Abstract:

In the early Northern Song,there were frequent bilateral negotiations between the central government and the Peng's family clan,the most powerful barbaric ethnic group living in the You River Valley,Xiangxi (the west of Hunan Province).On one hand,the barbaric group acted as guardians in the Xinagxi Frontier and helped the central government to maintain order so that they would be economically rewarded and maintain their dominance in the local society as well.On the other hand,whenever their interests were damaged by the Song government or its officials,they  chose to revolt.Despite its dominant position in economy and forces,the Song government tended to adopt a moderate policy in dealing with the problems in the Xiangxi frontier.Once conflict happened,the Song government always managed to harmonize via negotiation while military means was the last and extreme choice. The pacification of Peng Shixi's revolt raised the curtain on the establishment of formal administrative regions in the Xiangxi frontier and provided sufficient preparation for the inland frontier to integrate into the united China.

Key words: Northern Song Dynasty, Xiangxi, frontier, barbaric ethnic group