Daily intensified boundary consciousness embodied well in situations of Western Hunan in Song dynasty. Central government set clear lines between the provincial lands and barbarian lands and prohibited communications of subjects and barbarians in order to control the latter. The tributary system successfully maintained a subjection of ethnic groups to central government in early Song dynasty, and transgressions happened rarely because native ethnic groups desired repayment from the court. Reform of tributary system and the development of border areas made transgressions a constant hidden danger in border areas. A policy of Ruling Barbarians by Barbarians, proposed by Zhao Yanli, was carried out in Jiatai period, clan leaders who had made contribution to the state became government assigned officials in border areas, and an attempt was made to send chosen officials from hinterland to control this region.%宋代日渐加强的边界意识在湘西民族地区得到很好的体现，为控制该地区的“蛮民”，中央王朝严格划定省界、蛮界，基本隔绝“蛮民”与王民之间的往来。北宋初期，朝贡制度很好地维持了羁縻地区与王朝的隶属关系，蛮民利于回赐，“越界”事件鲜有发生。随着北宋王朝边界危机的日渐凸显，宋廷不得不对弊端百出的朝贡制度进行革新，并借此对“蛮区”进行开拓，大片“蛮区”成为省地，但与统治者意愿相违，“越界”仍然是边境社会的隐患。南宋嘉泰年间开始推行赵彦励所提出的“以蛮夷治蛮夷”政策，开始将有功劳的酋长纳入到王朝边疆政治体系，并尝试在州县地区甄选官员派驻民族地区，以此加强对湘西民族地区的控制。
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