The fundamental contradiction between the central government and the Luchuan Si’s clan in the early Ming Dynasty was about the political nature of the latter. The Luchuan Si's clan strived to gain political status as a vassal state, constantly encroaching on the land under the jurisdiction of the surrounding chieftains and expanding outward. Tribute became a means of political mediation and accumulation of power with the Ming Dynasty. The Ming Dynasty, on the other hand, made efforts to maintain the current status of the Luchuan Si's clan as a local official, hoping to achieve the goal of maintaining order in the southwestern border area through tribute activities and military actions. During the Hongwu period, the political ambitions of the Si's clan were suppressed by the Ming Dynasty, so the Si's clan remained dormant and accumulated strength during the Yongle period. During the Xuande period, their power was restored; but during the Zhengtong period, the Si's family accumulated enough strength to break the balance and launch a large-scale outward expansion war, which became the trigger for the "Three Expeditions on the Luchuan". In summary, it can be seen that the Zhengtong "Three Expeditions on the Lushan" is undoubtedly a just battle to defend national integrity and counter separatism.

Haoxuan Zhu and Zhuojun Jiang. The Struggle for Status: A New Exploration of the Reasons for the "Luchuan Problem" in the Ming Dynasty. International Journal of Social Sciences and Economic Management (2023), Vol. 4, Issue 2: 131-145. https://doi.org/10.38007/IJSSEM.2023.040217.

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