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How did the Ming dynasty use military colonization in Guangxi?

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Karst peaks along the Gui (locally Li) River — Guangxi These towering karst formations near Guilin form one of China's most iconic natural landscapes, having long inspired Tang dynasty poets, Song-era painters, and contemporary travelers alike.

During the Ming dynasty (1368–1644), the government actively promoted military colonization in Guangxi as a strategic effort to undermine the traditional way of life of the region's minority peoples.1

This policy was part of a broader administrative approach where the Ming government governed minority populations through hereditary tusi (tribal leaders acting as agents of the Chinese state). By establishing military units—organized into guards and battalions—the dynasty sought to exert control over the area. These military units were often assigned state-owned agricultural lands, allowing soldiers to alternate between military duties and farm labor to remain self-supporting.12

However, these efforts to consolidate authority and alter the social structure faced significant resistance, leading to intense interethnic tensions and violent conflicts, such as the 1465 war against the Yao tribesmen at Giant Rattan Gorge.1