The history of the Old Tibetan empire is strongly related to its policies concerning non-Tibetan groups. Previous research has revealed that the empire introduced several units,
such as khrom and khams, in order to rule the various ethnicities and the empire's vast new territories. In addition to these units, this paper
aims to focus on a previously unnoticed term used for “ruling”: dbung (/dbus) mtha', “central area and peripheries” which is actually an administrative term
relating to the empire's territory. This territorial distinction functioned not only as an administrative division but also as criteria for official ranks and commodity prices. The
concept was most probably introduced when the empire acquired the vast Hexi region, following the An Lushan rebellion (755–763).

古代西藏帝國的歷史與其對非藏族人士的政策緊密相連．一些學者以往曾經研 究吐蕃國所設立負責管理不同民族和地區的政府單位．除了這些政府單位外， 本文提出一個一直在學界被忽略的詞彙：【中心地帶與邊疆】。這個詞彙大概 是在安史之亂之後才被使用，用以劃分全國的行政區域，以及規範官職和貨物 價格．