明代土官借袭现象释析

Analysis on the Heir-substituting of Local Tyrant in the Ming Dynasty

借袭是明代土官承袭的特殊形式,其作用在于填补因应袭者年幼、患病或残疾不能视事而出现的土职空缺。从大量土官借袭的实例来看,借袭发生的情形、借袭者的身份以及最终的还职,均体现出借袭是明代土官承袭制度的有益补充,它极大程度地保障了这一制度的实施。但因借袭涉及职权的归属,仍然存在因借袭者妄图据之不还而导致干戈相斗的实例。有鉴于此,明朝官员在处理土官借袭事件时显得颇为谨慎。

In the Ming Dynasty,heir-substituting were special in local tyrant successions,which can fill a vacancy when the successor was too young, severely sick or handicapped. Through a lot of instances, I have analysed the heir-substituting＇s backgrounds,identities and reinstatements and concluded that heir-substituting were beneficial supplement of Ming Dynasty＇s local tyrant successions. Though heir-substituting brought maximum guarantee for Ming Dynasty＇s local tyrant successions, there were some intrigues even wars during them, which mainly arouse form power struggle or heir-substitute＇s wild ambition to permanently occupy the local tyrant position. In view of this,Ming Dynasty＇s officials were very cautious when dealt with the events of heir-substituting.