Entry

The native-official subprefectural magistrate Feng-ji Li-fa of Da-hou Subprefecture in Yun-nan, and others requested that a relief-cut verification tally (陽文信符) be conferred upon them. The Ministry of Rites advised:

"Da-hou Subprefecture is on the distant border of Yun-nan, over 12,000 li away. They were originally provided with a relief-cut verification tally and an incised verification tally (陰文信符) and were required to come to Court once every three years. In the sixth year of the Cheng-hua reign (1470/71), in order to change their tally, this subprefecture sent a person to offer tribute and hand over the tallies. As they had not paid tribute for 15 years and also had not sent the required amount of silver in lieu of labour, this Ministry intentionally only gave them the incised-script tally. Only now, after 10 years, have they come to offer tribute. They claim that they had not come to offer tribute because the relief-script tally had not been given to them. The yi people are crafty and guileful. We are afraid that in future they will make use of this fact as a pretext. We should follow the old system and provide them with a relief-script tally to take back and require them to provide the silver in lieu of labor and to offer tribute at the required frequency."

This was approved.