日僧圓仁從西元八三九年起入唐求法巡禮八年，其足跡踏遍江南、山東、河北、關中等地區，期間幾乎毫不間斷地記錄每日見聞，這些見聞有助於我們了解九世紀中葉唐代地方社會的面貌。本文利用圓仁在山東半島遭遇地方巡檢系統的經歷，討論中唐以後，藩鎮管理、控制地方社會的眾多方式之一。圓仁開成五年（840）時正在返回日本的路途上，因為無法達成往天臺山求法巡禮的目的，與另三位商量，決定在山東半島下船偷偷登陸，到達某個山村後，遭到當地押衙的盤檢，經過層層的訊問後，遭到遣返。巡檢原先屬於軍事體系的一環，由圓仁的紀錄可發現，至少在山東半島的兩個藩鎮內，巡檢在地方行政系統上的多元化及體系化，亦可觀察出軍事系統深入地方、基層社會。這種巡檢系統，應該是藩鎮為了穩固地方、基層社會的情勢，利用軍事系統，深入管理，與原先的鄉里、坊村組織成為並行的行政管理系統。到了宋代，巡檢正式成為地方軍事、治安維護的單位。

The Japanese monk Ennin 圓仁 traveled to Tang China for 8 years from 839. During this period he wrote diary almost everyday when he traveled to Jingnan, Shandong, Hebei, and Guanzhong. Ennin’s Diary (The Record of a Pilgrimage to China in Search of the Law) helps us understand better the Tang society in middle 9th century. Based on the Diary, this article discusses the xunjian 巡檢 policing system, the way in which the Fanzhen controlled local society. Because Ennin could not make a trip to Mount Tiantai天臺山 on his way back to Japan, he and the other three companies decided to smuggle into the Shandong peninsula in 840. They were investigated by the xunjian police when they arrived at the first village. They were subsequently deported by the xunjian police. Xunjian was of the military system at first. From the Diary, we can observe that xunjian was localized as an administrative system in the Shandong peninsula. Fanzhen used the xunjian system together with the xiangli and fangcun organizations to infiltrate deeply and to control local society. The xunjian system became official for local security and military purpose in Song Dynasty.