使臣授职:明代西北丝绸之路上的羁縻政策

Grant an Envoy to a Military Office:The Jimi Policy of Ming Dynasty to the Western Regions on Northwest Silk Road

明王朝与西域诸国的关系通过来往于丝绸之路的贸易使臣得以持续,明廷基于维护国家长远利益,鼓励使臣往返,对来往于西北丝绸之路上的使臣授予官职。明廷可以根据西域国王或使臣的请求,报皇帝批准后,授予西域来华使臣不同级别的武职。其晋升顺序按武职级别,由低到高进行。不同的武职具有相应的品级,授职使臣因其品级的高低而享受不同的等级及其给赐待遇。对授职使臣,明廷除了给予诰敕外,还赐予冠带、袭衣等物。这种使臣授职制度与朝贡给赐制度相结合,是明朝维护西北丝绸之路上中央王朝与边疆民族以及藩属国关系的羁縻手段,是明代外交制度的重要组成部分,也是明朝朝贡制度在政治上的反映。

The relationship between Ming Dynasty and Western Regions was maintained by the trade envoys.The Ming Government encouraged the envoys to back and forth between countries and granted the envoys of the northwest Silk Road the government post for long-term interests.The Ming Government according to the requests of the kings and envoys of Western Regions and sent to the emperor for approval.After that,the envoys from the Western Regions will be granted different levels of military positions,and their order of promotion was according to the military rank from lower rank to higher rank.The different military ranks had different grade,the envoys with post was treated and rewarded according to their ranks.Besides the imperial edict,the envoys were also granted hat,belt and suit.The system of grant envoys military position and the tribute system joint together was the measure of Ming Government maintaining the dependent relationship between the central government and frontier minority on the Northwest Silk Road.It was the important part of Ming Dynasty＇s diplomatic system and the political reflection of tribute system.