前言弄清游牧社会的关键之一,是了解该社会各集团的种种情况,研究者为此曾花费了很大功夫。但现在对明代蒙古诸集团的研究仍然很不充分,其原因是关于这个时代的史料不足。符拉基米尔佐夫在《蒙古社会制度史》中就说过:“我们比较熟悉开始和终结的时期。根据这两个时期的材料,或者利用 Foreword One of the keys to clarifying the nomadic society is understanding the conditions of the various social groups in that society. Researchers have spent a great deal of effort to this end. However, the research on the Mongolian groups in the Ming Dynasty is still inadequate. The reason for this is the lack of historical data about this era. Vladivitzki said in the history of the Mongolian social system: "We are more familiar with the beginning and the end of the period. According to the two periods of material, or use