明清苗疆治理与边疆商业城镇的形成

The Governance of the Miao Frontier During Ming and Qing Dynasties and the Formation of Frontier Commercial Towns

洪江地处沅水上游湘黔桂界邻区,是历史上国家控制西南边陲"古苗疆走廊"东端的一个站点。明清时期,国家加强对西南苗疆的经营,在辰沅地区部署军事控制体系的同时也加大对苗疆腹地的经济开发。沅水流经沅州与辰州之间是一个先向南,接着转东,再折向北的"U"形大回环,其中在洪江境内又蜿蜒成一个"S"形小回转。这一地形导致水路漫长,洪江因此在军事和政治控制体系中处于边缘地位,同时也成为一个天然的物资交汇良港。清代以来,辰沅地区商业市场持续繁荣并向上游拓展,洪江商镇异军突起,成为国家向苗疆经济渗透的"桥头堡"。

Hongjiang River,a station of the eastern end of the"Ancient Miao Frontier Corridor",by means of which the central state governed the Southwest frontier,is located in the upper reach area of Yuan River,the border area of provinces of Hunan,Guizhou and Guangxi.The Central imperial court strengthened the governance of Miao Frontier during Ming and Qing dynasties,the military control system disposed in Chenzhou and Yuanzhou areas,and the economy exploitation carried on in the Miao Frontier.Yuan River Suddenly goes south,turns east and then northward,forms a U-turn when it passes through Yuanzhou and Chenzhou areas,and winds its way into a S-turn in Hongjiang,forming protract and long waterway,and making Hongjiang marginalized in the system of military and political control,and function as a natural harbor for goods and materials transit and trade.Since Qing dynasty,the commercial market of Chenzhou and Yuanzhou areas boomed and expanded to the upper reach area,therefore Hongjiang came to the forefront as a commercial town,working as a"bridgehead"for the central imperial court to infiltrate economically into Miao Frontier.