After the conquest of Later Shu 後蜀 in 965, the Song government tookover Sichuan. During the Xianping 咸平 (998-1003) era, Emperor Zhenzong 真宗 sought to stabilize southern China, including the Jinghu Circuit 荊湖路, the Guangnan West Circuit 広南西路, as well as the circuits in Sichuan.However, the policy was not fully implemented until the Chanyuan Treaty 澶淵之盟 between the Song and the Liao governments was concluded in 1004and the peace agreement between the Song and the forces of the Li 李氏 ofXiazhou 夏州 was made in 1006. Once Northern China had been pacified onthe basis of these agreements, the Song government could eventually carryout its policy in southern China.Located in the south part of Luzhou 瀘州, Yujing 淯井 was blessed with anabundance of salt, which was first discovered during the late Tang and latercontrolled by the Luo 羅氏 of the Black Mywa 烏蛮 during the Former Shu 前蜀 period. Its ample salt could resolve the problem of the salt shortage inSichuan. The Song government had already established an administrativeorganization in Yujing, called the Jian 監, to control the source of salt priorto 988. Zhenzong further strengthened domination of southern China whereindigenous peoples had been established long before the Song dynasty. The Lao 僚 lived in the grottoes between the Yue River 悦江 and the Na River 納渓 and another group, the Black Mywa, dwelt on the far side of the valley, which was separated from the Lao by a vast forest.When conflicts between the Song government and the indigenous peopleincreased between 1008 and 1013, Zhenzong first dispatched the localmilitias, such as the Sons and Brothers of Boji 白艻子弟 and regular armyunits stationed in Chengdufu 成都府 and Yazhou 雅州 in order to strengthenthe domination of the Yujing Jian in southern China, but this effort was tono avail. Therefore, the Song government dispatched regular army troopsfrom Shaanxi, which was then the center of military power, and suppressedthe revolt in 1013. At this time, Shannxi was rather peaceful because of the(457)peace treaty between the Song government and the Li forces, and thissituation allowed its troops to be dispatched swiftly.Thereafter, the Song government made no further attempts to conquer thelands of the indigenous people and instead devoted itself to enhancing itsrule in Yujing Jian to ensure the supply of salt. Following this stable andsteady policy implemented by Zhenzong, a series of reforms were launchedaround Yujing Jian. In order to strengthen the relationship with theindigenous people, a trading post was established in Yujing Jian to providedaily necessities. There indigenous people sold horses in exchange for salt.Furthermore, military power was greatly improved by building defensivewalls and stationing regular army troop, the Ningyuan 寧遠. To enhance itsmanagement of the salt industry and relations between the indigenouspeople and the troop stationed there, the bureaucracy was divided into twosections, one for civil administration and the other for military affairs. Theformer was the responsibility of the Chijian 知監 that managed the local saltindustry and other kinds of administration; the latter was the Jianya 監押, which was responsible for military affairs. They both participated in thecollection of the tax levied on the salt industry. Increasing contact betweenthe indigenous people living in the area and the Han salt producers resultedin frequent conflicts. As a consequence, the Song government reformed thesystem of appointing local officials by granting the power to appoint officialsto the magistrates of circuits in order to ensure that the officials would befamiliar with indigenous customs and have the ability to maintain peace onthe frontier. These reforms not only fostered the salt industry, but alsotransformed Yujing into the prime military frontier in southern Lu and thetrade center for the Han and indigenous people.