摘要
哈密衛，是明朝有鑑於哈密地當中西陸路交通孔道，扼西域咽喉，為牽制北方蒙古，迎護朝使，統領關西諸番，屏障西陲而於成祖永樂四年（1406）始設的羈縻衛所。其最高領導人為元末統治該一地區的元裔忽納失里家族，明封為忠順王，并設指揮、千戶、百戶、鎮撫等官，同時曾派漢人周安為長史，劉行為紀善以輔之。主要官員均由當回回、畏兀兒、哈喇灰三大部族頭人充任之，為一種貴族統領以行自治体制，代表明廷全權管理哈密地區，凡「外夷」來朝，悉令譯語以聞；諸國向背虛實，因賴其傳報；收明廷斷「北夷」右臂，破散「西戎」交黨，聯絡「夷狄」而控之，設險於敵我，邊無外患之目的。其間瓦剌、吐魯番先後爭奪，三立三絕，終於在世宗嘉靖八年（1529），明朝力不從心下放棄其對哈密前後長達一百二十餘年之經營，而其所引起明廷「封疆之議」的動盪；吐魯番政權入据後，肅州失去屏蔽，烽警頻傳；中西交通遮斷，閉關自守，對外隔絕及伊斯蘭教東傳，獲得進一步的發展，影響久遠。此哈密衛之設立，對中西政、經文化的交流與民族融合，起了很大的作用，而哈密衛之撤銷，使明廷西北已無寧日，所謂，「海通以前，吾國外患多來自西北」的歷史經驗，其間利害得失，誠足治疆者戒。
並列摘要
Hami was strategically located in the Chinese northwestern border that it controlled the passage to the east and the west. It held the entrance to Western Region and had restraining effect on Mongol, protecting China proper and commanding the western countries. Thus, it became an attached garrison, Hami-Wei, in the 4th year-of Yong Le (1406 AD), governed by the Unashiri family, descents of the rulers in the area during the later years of Yuan Dynasty. The family subsequently receirved the title Chong-Shuen King from the Ming government. Although the Ming government later appointed ”hundred-family” and ”thousand-family” officials to govern the area, including the Han people Chou Ann and Liu Hsing, most of the officials were from the local Moslem, Uyghur, and Xaraxue tribes. It was a type of autonomy by the local noblemen while the Chinese government oversaw the entire region. The garrison officials translated local affairs and relayed the information to the government, cutting off the ”right arm” of the Mongol and disconnecting its ties with West Hu. Being strategically located, the garrison communicated and controlled the western countries, barring foeign invasinos. After a number of azigzag wars between China and Oirat and Turxun over Hami, the Ming government finally gave up its 120-year long control over the area. After Turxun took over Hami, Suzhou lost its shelter and numerous incidents took place. The pathway between China and the west was cut and china became isolated from the outside world. The establishment of Hami-Wei was instrumental to the political, economical and cultural exchange between China and the west and to acculturation between different peoples. Its dissolution meant constant conflicts on the northwest -ern border. As the saying goes, ”Before China and the west met via the sea, most of the provocation arose from the northwestern border”. Taking control or not taking over Hami provides a good lesson for the governments to come.