明代衛所武官後裔的身分變遷與村落形成——以銅鼓衛劉氏指揮使為例

Village Formation and Identity Change among the Descendants of Military Officers in Ming Dynasty Garrisons: A Case Study of Commander Liu at Tonggu Garrison

明代衛所武官移鎮貴州地區以後，在當地不斷繁衍後代，除去極少數人能獲襲職外，愈來愈多的武官後裔需要通過不同的職業選擇來維持生計。其中，一些武官後裔離開衛所，進入少數民族聚居區的村寨，通過聯姻等方式，獲得「入住權」，逐漸發展壯大，成為村落社會文化建設的重要力量。衛所官軍後裔離開衛所屯地，失去了堅守漢人身分的社會環境，他們在新的居住環境及與少數民族人群的互動中，極易變換或隱藏身分，進而逐漸「夷化」，成為少數民族。因此，在今貴州少數民族地區的村落社會裡，「漢」的因素極多，呈現出文化多元並存的地域現象。銅鼓衛位於苗、侗等少數民族聚居的貴州東南部，成為明代控制與開闢「苗境」的重要衛所。劉氏指揮使調任銅鼓衛後，其子孫隨著世系的延續而逐漸增加，除襲職的極少數人外，屯種與參加科舉考試，成為多數族人的職業選擇。然銅鼓衛的土地資源畢竟有限，滿足不了人口增長的需求，進入周邊少數民族村落討生活成為他們無奈的生計選擇之一。劉氏指揮使後裔遷居三門塘的事例，雖然展現了衛所武官後裔融入少數民族地區而致身分變遷的歷史過程，但他們亦無時不在尋找機會凸顯作為漢人的文化傳統，不管是公益事業中的碑刻書寫，還是築建宗祠與編修族譜，均為這種文化傳統的顯現。這種「融而未合」的特點，正是明代以來貴州多元文化並存形成的重要原因。 As the descendants of military officials in Ming dynasty garrisons (weisuo) multiplied, few could inherit positions. Therefore, in order to maintain their livelihood, many needed to take on different professions. Some of the descendants chose to leave the garrisons for minority ethnic villages, where they obtained the right to live through marriages with locals. The number of descendants who married villagers gradually increased, and as a result, they became a crucial force in the construction of village society and culture. Having left the garrisons, the descendants were no longer part of a predominantly Han social environment. Therefore, they tended to change or conceal their Han identity as they interacted with minority groups in these new settings. Consequently, they were gradually assimilated into the minority communities—a process called “transformation into non-Han” (yihua). Several Han elements can be seen in these multicultural villages in present-day Guizhou province. Tonggu garrison was situated in southeastern Guizhou, which was mainly inhabited by the Miao, Dong and other ethnic minorities, and became an important garrison for the Ming government to control and exploit the area. After Commander Liu was transferred to Tonggu garrison, the number of his descendants gradually multiplied. Apart from the few who obtained inherited positions, the majority chose farming or the civil service examinations. However, land resources at Tonggu garrison were limited and could not meet the demand of the growing population, forcing many to leave. In the case of the Liu descendants who migrated to Sanmentang, although they moved to ethnic minority areas and underwent identity changes, they also repeatedly sought opportunities to demonstrate their Han cultural traditions. This was evident not only in the stone inscriptions of public affairs but also in the building of ancestral temples and the compilation of genealogies. This cultural characteristic—incomplete assimilation— has proven to be a critical reason for the formation of a multicultural society in Guizhou province from the Ming Dynasty on.

As the descendants of military officials in Ming dynasty garrisons (weisuo) multiplied, few could inherit positions. Therefore, in order to maintain their livelihood, many needed to take on different professions. Some of the descendants chose to leave the garrisons for minority ethnic villages, where they obtained the right to live through marriages with locals. The number of descendants who married villagers gradually increased, and as a result, they became a crucial force in the construction of village society and culture. Having left the garrisons, the descendants were no longer part of a predominantly Han social environment. Therefore, they tended to change or conceal their Han identity as they interacted with minority groups in these new settings. Consequently, they were gradually assimilated into the minority communities—a process called “transformation into non-Han” (yihua). Several Han elements can be seen in these multicultural villages in present-day Guizhou province. Tonggu garrison was situated in southeastern Guizhou, which was mainly inhabited by the Miao, Dong and other ethnic minorities, and became an important garrison for the Ming government to control and exploit the area. After Commander Liu was transferred to Tonggu garrison, the number of his descendants gradually multiplied. Apart from the few who obtained inherited positions, the majority chose farming or the civil service examinations. However, land resources at Tonggu garrison were limited and could not meet the demand of the growing population, forcing many to leave. In the case of the Liu descendants who migrated to Sanmentang, although they moved to ethnic minority areas and underwent identity changes, they also repeatedly sought opportunities to demonstrate their Han cultural traditions. This was evident not only in the stone inscriptions of public affairs but also in the building of ancestral temples and the compilation of genealogies. This cultural characteristic—incomplete assimilation— has proven to be a critical reason for the formation of a multicultural society in Guizhou province from the Ming Dynasty on.