During longterm management of defense affairs in northern borders of China, the Ming Dynasty shaped a warriorcentered submilitary society in the nine border towns. This special society produced a group of generalcentered official despots. The appearance and growth of these official despots objectively changed the “official” identity and military function of part of military officers and administrators, who started their special economic life by sparing part of concern with illegally running land and commercial business for private profits. In fact, either land operation or commercial activity was deep imprinted with the stigma of “despot”, greatly damaging the state and social interests. The governmental loss of control over official despots and their private business activity led to the failure of many regulations and policies to the nine border towns, speeding up the collapse of defense affairs and social crisis.

local despots in the Ming Dynasty; private business management; governmental control; official despots in the nine border towns