明赐服制初探——以播州宣慰司杨氏的赐服为例

Study of Costume Bestowing System in the Ming Dynasty

播州宣慰司地处偏僻,杨氏借其列祖余威经略播州,自洪武至万历历经九代,多次受赐服,所赐之服不仅有品官的官服,还有麒麟服、蟒衣、飞鱼服。赐服制在明中后期形成滥赐的局面,表面上看,这是明中后期中央集权制受到冲击的一个缩影,实际上是明中央政府财力匮乏时的管理新手段。播州宣慰司杨氏的赐服经历就比较典型。

Bozhou Minority Department,which was under control by the Yangs with their ancestors' remaining prestige,was located in a remote area.The nine generations of Yangs from the reign Hongwu to the reign Wanli were bestowed garments from the Ming emperors quite some times.The granted garments included not only the ranked official costumes,but some rarely seen ones as well.Decorated with dragon like designs,they were once special bestowing to some privileged eunuchs and ministers.However,in the middle and later half of Ming dynasty,these garments began to be recklessly bestowed.It was not so much reflected that the central administration system was under pounding as it was an effective new management method to reduce the expenditure on executive administration.The Yangs'experience was a typical example of it.