苗糧에서 苗牆으로 ― 明代 後期 苗族의 저항과 明朝의 대책 ―

Abstract

Miaojiang, or Miao territory, the borderland of Hunan and Guizhou, was in chaos, intertwined with plunder, kidnapping, and revolt in the late Ming China. The trouble began with the increase of immigration of Han Chinese to this region from the end of fifteenth century. They encroached the land of Miao, the indigenous people, using the advanced method of farming, practiced usury after accumulating funds with business, or caused harm between the local authority and the Miao. Facing the crisis of survival, the resistance of Miao broke out. The resistance of Miao had already begun, of course, with the Ming power entering this region in the latter part of fourteenth century. However, the resistance of this time was characterized by its different nature resulting from new circumstances of many immigrants of civil Han Chinese. Anyway it was never easy for Ming to suppress and subjugate them. In the beginning, Ming authority used military power with conciliatory policy, but after the middle period of Ming dynasty the policy was closer to the latter, of which the provision of Miaoliang (the grain of Miao) was representative. But the provision was abused by both the officers of guard bases and the Miao. In order to resolve the problem, Ming authority took the segregation policy, that is Miaoqiang (Miao Wall). This decision was due to the situation of the region which contained not only the conflict of Miao and Han Chinese but another complex problems, for example, the ambivalent attitude of Tusi, native chieftains, between the Ming authority and the rebel forces of Miao, the collusion of officers of guard bases and Miao, and the problem of nebulous identity of Shu Miao, or Cooked Miao, etc.. Miaoqiang policy can be called the cutting the Gordian knot, but could not solve the problem definitely. Harmed by the segregation, the Miao attacked the wall continually, just in time taking advantage of the occurrence of enormous rebellions in Guizhou and subsequently in another province of China. Eventually the wall was destroyed in a little more than ten years. A reviewer in the Qing period criticized the policy of segregation and expressed the regret of their not having used the coexistence policy by aiding poor Miao. One of the root cause of incessant rising of disturbance and revolt of the Miao was also the matter of bread and butter.