Entry

He Yuan-zhong, an assistant surveillance commissioner in the Yun-nan Surveillance Commission, was promoted to surveillance vice commissioner in the same office and made responsible for arranging military defence in the Teng-chong region. The following orders were conferred upon him:

"Recently, the Censor-in-Chief Wang Zhao, grand coordinator of Yun-nan, and others memorialized: `The region of Teng-chong is far away on the most distant South-west border and adjoins the areas of Mang-shi, Nan Dian, Long-chuan, Gan-yai, Mu-bang and Meng-mi. It is truly a place of strategic importance. In the past, the people of this region were in communication with the Lu-chuan bandits and this led to the border calamities which extended for years. Now, although there is an assistant regional commander who is in command of the area, this official usually resides at Jin-chi and his patrols are infrequent. Thus, the government troops are undisciplined, do not know of regulations and often have communication with yi people. Many of of the officials and powerful gentry have established manors (庄所) in the yi areas. They employ the yi as their servants and rely on their own power to exploit them. There are even cases of persons slipping across the borders and there is no means to prevent this. It is requested that a further position of military defence vice commissioner be established to exercise control.'

"Now, you are being especially promoted to the afore-mentioned post. You will be based exclusively at Teng-chong and will patrol between there and Jin-chi. You will investigate villainy and smuggling, exercise command over military defences, train the troops and cavalry and keep the city walls and moats in good repair. You will listen to and and handle all military and civilian plaints. You must make arrangements in all respects and accumulate grain stores. You are to prohibit officials and powerful gentry, both military and civilian, from establishing manors in yi areas without authority, from disturbing or having contact with the yi people, from slipping through the borders, from selling military weapons or gunpowder to the yi, and so on. If there are offenders, you are to arrest and investigate them. If the violation is minor, make arrangements in accordance with the situation. If the infringement is major, you are to memorialize and advise on the handling of the matter. In all matters where it is appropriate, you should consult with the assistant regional commander, jointly make arrangements and implement that which is appropriate. You will be subject to the command of the grand defender and the grand coordinator and you are not permitted to act in a bigoted or obstinate manner, or act in ways which will harm or hinder matters. These Imperial orders are hereby issued."