THE EFFECTS OF CIVIL OFFICIALS HANDLING MILITARY AFFAIRS IN MING TIMES

Abstract

The early rulers of the Ming dynasty focused much of their effort on limiting and controlling the power of military leaders and institutions. The resulting successful subordination of the military under civilian power had consequences not only for the many defects inside the military system, but also for the security of the Ming state. Therefore, the reign was from its beginning confronted with numerous armed conflicts.On the other hand, the Ming was one of the longest and most stable dynasties in Chinese history. In actuality, only a few conflicts threatened the central power. It seems that other forces effectively compensated for the military’s weakness.This paper focuses on the growing role of civil officials in military affairs. It demonstrates the different characteristics of the phenomenon in which non-professionals performed military functions on different tactical levels. In this context it should be discussed whether “civil” performance generated new solutions for military problems. Furthermore, the author will show how civil officials contributed to the advancement of military knowledge. The last part of the article deals with the collaboration of civil officials and the military which results in the formation of a new military elite during the sixteenth century. The investigation will show how the members of the elite were interrelated, what interests they shared with each other and what effects they produced.