Records of Military Preparation, Volume 227

Records of Surveying and Measurement

Measurement 39

Four Barbarians, Part 5

A Study of the Northern Barbarians

Northern Barbarians original: "北虜" (Beilu). A historical term used during the Ming dynasty to refer to the various Mongol tribes and northern nomadic peoples.

Collection of the National Central Library

Master Mao Mao Yuanyi, the compiler of this encyclopedia. says:

The tribes of the Northern Barbarians are scattered throughout the Nine Frontiers original: "九邊" (Jiubian). These were the nine key military districts along the Great Wall established by the Ming to defend against northern incursions.. I will no longer list the details of the era when they ruled over the Central Plains original: "中國" (Zhongguo). Here referring to the period of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty (1271–1368).. They have their "national language" and they have the Han (Chinese) language. What is called their "national language" is simply their local dialect.

Emperor Taizu The founding emperor of the Ming dynasty, reigned 1368–1398. established the Bureau of the Four Barbarians original: "四夷館" (Siyi Guan). An imperial institution dedicated to translating diplomatic correspondence and training interpreters in foreign languages. to translate the languages of the various border peoples. These were identified as the Jurchen original: "女直" (Nüzhi). The Tungusic people from Northeast Asia who would later establish the Qing dynasty., the Huihui original: "回回". A term referring to Muslims and people from Central Asia or Persia., and the Yunnan tribes...