本文以山西東北部的五臺山為研究對象，通過探討明代的禁山制度之下，五臺山區開發的過程、特點以及此間佛寺的發展，來分析佛寺在禁山開發中的角色，並進而理解明代的官方政策如何在地方運作的問題。出於邊防的考量，最遲景泰年間，五臺山已經是官方宣布的禁山，雖然制度禁止軍民人等在山區從事採礦、林木砍伐等經濟活動，但實際上各類經濟活動持續進行。在禁山的法律框架下，州縣的稅收制度不能在山區推行，山區的各類「非法」的經濟活動不必向州縣納稅。與此同時，山區中各類庇護關係發展起來，五臺山佛寺其實就是其中一個很重要的庇護者。佛寺由於山區控產的便利，加之它與軍隊、王府等其它行政系統勢力的結合，從而獲得很大發展，並進而通過各種方式構建起寺院的網絡，這一網絡同樣能夠服務於禁山體制下山區開發的需要。

This essay examines the local development and expansion of area monasteries, focusing on the sacred Buddhist mountain of Wutai. The primary objective is to analyze the place of monasteries in mountain development as well as to uncover the ways in which official policies operated in a local context. As part of a frontier defense strategy against Mongolians, Mount Wutai was declared a forbidden area no later than Jingtai era. Although the law forbade such economic activities as logging, mining and cultivating in the region; it ruled out the possibility of taxation by the magistrates. Thus, these illegal activities continued untaxed; moreover, patron-client relations flourished, notably the monasteries at Wutai. Indeed, thanks to property and connections with both the military and princes, the monasteries in Wutai helped drive economic development in the area.