In the Great Ming Dynasty, there were two distinct models for managing the lands granted to the princes of the blood. The first was independent management, and the second was official oversight.
Independent management meant that the prince's estate managed the land itself. The estate would lease the granted land to tenant farmers and collect rent and taxes directly. (These taxes were not paid to the Imperial Court, but kept by the prince's estate. While the Imperial Court exempted the princes from taxes, the princes did not exempt their tenants.) How, how much, and when to collect was entirely up to the prince’s estate.
Official oversight meant that the local government managed the land on the prince's behalf. The government would lease the land to the commoners and turn over the collected revenue to the prince's estate. Under this system, the rent and taxes were exceptionally low. During the Chenghua and Hongzhi eras, according to the *Collected Statutes of the Great Ming*, the tax was set at three fen of silver per mu. By the Wanli era, this was adjusted to three fen for high-grade land, two fen for medium-grade, and 1.5 fen for low-grade.
Chapter 513