Ming Dynasty Wei-Suo System

Timeline

1. 1371–1373Nanjing · JiangnanIn the early Ming, under the direction of the Ministry of Revenue and Ministry of War, remnants of Yuan forces and surrendered troops were surveyed; hereditary military household registers were established, and units were reorganized on the standard of 5,600 men per wei and 1,120 men per suo, largely finalizing the wei-suo framework.
2. 1372–1375Beiping · North ChinaIn the fifth year of Hongwu, Zhu Di, Prince of Yan, took up his fief in Beiping; wei-suo were added in northern frontier areas such as Datong, Xuanfu, and Liaodong, with military colonies supplying provisions, forming a network of military bases guarding the capital region and defending against the Mongols.
3. 1376–1380Ming provincial administrations · ChinaIn the later Hongwu period, interior wei-suo continued to be added, with military and civilian colonies running in parallel; soldiers received land allotments and farmed for their own subsistence, making the wei-suo system a pillar institution for the early Ming's maintenance of a massive standing army and frontier defense.