Abstract: Wang Shixing (1547-1598), a Ming Dynasty scholar, served office in various southwestern provinces and had a profound understanding of local ethnic relations, as can be seen in his historical notes Guang Zhi Yi. This paper sorts out the relevant historical facts of Guang Zhi Yi to reveal the true situation of ethnic contact in the southwestern region of the Ming Dynasty reflected in the book from the forms, degrees, and influencing factors of ethnic contact. The forms and degrees of ethnic contact vary across regions, and political policies, economy and trade are positive factors that promote ethnic contact, while natural geographical environment may hinder it. Ethnic contact affects language, vocabulary, and customs and other factors have a greater or lesser impact. This can not only highlight the value of historical notes in the study of ethnic contact issues, but also provide important documentary materials for language contact between the Han and other minority ethnic groups.

Key words: Guang Zhi Yi, ethnic contact, word borrowing, literature