明代河湟岷洮邊地設置的軍事性衛所,不僅為明朝鞏固西部疆域提供堅實的武力后盾和軍事保障,還意味著一場大規模的移民運動和文化移植。衛所移民是地域文化形成的基礎,其負載的漢文化對基層社會產生重要影響,以致衛所成為不同于周邊地區的獨具特色的文化地理單元。隨著移民與少數民族間的互動交流日趨頻繁,周邊少數民族漸染華風,其生產方式、禮儀風俗、鄉土方言均有所改變,而移民群體建構的教育體系使重文之風日益濃厚,對地方文化事業也有所促進。與此同時,土官階層作為明廷治理基層社會的重要力量,在漢文化因素的影響下,改漢姓,修家譜,更成為多元文化溝通融合的先行者。

The Imperial Court of the Ming dynasty set up a series of garrisons in Hehuang-Mintao region,which not only provided a strong backup force and military defense in the north borderland of China,but also resulted in a large-scale immigrant movement and cultural transplantation. Immigrants of garrisons were the basis of the formation of a local culture,because they exerted much influence on the local society through the spread of Han culture,thus,making garrisons a unique cultural and geographical unit different from the surrounding areas. With more frequent interaction between these immigrants and the local minorities,the latter gradually learned Han culture,whose production mode,etiquettes,customs and local dialects had undergone changes. Besides,the education system constructed by the immigrants promoted the sustainable development of both education and local cultural undertakings. Under the influence of Han culture,the chieftains,a significant force for the local governance,adopted some Han surnames,wrote a new genealogy and became the forerunner of multicultural integration.