清朝吸取歷代統治的經驗教訓,對非直省1民族地區的治理並不局限於政治與軍事手段,且尤為重視法律治理。為此,清政府專門設置理藩院作為管理非直省民族地區事務的中央最高機關,擁有對這些地區的立法、司法與行政大權,並且隨著時局的變化不斷調整其機構組成及其功能。就理藩院的司法功能而言,可看出清代從中央到地方構建了一整套司法機構體系並且有效處理了其與其他相關司法機構的權限衝突,牢牢地控制了地方的司法權,有效地維護了非直省民族地區的社會穩定。

As a political power of ethnic minority,the Qing government drew lessons from history. In governing the non-provincial ethnic areas,it not only used political and military means,but also gave priority to legal governance. To this end,the Qing government set up the Court of Colonial Affairs as the highest central organ to govern the non-provincial ethnic areas,which had the legislative,judicial and executive power in these areas. And with the change of the situations,the Qing government constantly adjusted the institutions and functions of the Court of Colonial Affairs. In terms of its judicial functions,the Qing Empire built a judicial system from the central to the local,effectively dealt with conflicts with other related judicial institutions,firmly controlled the local judicial power,and effectively safeguarded the social stability of the non-provincial ethnic areas.