This article examines the four commanderies of Hexi (western Gansu) during the latter half of the Former Han period, a subject about which much that remains unclear, in spite of a wealth of research on the Han slips from Dunhuang and Juyan. First the author examines where the commandery and county inhabitants of Hexi resided with reference to the Han slips from Juyan. Places of residence outside the county capital were called pi, with several pi forming a li, or hamlet, and when the number of households in a pi reached a certain level, its status was raised to that of a village. In view of the fact that there are pi with the same names as units in the organization of frontier defence (ting, etc.) and with names suggestive of connections with farming, it can be surmised that pi served as bases for peasant soldiers (tianzu) in the initial stages of the opening up of Hexi and subsequently became settlements of immigrants. Both the origins and locations of places where locals lived their daily lives were closely linked to the organization of frontier defence. Next, the author examines the relationship between Hexi society and its bureaucracy; that is, the frontier defence organization, which was extremely large in proportion to the population. First, the percentage of people employed as officials in the frontier defence organization was more than twice that for commanderies closer to the dynastic capital, and a considerable number of locals were closely connected to that organization, if one includes officials' families and troops. In addition, the frontier defence organization facilitated a mass influx of people, goods and money from the central provinces on a regular basis, and Hexi society was economically dependent on it. The frontier defence organization also relied on locals for its human resources, as a firm relationship of interdependence was established. Lastly, the author examines actual social conditions in the four commanderies of Hexi, which were the last to be established among the commanderies along the northern frontier, and when one takes into account circumstances, such as struggles with the Xiongnu over Hexi and improvements in dealing with powerful local clans, it can be surmised that special attention was paid to ensuring that all inhabitants enjoyed in a comparatively uniform manner the prosperity of middle-class families (zhongjia) and that a society centred upon independent farmers was artificially created. Thereafter Hexi remained under the strong influence of the frontier defence organization, and with the creation of a society marked by a relationship of interdependence relations between officials and the general populace remained in tact until the end of the Former Han period, without any class that might be described as local influentials coming to the fore. A society closest to the society centred on economically uniform independent farmers that represented the ideal of the Han empire was thus realized in Hexi, the empire's newest frontier region.

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