From the Wanli to the Tianqi and Congzhen periods, the term “Tusi” became very popular, and it’s usage was extended to having a broader meaning which could be used both for military officers and civilian officers. In the Ming dynasty, the rules for Tusi followed that of Tuguan, and the Tusi system was actually a continuation or modification of the Tuguan system. The Qing court, officials and the local folk used the term Tusi as a joint name for the entire group and individuals who held these military and civil positions. However, the military positions under the Bingbu were still called Tusi whereas the military positions under the Libu were called Tuguan. Concerning the range of the use of the term “Tusi”, the term Tusi was used in Hunan, Hubei, Sichuan, Guizhou, Yunnan, Guangdong and Guangxi, whereas there was no such term used for similar positions among various ethnic groups in northeast and northwest China. During the Qianlong period of the Qing dynasty, the range of the use of the term “Tusi ” was expanded to Gansu, Qinghai and Tibet.

This article proposes that it is more proper to use the term “Tuguan-Tusi System” than just ”Tusi system” to refer to the system of rule by native officials in ethnic minority areas during the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties. Actually, it was called the Tuguan system during the Yuan dynasty, and this lasted for 89 years. During the Ming dynasty, it was called the Tuguan-Tusi system, —and from the first year of the Hongwu period to the 40th year of the Jiajing period it was called the Tuguan system. Altogether this lasted for 193 years. Then, from the 41st year of the Jiajing period to the 47th year of the Wanli period it was called the Tuguan-Tusi system, and this lasted for 57 years. From the 1st year of the Tianqi period to the 17th year of the Congzhen period it was called the Tusi system, and this lasted for 24 year. Finally, during the Qing dynasty it was called the Tusi system.

Key Words:the term “Tusi”; connotation; range of usage ; Tusi system; Tuguan-Tusi system

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