边地贡使与朝贡规范——明代朝贡例的演变

Border Tribute Envoys and Tribute Standards−The Evolution of Tribute Regulations in the Ming Dynasty

有明一代,政府积极倡导边疆少数民族来京朝贡,并将其作为边疆治理的重要措施贯彻始终,故来往于京城与边疆地区间的朝贡使者人数多、规模大,朝贡活动频繁。为了将边疆少数民族朝贡活动纳入朝廷控制之下,明中央制定了诸多朝贡例,对贡道、贡期、贡品交接、贡使接待及赏赐等方面进行法律约束,规范各方朝贡行为,确保朝贡活动有法可依。朝贡例虽然依边疆少数民族朝贡活动而制定,但又因时因地因事进行了修订和完善,兼具权威、灵活、变通之特点,它的颁行对明朝治理边疆地区具有重大作用。

In the Ming Dynasty,the government actively advocated for ethnic minorities in the border areas to pay tribute to the emperor,and consistently implemented it as an important measure for border governance.Therefore,there were a large number of tribute envoys traveling between the capital and the border areas,with a wide scale and frequent tribute activities.In order to bring the tribute activities of ethnic minorities in the border areas under the control of the imperial court,the central government of the Ming Dynasty formulated many tribute regulations,which legally constrained the tribute routes,periods,handover,reception of tribute envoys and rewards,standardized the tribute behaviors of all parties,and ensured that tribute activities were conducted according to the law.Although the tribute regulations were formulated based on the tribute activities of ethnic minorities in the border areas,they had been revised and improved according to the time,place and situation,having the characteristics of authority,flexibility,and adaptability.Its promulgation played a significant role in the governance of border areas in the Ming Dynasty.