How big was the territory in the heyday of the Ming Dynasty?

First of all, we must make clear the difference between territory and sphere of influence. If a place wants to become a territory, it is necessary to set up a jurisdiction institution, preferably an administrative institution, followed by a military institution. If the central government cannot send floating officials to govern, the implementation of local official system can also be considered as territorial scope.

So what is the sphere of influence? That is, an area where certain control can be achieved by means of force. For example, Korea, Viet Nam and other vassal states all belonged to the sphere of influence of the Ming Dynasty, and all parts of China basically became foreign spheres of influence in the late Qing Dynasty.

It must be noted that in ancient China, the system of memorial seal was implemented, and many of them were? Grant? In fact, the object is only nominal, even unilateral, so this conferring is neither a territory nor a sphere of influence.

First of all, in Han areas (called eighteen provinces of Han in Qing Dynasty), the territory of Ming Dynasty was basically the same as that of Yuan Dynasty. The Ming dynasty abolished the provincial system of the yuan dynasty and established it throughout the country? 13 chief secretaries of Beijing and Tianjin? .

They are Nanjing, Beijing, North Zhili, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Shandong (including Liaodong Peninsula), Henan, South Zhili, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Huguang, Sichuan, Guangdong, Fujian, Guangxi, Guizhou and Yunnan. Among them, Yunnan, Guizhou, Sichuan and Hunan provinces have a toast system.

Its territory covers an area of about 4.2 million square kilometers.

The sphere of influence of the Ming Dynasty covered Indochina Peninsula, among which Myanmar and Vietnam were the most special. Vietnam surrendered to the Ming Dynasty in the early Ming Dynasty and became one of the 10 countries listed by Zhu Yuanzhang. 1406, Emperor Yongle sent troops to pacify Vietnam, 1407 set up the Foreign Affairs and Political Department in Vietnam, and Vietnam was incorporated into the territory of the Ming Dynasty.

By 1428, Vietnam regained its independence, and the Ming Dynasty ruled Vietnam for only 2 1 year.

The Ming Dynasty sealed many chiefs in Myanmar. Why use it? Grant? Instead of using this word? Settings? The main reason is that these chieftains were not controlled by the Ming dynasty, which did not send officials and troops to the area and never collected taxes.

In Myanmar? Toast? Contact with the Ming Dynasty through tribute. In comparison, although Yunnan-Guizhou region also implements the chieftain system, there are garrisons and a large number of military institutions such as chieftain and health centers. The chieftain in Yunnan-Guizhou region must bear fixed taxes, practice reclamation and immigration, and establish post roads and schools.