Countries to not be invaded
In the preface of the section,祖訓首章,the Hongwu Emperor stated a policy that he would not conquer 15 neighbouring countries in order to maintain harmonious tributary relations with these countries and at the same time promote the development of trade between countries.
一，四方諸夷，皆限山隔海，僻在一隅；得其地不足以供給，得其民不足以使令。若其自不揣量、來擾我邊，則彼為不祥。彼既不為中國患，而我興兵輕伐，亦不祥也。吾恐後世子孫，倚中國富強，貪一時戰功，無故興兵，致傷人命，切記不可。但胡戎與西北邊境，互相密邇，累世戰爭，必選將練兵，時謹備之。
今將不征諸夷國名，開列於後：
Accordingly, he created a list of countries not be invaded (simplified Chinese :不征之国; traditional Chinese :不征之國; pinyin :Bù zhēng zhī guó). Their locations are compared to where Nanjing, then capital of the Ming Dynasty, is :
- Northeast: Joseon (朝鮮國)
- Directly east by the north: Japan (日本國)
- Directly south by the east: Ryukyu Kingdom (大琉球國), Island near Taiwan (小琉球國)
- Southwest: Trần dynasty (安南國), Khmer Empire (真臘國), Ayutthaya Kingdom (暹羅國), Champa (占城國), Sumendala (蘇門答剌), Pandya dynasty (西洋國), Sunda Kingdom (爪洼國), Old Pahang Kingdom (彭亨國), Battak (白花國), Melayu Kingdom (三弗齊國), Bruneian Sultanate (渤泥國).
