引言由于《明史·土司传》未列西北土司,学界对明代西北有无土司一直存在争议。基本意见有三:一是明代西北地区存在土司;~①二是明代西北地区没有土司;~②三是折衷之说,认为明代西北有大量土官存在是事实,但官方并不认可西北为土司区。~①在讨论西北有无土司之前,首先要明确一对概念,即“土官”与“土司”。如果土官即土司,那么如果证明西北有土官,即证明西北有土司;如果土官不同于土司,那么,即便西北有土 Introduction As the “History of Ming and Tusi” is not listed in the chieftain of the northwest, academics have been controversial about the existence or not of the northwestern Ming Dynasty. There are three basic views: First, there is the toast in the northwestern region of the Ming Dynasty; second, there is no toast in the northwestern region of the Ming Dynasty; secondly, it is a compromise that it is a fact that a large number of indigenous officials exist in northwestern Ming Dynasty. However, . Before discussing whether there is a toast or not in the northwest, we must first make clear a pair of concepts, that is, “earth official” and “toast.” If the indigenous officer is a chieftain, then if it is proved that there is an indigenous officer in the northwest, that is to say that there is a chieftain in the northwest; if the native officer is different from a chieftain, then even if there is soil in the northwest