanate ascended the throne, he dispatched the chiliarch Hamaliding as an envoy to pay homage to the Hongwu Emperor, formally establishing the vassal relationship. Ming envoys used the name of the capital, "Yilibali," to refer to the entire khanate. Subsequently, successive Khans acknowledged the Ming calendar as legitimate, regularly presenting tribute of local products such as camels, horses, jade, and hides. In return, the Ming bestowed gifts like patterned silks, garments, and colored currency. In 1418 (the 16th year of the Yongle reign), after Khan Vais moved west to Yilibali, the Ming Dynasty more explicitly referred to the polity as "Yilibali."
Political Interaction and Economic Exchange * Investiture System: The Ming Dynasty granted titles such as "Assistant Commissioner-in-Chief" to the rulers of Yilibali. For instance, Khan Vais was invested by the Xuande Emperor, and over seventy of his chiefs, including Khudaidad, received rewards. * Trade Relations: Tribute trade formed the core of their economic ties. Yilibali conducted the tea-horse trade with the Ming via the tribute route, while the Ming provided compensatory value through return gifts. * Cultural Influence: Islam became the primary religion in Yilibali, while the Ming's Sino-barbarian hierarchy reinforced the political-symbolic relationship between the two through tributary rituals.
III. Political Evolution and Decline of Yilibali
Division of the Khanate and Capital Relocation In 1418, due to internal strife, Khan Vais moved the capital from Beshbalik (modern Jimsar) west to Yilibali (modern Ili), changing the state's name to the Yilibali Khanate. During this period, the khanate faced pressure from both the Timurid Empire to the west and the Hami Guard to the east but maintained political stability with Ming support.
Fragmentation and Downfall * Process of Division: From the late 15th to the early 16th century, internal conflicts among the Chagataid descendants led to the gradual fragmentation of Yilibali into three parts: the Yilibali core (Ili), the Turfan Khanate, and the Yarkent Khanate. * Final Collapse: After the death of Khan Abd al-Rashid in 1570, the khanate disintegrated due to fragmentation among his sons. In 1680, the Dzungar ruler Galdan marched into the Southern Tarim Basin, captured Khan Ismāʿīl, and ended Chagataid rule in Xinjiang.
Historical Impact As a Mongol polity, the rise and fall of Yilibali were closely linked to the developments of the Kyrgyz, Kazakh, and Dzungar tribes, setting the stage for the Qing Dynasty's eventual unification of Xinjiang.
IV. Yilibali's Place in Ming Policy towards the Western Regions
Ming Strategy for the Western Regions The Ming adopted a tributary policy of "cultivating distant realms through virtue" towards the Western Regions. Yilibali, as a significant vassal state, was incorporated into the system of "states not to be invaded." The Ming exercised indirect influence through the Hami Guard (in the far east) and Yilibali but did not station troops directly or establish administrative organs there.
Policy Limitations * Geographical Constraints: The great distance of the Ming capital from the Western Regions, coupled with the threat from the Northern Yuan, made it difficult to commit resources to manage the northwest effectively. * Economic Considerations: The immense cost of bestowing rewards for tributary trade led the Ming to contract its Western Regions policy in later years. * Political Symbolism: Yilibali's submission satisfied the Ming's political need for the "myriad states coming to pay homage," but actual control was limited.
Historical Assessment The relationship between Yilibali and the Ming Dynasty exemplifies characteristic features of the pre-modern international order: mutual benefit was achieved through the tributary system (the Ming gained political prestige, Yilibali gained economic benefits), but it lacked substantive territorial administration.
Summary
As the core polity in the Western Regions during the Ming period, the historical evolution of Yilibali reflects the continuation of Mongol influence in Central Asia, the spread of Islamic culture, and the flexibility of Ming frontier policy. From the establishment of tributary relations in 1391 to its demise in the late 17th century, the interaction between Yilibali and the Ming constituted a significant chapter in Chinese frontier history and the East Asian international order. Its rise and fall not only shaped the historical landscape of the Xinjiang region but also provided historical experience for the Qing Dynasty's unification of the Western Regions.