Abstract: First appearing in the historical materials in the Northern Song Dynasty (960—1127),Dushizhu was a title for the barbarian chiefs along the Youshui basin.Scholars have argued about the setting time,origin,and functions of the position due to the limited historical records.Organizing relevant historical materials and folk literature,considering historical background and the system then,we may judge that Dushizhu was a product of local Tujia rivalries in their development and unity in Xizhou (covering some counties in today's Xiangxi regions) in the late Tang Dynasty (618—907).It was admitted by the central government in the Northern Song Dynasty,and its functions were regulated to have dual attributes:one was as the leader of the alliance to represent the benefit of the Tujia forces along the Youshui basin,the other was as the agent of the central government to maintain local order,supervise official inheritance,and govern tribute to the central government.The setting of the position reflected the guiding ideology of the Northern Song Dynasty to govern local people by local officials in the governance of southwestern ethnic people,which played a positive role in local fine management and stabilizing local order.

Key words: Northern Song Dynasty(960—1127), Dushizhu (a title for the chiefs), Jimi institution (a policy of the central government in governing ethnic people), Pengs of the North River