On the vast earth, various complex environments such as deserts, mountains, valleys, swamps, and wastelands have hindered human communication. However, despite the numerous natural dangers, human exploration and communication have never stopped, and even in an era where only walking is possible, humans can still cross mountains and rivers and create miracles. An ancient commercial route is gradually taking shape. In 138 BC, an ordinary Langguan set off from Chang’an and embarked on a mission to the Western Regions. However, it did not know that this mission would undertake a more significant mission that can be recorded in human history. The path it opened will connect the East and the West. It is winding and winding, but continuous, with both trunk and branch, and even expanding into the vast sea. It has broken through the huge obstacles of nature and human beings, declined and flourished several times, becoming a great achievement in human history. Until now, he is still able to rejuvenate his path of prosperity. He is the Silk Road.
In 200 BC, Han Emperor Liu Bang personally led a large army of 320000 elite soldiers to Bai Deng Mountain, 5 kilometers east of Datong City. At this time, Liu Bang had completely defeated his strongest opponent Xiang Yu, and his army had also experienced hundreds of battles and became a formidable force. However, the powerful Xiongnu still posed a huge threat to the emerging Han Dynasty. The Xiongnu were a nomadic people on horseback with a strong cavalry team, relying on horses that could reach a speed of 60 kilometers per hour. The Xiongnu cavalry often invaded the south, and Liu Bang was determined to use his national strength to completely defeat the Xiongnu. Unexpectedly, at Bai Deng Mountain, the 400000 Xiongnu iron cavalry suddenly emerged. During this period, the Han army was surrounded and trapped for seven days and seven nights. The Battle of Baideng Mountain put the dynasty at a complete disadvantage and forced it to adopt a policy of appeasement, such as friendly relations, to maintain relations with the Xiongnu.
After sixty or seventy years of rest and recuperation, the Western Han Dynasty gradually entered its heyday. Emperor Wu of Han, who had a broad mind, was no longer willing to be subservient to the Xiongnu. His greatest wish was to attack the Xiongnu to the north, expand territory, and eliminate the shame of the past. In order to improve his chances of victory, the Western Han court actively prepared for war while also making various diplomatic plans. A descendant of the Xiongnu told Emperor Wu of Han that there was a nomadic tribe called the Dayue clan in the west of the Xiongnu. After being defeated by the Xiongnu, the Dayue clan was forced to move westward repeatedly, but without strong support, they could not seek revenge. This news greatly affected Emperor Wu of Han. Inspiration, a major strategic idea immediately emerged. He wants to send a high-level mission to the Western Regions to join forces with the Dayue clan to attack the Xiongnu.
In 138 BC, a massive delegation of over a hundred people set off from Chang’an on a journey to the west, led by an ordinary Langguan who was capable of guarding the imperial palace. His heart was filled with a longing for honor and a strong spirit of exploration. He loved to explore unknown fields and was unwilling to spend his entire life. He was Zhang Qian. When Emperor Wu of Han recruited envoys to the Western Regions, almost no one dared to respond. Zhang Qian readily took on the important mission of sending envoys to the Western Regions and connecting with the Dayue Kingdom. However, Zhang Qian and others were almost unaware of the specific situation of the Dayue Kingdom, and even its exact location. Everything in the Western Regions was only legendary, including the towering Kunlun Mountains and the mysterious Queen Mother of the West.
Professor Zhang Xiaofeng from the University of International Business and Economics: At that time, the Western Regions was also a mysterious and challenging place. Therefore, being able to travel along or run through the Silk Road was a symbol of people challenging themselves and exploring the unknown world.
The Western Regions is a geographical concept found in ancient Chinese historical records, referring to the northern and southern regions of the Tianshan Mountains west of Yangguan and Yumen Pass, and east of Congling Mountains. In the early years of the Han Dynasty, the Xiongnu conquered more than 30 small countries in the north and south of the Tianshan Mountains, completely cutting off the connection between the Central Plains and the Western Regions. In the geographical concept of Chinese ancestors, Kunlun Mountain was located in the northwest, which was the highest mountain on land and also the source of the Yellow River. It is said that King Mu of Zhou of the Western Zhou Dynasty once rode the Eight Steeds Divine Chariot to the west and arrived at the Kunlun Hill to sing and play with the Queen Mother of the West, enjoying themselves and returning. The Kunlun Mountains are actually the Tianshan Mountains in the northern part of Hami, Xinjiang today, with the towering Tianshan Mountains blocking the view of our ancestors. Before the opening of the Silk Road in the 2nd century BC, little was known about the world west and north of the Tianshan Mountains. For Zhang Qian’s mission to the Western Regions, besides beautiful legends, there were more terrifying rumors, such as flying sand and stones, and being uninhabited. However, the greater and more realistic difficulty was still the obstruction of the Xiongnu. To travel to the Western Regions, one must first pass through the vast areas ruled by the Xiongnu, which was an unavoidable obstacle.
As expected, Zhang Qian’s first mission to the Western Regions was intercepted by the Xiongnu shortly after leaving Longxi County. In order to make Zhang Qian submit to the Xiongnu, he resorted to coercion and inducement. Zhang Qian remained unmoved, and the Xiongnu leader placed Zhang Qian and other people in the extremely harsh natural environment of the northwest cold region, allowing them to survive on their own. In extremely difficult circumstances, Gan Fu, who was skilled in horseback riding and archery, helped Zhang Qian overcome his difficulties by shooting birds and animals. Gan Fu, originally from the Xiongnu, was a household servant of the Marquis of Tangyi during his time in Han. Like Zhang Qian, he had an extraordinary pioneering spirit. In order to keep Zhang Qian, the Xiongnu leader Chanyu specially married him. However, Zhang Qian never forgot his mission. Zhang Qian was detained by the Xiongnu for thirteen years, but he also became familiar with the life, language, customs, and terrain of the western region.
In 129 BC, Zhang Qian finally had the opportunity to escape. While the Xiongnu were relaxing their surveillance, Zhang Qian, Gan Fu, and others successfully escaped from the Xiongnu and headed westward to search for the Dayue clan. This was another extremely difficult journey, as they had to pass through the vast Gobi Desert. In the howling wind and freezing, some of the travelers were killed, and they had to cross the undulating Congling Mountains. The area they passed through was deserted for several days. Where was the Dayue clan? After dozens of days of arduous trekking, Zhang Qian still couldn’t find the destination of his mission, but fortunately he arrived in Dayuan, located in the Fergana Basin of Central Asia.
Professor Zhang Xiaofeng from the University of International Business and Economics: Dawan is a place that is closer to the west in terms of geographical location. It is a place where various civilizations intersect, and of course, it is also a place where agricultural civilization and nomadic peoples blend together.
The king of Dawan had long heard that the Han Dynasty was very prosperous but never had the opportunity to socialize, so he welcomed Zhang Qian very much. Zhang Qian explained his intention to go on an envoy and asked the Dawan king to send them to the Dayue family. The Dawan king agreed to Zhang Qian’s request and sent a guide and translator to lead Zhang Qian and others through the territory of Kangju to the Dayue family on the north bank of the Amu Darya River. Unexpectedly, the Yue people, who were forced to migrate westward in the Ili and Chu River basins, had already established a new home on the original land of Daxia. The natural conditions there were better than their original habitat, and they were content with the status quo and unwilling to seek revenge against the Xiongnu. Zhang Qian stayed in the Da Yue family for more than a year, but the other party still gave a vague response. Zhang Qian had to return. On his way back to his home country, Zhang Qian was once again detained by the Xiongnu. More than a year later, in 126 BC, during the Xiongnu’s internal turmoil, Zhang Qian fled back to the Han Dynasty with his wife, children, and father Gan, returning to the haunted Chang’an. His first mission to the Western Regions ended here. It is not difficult for people to notice the hardships and cruelty of this trip. At the time of departure, there were only two people left from the large delegation. What is even more uncomfortable is that the mission lasted for twelve years and paid such a huge and heavy price. When Zhang Qian saw Emperor Wu of Han empty handed, his face was completely unrecognizable. Ten years of life had passed, and he choked up. However, did Zhang Qian’s first mission to the Western Regions really yield no results?
For the Western Han court, Zhang Qian brought back extremely important information. He reported in detail on his visit to the four countries and the rumored situation of the six countries, which excited and fascinated the young Emperor Wu of Han. From then on, the Western Regions transformed from illusory imagination into a real existence, which was the basis for communication between the Eastern and Western worlds. Zhang Qian introduced that there were good horses in Dawan, whose sweat was like blood, and they were descendants of Heavenly Horses. Dawan’s BMW made Emperor Wu of Han’s blood boil.
Hadisha Tasibayeva, Archaeological Office of the Institute of History of the Academy of Sciences of the Kyrgyz Republic: Zhang Qian recorded in great detail that rice and wheat were planted in Dayuan, and alfalfa, also known as alfalfa, was grown. Grapes were also used to make a large amount of wine. In addition, Dayuan is proud of its excellent breed of horses.
In 116 BC, Emperor Wu of Han sent Zhang Qian to the Western Regions once again, but the second mission was no longer as dangerous as the first. After a series of wars, the Han Dynasty defeated the Xiongnu and they were forced to flee. The journey to the Western Regions became very smooth. At this time, Zhang Qian was almost fifty years old and his body had aged due to the vicissitudes of life. However, he was still the best choice for an envoy to the Western Regions, and a great sense of mission still filled Zhang Qian’s heart. In his view, the seemingly dangerous Western Regions were actually his treasure trove, where he could achieve his life value and great honor. He was willing to shed his blood for his mission to the Western Regions. The embassy team was even larger, with a total of 300 envoys. With the enthusiasm of the Han court, each person carried two horses, tens of thousands of cows and sheep, as well as valuable items worth tens of millions of gold coins, silk, etc. Their destination was the Wusun Kingdom located in the Ili River and Chu River basins.
Xie Zhenou is a painter who has been engaged in the creation of traditional Chinese paintings related to the Silk Road for more than 30 years. In the 1980s, he once again traveled westward along the route of Zhang Qian’s mission, gaining a close understanding of the Silk Road culture and creating works. Yangguan Tuduo, Gaochang Ancient City, and the sandy wasteland of the Pamir Plateau, he experienced the hunger and thirst of Zhang Qian on his westward journey and the homesickness and loneliness of the envoys under the scorching sun, the loneliness of the desert, and the desolation of the sunset. On this millennium old road, he used his works to showcase the customs and worldly wisdom of the Western Regions that Zhang Qian and his delegation had walked through at that time.
Xie Zhenou, Vice President of the Chinese Gongbi Painting Society: When I went there, it was actually unpleasant. With a sense of historical burden, I explained how they understood this region and culture in that era, and created all these things. So how can I not be moved when I went there?
Wusun was a great power in the Western Regions and an important vassal state of the Xiongnu. The purpose of Zhang Qian’s trip was to persuade Wusun to abandon the Xiongnu and become pro Han. Zhang Qian’s trip was very smooth and he arrived safely at the location of Wusun’s royal court – Chigu City. The massive mission, valuable gifts, and well dressed and courteous envoys all made Emperor Wusun and his ministers feel awe towards the distant Han Empire. Emperor Wusun warmly welcomed Zhang Qian and his delegation, expressing his willingness to associate with the Han Dynasty but not to be enemies with the Xiongnu. He politely declined the political demands of the Han envoy and sent envoys to follow the Han envoy back to Chang’an to express gratitude. (Professor Zhang Xiaofeng from the University of International Business and Economics: For Han, if Wusun can establish friendly relations with Han and have a bad relationship with the Xiongnu, it will undoubtedly be the most favorable left hook fist for Han to attack the Xiongnu.)
Emperor Wu of Han successively married two Han royal princesses to King Wusun and implemented a policy of reconciliation, finally transforming Wusun from being pro Xiongnu to pro Han. In 71 BC, the Han army launched a five pronged campaign against the Xiongnu. Wusun sent troops to assist Han and made great contributions. Wusun became a reliable ally of the Han Dynasty in the Western Regions. The friendly relationship between Han and Wusun lasted for a hundred years. In addition to his envoy to Wusun, Zhang Qian dispatched deputy envoys to visit countries such as Dawan, Kangju, Dayue, and Daxia to promote the prestige of the Han Dynasty and express his willingness to interact.
After completing his second mission, Zhang Qian passed away due to illness one year after returning to Chang’an. This year was 114 BC, and Zhang Qian’s life seemed to have been to fulfill the important task of being sent to the Western Regions. This great achievement is enough to make his name immortal. Sima Qian vividly described Zhang Qian’s magnificent feat of opening up the Western Regions with the word “chiseling a hole” in “Records of the Grand Historian”. The spirit of Zhang Qian is a precious intangible asset of our nation. His insightful vision and firm beliefs, his fearlessness of difficulties and courage to explore, he used his limited passion to create an invaluable road to connect the East and West. This Silk Road traverses plains, grasslands, high mountains, and deserts, making outstanding contributions to humanity.
(Researcher at the Institute of History, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences – Zhao Kai: Zhang Qian was the first to enter this field on a large scale as an envoy of the Han family, entering a field that we did not have sufficient knowledge of in the past, so it can be called “chiseling a hole”.)
Zhang Qian and his deployment were the first official envoys of the Central Plains Dynasty to enter the Western Regions and even further regions in history. Wherever Zhang Qian’s delegation went, they promoted the prestige of the Han Dynasty, conveyed the friendliness of the Han people, and made people in the northern and southern parts of the Tianshan Mountains, as well as the hinterland of Asia, aware of the strength and prosperity of the Han Dynasty for the first time. They developed a desire to interact with this great Eastern country and built a bridge for cultural exchange between the East and the West. Why is this political, economic, and cultural road that connects the East and the West called the Silk Road?
(Associate Researcher at the Institute of History of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences – Song Yanping: As early as around 3000 BC, Chinese people learned the technology of raising silkworms and drawing silk, and then weaving silk to make silk. Before porcelain and tea were introduced to the West, silk was the most important and representative commodity in China’s trade with the West.)
Since the 20th century, silk products of the Han Dynasty have been found from the Tarim Basin to Palmyra, the eastern province of the Roman Empire, and the native Italy of the Roman Empire. The reclusive dignitaries and court celebrities in Rome all use Chinese silk to show their dignity.
The Han Dynasty lasted for four hundred years, making it one of the most tense and dynamic periods in Chinese history. Around the BC, there were trade and political relations between the Han Dynasty and most parts of Asia, and the resulting route was collectively known as the Silk Road. In 1877, German geographer Richthofen first proposed the concept of the Silk Road in his book “China”. He said that from 114 BC to 127 AD, there was a transportation route in the Western Regions that connected China and the Central Plains, as well as China and India, using the Silk Road trade as a medium. This commercial route started from the political center of China, Chang’an or Luoyang, and traveled westward through the Hexi Corridor to reach Dunhuang, crossing the Western Regions including present-day Xinjiang into Central Asia, and then continued westward to reach the center of Western civilization, the Roman Empire, or southward to reach Poison.
Today, Xie Zhenou has come to Xi’an again, which is the starting point and source of his creation of the Silk Road in the 1980s. Coming here further arouses his creative thoughts, which are the strands of homesickness and melancholy that are revealed in his works. (Xie Zhenou, Vice President of the Chinese Gongbi Painting Society: People from the West love to wear Hanfu, while our people love Hu culture. They love to wear Western short sleeves, narrow sleeves, and boots. It’s a kind of curiosity and communication between us.)
Walking in this bustling commercial street of Xishi, one can once again feel the scene of the Han Dynasty’s continuous communication with envoys and merchants from various countries in the Western Regions brought about by Zhang Qian’s opening of the Western Regions two thousand years ago. Since then, the Han Dynasty has established direct connections with the Western Regions, and the opening of the Silk Road has connected the two major centers of civilization in the East and West.
This is Lake Issyk, one of the important nodes on the northern route of the Silk Road. The Uzbeks once lived near Lake Issyk and became intermediaries in the silk trade through trade of goods. As a scholar studying the Silk Road in Kyrgyzstan, Tasibayeva often walked on the shores of Lake Issyk. In 1958, the Kyrgyz Academy of Sciences sent people to infiltrate the bottom of the lake for investigation. According to records at that time, Lake Issyk extended inland for at least hundreds of meters compared to ancient times, which means that a section of the Silk Road historical site in Lake Issyk has sunk to the bottom of the lake today.
(Hadisha Tasibayeva, director of the Archaeological Department of the Institute of History of the Academy of Sciences of the Kyrgyz Republic: According to the written historical records, it is generally believed that the East and the West did not know each other until the second century AD. Zhang Qian, an explorer and diplomatic envoy in China, first crossed the Mount Taishan vein, and then opened the door of the western border to discover the western world for the Han Empire. After that, many major countries in the world began to trade and economic exchanges in various ways.)
The Republic of Kyrgyzstan, an important country on the Silk Road, is home to the convergence of Eastern and Western economies and cultures. As a transit center on the Silk Road, many ancient cultural relics with Eastern and Western cultural characteristics have emerged in Kyrgyzstan. This is the National Museum of Kyrgyzstan, where an exhibition on Silk Road artifacts is currently being held.
(Aleksandlena, Director of the Antiquities Department at the National Museum of History of Kyrgyzstan: Kyrgyzstan is an important part of the Silk Road, which connects the East and West. It passes through several branches of the Silk Road, such as in different regions where many things can symbolize and display the connection between the East and the West. The lower level of our display cabinet displays tea cups and unearthed bronze bowls with Arabic inscriptions, unearthed from the central Tianshan Mountains. It is believed to have been introduced from China. On the upper level of the display cabinet, the shelves above display glass bowls of ancient Roman craftsmanship, unearthed in the first century AD in the Alai Mountains, Jalala.) Bates have extremely high historical, cultural, and artistic value
Turpan City, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region
Turpan Basin is one of the extremely arid areas in China. People living here use an underground water conservancy project called Karez, which originated in the Western Han Dynasty. At that time, Han people came here to settle down in the fields and spread the underground well drilling technique to the Western Regions. It is often called Karez and gradually popularized in the local area. Aunt Arimir’s daily life begins with the trickle of spring water flowing from this well. Like people living in Turpan, she has benefited from the nourishment of the water from this well for generations. After finishing her work, Aunt Arimir began preparing a sumptuous lunch for her family, which is a favorite dumpling among mainland Chinese people.
As early as over a thousand years ago, the Han ethnic group from the Central Plains came here along the Silk Road, bringing the dietary habits of the Central Plains region, and dumplings are one of them. The Silk Road is an economic and trade route, with magnificent and noble silk, smooth and elegant bronze mirrors, and advanced iron casting technology. Through the Silk Road, it was introduced from China to the West. At the same time, the grapes, watermelons, and walnuts we eat daily were also introduced to the Central Plains from the Western Regions during the Han Dynasty. When Zhang Qian first came here in the Western Han Dynasty for two thousand years, he was overjoyed by this vibrant new world.
(Professor Zhang Xiaofeng from the University of International Business and Economics: Over the past two thousand years, various civilizations around the world have exhibited themselves on the Silk Road. Therefore, when people explore or trace the Silk Road today, they also have a longing for ancient civilization. At the same time, it is also a so-called tracing and return to the efforts and value that people made in creating civilization at that time.)
Xu Liangdong, Deputy Director of the Technical Protection Institute of the Turpan Academy, is engaged in the copying and protection of murals on the Silk Road. In 1992, as a young man, Xu Liangdong came to the Baizikrik Thousand Buddha Cave in the Flame Mountain Grand Canyon. At this intersection of various cultures and religions on the Silk Road, Xu Liangdong was deeply attracted by the Buddhist murals in the Thousand Buddha Cave.
(Xu Liangdong, Deputy Director of the Technical Protection Institute of the Turpan Academy of Studies: With the opening of the Silk Road, Buddhism spread along this route to the Central Plains, making Turpan an important point on this northern transmission line. Before the Uyghurs arrived in Turpan, they worshipped Manichaeism, which worshiped fire and represented light. After the Uyghurs converted to local Buddhist beliefs in Turpan, he blended some elements of their original Manichaeism beliefs into the Buddhist scriptures of that time.)
Xu Liangdong stayed in Cave 51 of the Thousand Buddha Cave for a full 60 days. From then on, on the cliff on the west bank of the Wooden Gully at the foot of the Flame Mountain, in front of the 83 existing caves in the Thousand Buddha Cave, Xu Liangdong, who was lonely and persistent, copied the 1200 square meter murals day and night. This work lasted for twenty years.
As early as the Han Dynasty, Buddhism was introduced to the Central Plains from the Western Regions. In 68 AD, Emperor Ming of Han, Liu Zhuang, built the White Horse Temple at Yongmen in Luoyang City, which was the first official Buddhist temple in ancient China. This opened the door to Buddhism coming from the east. With the passage of time, murals are also about to decline, and the murals copied by Xu Liangdong will become rare and precious historical materials. In the Buddhist caves on the Silk Road, Xu Liangdong found a lifelong connection with murals.
The Silk Road was a political route that allowed the Han Dynasty to eliminate the threat of the Xiongnu and control the north and south of the Tianshan Mountains, expanding its territory from the Hexi Corridor to the Pamir Plateau. In 101 BC, Li Guang, the great general of the Western Han Dynasty, defeated the Kingdom of Dawan and triumphantly returned to Korea with thousands of sweating BMWs. Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty wrote a poem “The Song of the Celestial Horse in the West Pole”, “Celestial Horse Lai, from the West Pole, through quicksand, and nine Yi costumes”, which is a great honor and dream for this brilliant emperor to get a a good horse.
However, due to the wide span of this road, it cannot exist for a long time without a strong regime to provide security along the way. The Han Dynasty, with its strong national strength, undoubtedly became the most important pioneer and protector of the Silk Road, and provided the most solid guarantee for its smooth and prosperous development. Starting from Emperor Wu of Han, the Han Dynasty poured national financial resources into exploring new territories, maintaining the smooth flow of the Silk Road, and its long duration was unprecedented in Chinese history. (Professor Zhang Xiaofeng from the University of International Business and Economics: The Han Dynasty had to invest so much financial resources to do this and maintain the smooth flow of the Western Regions. In fact, it protected the Han Dynasty’s national strength from spreading far and wide. Therefore, considering the Han Dynasty’s reputation from spreading far and wide, in today’s words, it is an important measure for the Han Dynasty to shape its cultural soft power.)
This is the ruins of the ancient city of Baguaying in the Western Han Dynasty, located in Minle, Gansu Province. A thousand years ago, this was a crucial area for grain cultivation. After defeating the Xiongnu and establishing Zhangye County, Emperor Wu of Han began to implement large-scale immigration and farming. Tuntian was an important measure taken by the Han Dynasty to manage the Western Regions and maintain the Silk Road. For a thousand years, the descendants of the immigrants who lived in the folk music of Tuntian have been farming and reproducing on this land, accompanied by the farming techniques and tools inherited by their ancestors. Nowadays, the ancient farming model has been replaced by modern sowing machinery.
(Professor Zhang Xiaofeng from the University of International Business and Economics: Today, when we talk about the Silk Road, its former prosperity is no longer there. It only exists in its mottled ruins, withered willows, and Populus euphratica. However, its spirit still exists. The history we explore today is actually a dialogue between today’s people and the ancients of history, a spiritual exchange between today’s people and historians.)
This is the Lai Yi site beacon tower located about 20 kilometers west of Luntai County. It was built in the Western Han Dynasty. As the protector of the beacon tower, the old man Niyazi has been working here for decades. Every week, he comes to this desert to guard and inspect this lonely Han Dynasty beacon tower that was two thousand years ago. Nowadays, the former prosperity of Luntai is no longer there, but the beacon tower in this desert still stands tall. Every time Niyazi comes here, he likes to pick up the stones scattered near the beacon tower and touch the loess on it with his hand. Perhaps it is the dust and gravel in this desert that reflect the vicissitudes of the past.
The old man understood in his heart that the beacon he was guarding had been guarding the land of Luntai for over a thousand years. At night, the horn blows at the head of Luntai City, and the head of the flag falls to the north of Luntai City. In the works of ancient Chinese literati, Luntai was synonymous with border battles and bitter life in the frontier. Luntai, located in the central part of the Western Regions, was the political center of the Han Dynasty in the Western Regions.
In 60 BC, the Xiongnu forces were expelled from the Western Regions, and the Western Han Dynasty established the Western Regions Protectorate here to specifically manage affairs in the Western Regions. This was the first county level administrative institution established by the Central Plains Dynasty in the Western Regions, marking the official integration of the northern and southern regions of the Tianshan Mountains into China’s territory. From then on, the present-day Xinjiang region began to be under the jurisdiction of the Central Dynasty and became an integral part of China.
The Great Wall was an important military facility for ancient Central Plains dynasties to defend against the invasion of northern cavalry ethnic groups. During the Han Dynasty, the Northern Great Wall extended from Liaodong to Dunhuang. In order to resist the invasion of the Xiongnu and ensure the smooth flow of the Silk Road, Emperor Wu of Han conscripted hundreds of thousands of people to build border fortresses on the deserted western border of the empire. The fortresses extended from Dunhuang in the east to Shimo in the west, winding through the desert and playing an important role in defending the smooth flow of the Silk Road.
However, the business process of the Han Dynasty in the Western Regions was not smooth sailing. The Western Regions were far from the Central Plains, and the Han army could not be stationed for a long time. Tragedy of Han Dynasty envoys being robbed or killed occurred from time to time. At the beginning of the Eastern Han Dynasty, due to the great chaos between dynasties, the national strength was significantly weakened and there was no time to look westward. The countries in the Western Regions had to rely on the powerful Northern Xiongnu. The Silk Road was interrupted for 65 years, and the era called for the emergence of another heroic figure, who was Ban Chao. He would go on an mission to the Western Regions like Zhang Qian, making outstanding contributions to the reopening and prosperity of the Silk Road. In the northern and southern regions of the Tianshan Mountains, west of Yangguan and Yumen Pass in the Han Dynasty and east of Congling, there were dozens of states of different sizes distributed on desert oases and Gobi grasslands, known as the Thirty Six States of the Western Regions. The historian Ban Gu of the Eastern Han Dynasty detailed the geographical location, total household registration, population, military strength, and customs characteristics of each state in his book “Biography of the Western Regions”.
In the year 73 AD, Ban Chao, the younger brother of Ban Gu, was appointed as a fake Sima and joined the army, following Dou Gu, the commander of Fengche, to fight against the Xiongnu. Ban Chao’s bravery in battle was appreciated by Dou Gu, who sent him on an envoy to the Western Regions. Ban Chao and others arrived at the Shanshan Kingdom in the Western Regions. At first, the King of Shanshan received them very respectfully and thoughtfully, but soon he suddenly became indifferent. Ban Chao concluded that this must be an envoy from the Northern Xiongnu. At this time, the Xiongnu had been divided into the Northern Xiongnu and the Southern Xiongnu. The Southern Xiongnu surrendered to the Eastern Han Dynasty in 48 AD, while the Northern Xiongnu continued to confront the Eastern Han Dynasty and were strong in power. The Western Regions did not know whether to submit to the Eastern Han or the Xiongnu, and the King of Shanshan hesitated. This is a crucial moment in history, where he gathered all 36 people who were on an envoy together and encouraged everyone not to venture into the tiger’s den. As long as the Xiongnu envoys were eliminated, the King of Shanshan would be frightened and our great achievements would be accomplished.
That night, when it was dark, Ban Chao led 36 brave soldiers to raid the residence of the Northern Xiongnu envoys, igniting a large fire in the strong wind. In order to create momentum, they also beat war drums. More than 100 Northern Xiongnu envoys and their followers were killed or burned to death. The next day, when Ban Chao handed over the head of the Northern Xiongnu to the King of Shanshan, the whole country of Shanshan was frightened. Ban Chao took advantage of the situation to persuade and pacify Shanshan, making it completely submit to the Eastern Han Dynasty. The story of Ban Chao was passed down to the Eastern Han court, and Emperor Ming of Han was overjoyed. He personally entrusted Ban Chao with full authority to handle the affairs of the Western Regions and planned to send a large number of troops for his deployment. Ban Chao accepted the mission, but did not accept a large number of troops. He believed that as long as the current 36 warriors were enough.
Professor Zhang Xiaofeng from the University of International Business and Economics: Ban Chao has been operating independently in the Western Regions for more than 30 years. In his later years, when he returned to his hometown and was about to submit a letter to the emperor to return to the court, he said, ‘I dare not go to Jiuquan County without permission, I hope to be born at Yumen Pass.’.
Ban Chao devoted himself to the Western Regions for 31 years, uniting the pro Han states to combat the Xiongnu and rebellious Han forces, maintaining peace in the Western Regions and the reputation of the Han Dynasty.
In a military operation in 94 AD, Ban Chao successfully mobilized an army of 80000 troops from various countries in the Western Regions, causing more than 50 countries in the Western Regions to rejoin the Han Dynasty. Ban Chao was better at using diplomatic means to team up and connect with distant countries. With his efforts, the old Silk Road became smoother, and the new Silk Road was being developed. Ban Chao hoped to directly communicate with the Western Qin Dynasty, which was the Roman Empire. In the 3rd century BC, the Romans rose to the western part of the Eurasian continent and gradually developed into a great empire spanning Europe, Asia, and Africa. The Han Dynasty in the East and Rome in the West were the two most important and influential empires in the world at that time. Civilization center, but both sides were unable to establish direct contact.
Today in the ancient city of Venice, there are still thousands of years old glass workshops. The owners of these workshops continue to use ancient handicrafts, inheriting the craftsmanship of their ancestors. When the people of the Great Qin deeply loved the silk of the Han Dynasty, the Han Dynasty also loved the precious pearls of the Great Qin. In the poem “The Feathered Forest Lang” by the Eastern Han Dynasty poet Xin Yannian, he depicted the image of a foreign beauty, with a long train tied with ribbons, a wide sleeved Huan Ru, a blue field jade on the head, and a large Qin pearl behind the ear. The poem mentions that the Great Qin Pearl is a glass bead with dragonfly eyes from the Mediterranean region. From the Western Regions to the mainland, from the palace to the tavern, the Great Qin Pearl became a popular decoration among women in the Han Dynasty.
In the year 97 AD, Ban Chao dispatched General Gan Ying as an envoy to Daqin. Unfortunately, Gan Ying only arrived at Tiaozhi along the Persian Gulf coast and was unable to complete his mission due to local merchants deliberately exaggerating the danger at sea. After more than 70 years, in September 169 AD, the capital of the Eastern Han Dynasty, Luoyang, was decorated with lights and colorful decorations. Under the guidance and protection of the majestic royal guard, a group of foreign envoys slowly arrived. When Emperor Huan of Han, the emperor of the dynasty, received the envoy in the Deyang Hall, which could accommodate tens of thousands of people, the visit of the Daqin envoy was of two ancient civilizations. The first close encounter was a symbol of the Han Dynasty’s rule over the world and its influence over the four seas, and this time the route taken by the envoys of the Qin Dynasty was the Maritime Silk Road.
Professor Zhang Xiaofeng from the University of International Business and Economics: Today, we understand that the Silk Road is not just about connecting with Rome and Chang’an. In fact, it represents the connection between the Western world, China, and our Eastern civilizations. This exchange of Eastern and Western civilizations will not change over time, it will always happen. It will not only happen in the past, present, but also in the future.
With the advancement of navigation technology, the Maritime Silk Road of the Han Dynasty gradually took shape. As early as 111 BC, in the sixth year of Emperor Wu of Han’s Yuanding reign, the Han army pacified South Vietnam and established nine commanderies, including the South China Sea. Chinese ships set sail from ports such as Sunan and Hepu, and sailed along the coast into the Indian Ocean. The opening and development of the Maritime Silk Road allowed for further exchanges between the East and the West, and the connotation of the Silk Road became more rich. It blended many factors such as politics, economy, military, culture, border areas, and ethnic groups, and wrote about the glory, dreams, courage, and courage of the Han Dynasty in the process of unifying and developing a multi-ethnic country.
Nowadays, both the Land Silk Road and the Maritime Silk Road have regained vitality. In 2013, the Chinese government solemnly proposed the strategic initiative of jointly building the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, thus opening a new chapter in the construction of the Belt and Road.
For two thousand years, the ancient Silk Road has continued to prosper despite the continuous changes of dynasties. Cooperation and communication, as well as the persistence and continuous exploration of beliefs, are the spiritual roots for the continued prosperity of the ancient Silk Road. At this moment, the brilliant prospect of the Silk Road is presented before us, becoming a great dream that we are about to realize. However, we will not forget that it was during the Han Dynasty more than two thousand years ago that the Chinese people, with their unique tenacity and courage, dug through the Silk Road, realizing the dream of King Mu of Zhou traveling to explore the universe. The opening of the Silk Road by the Han Dynasty was a great achievement in Chinese history and even world history.
90 Seconds of History: The Wind of Clear Water
In the bureaucratic group of the late Eastern Han Dynasty, there was a special group that united with leaders of the Imperial Academy, with the goal of supporting the royal family and maintaining justice, known as the Qingyi. Qingyi is essentially a form of social public opinion. They use criticism of speech as a weapon, proclaiming justice, criticizing current affairs, and not avoiding power. In the late Eastern Han Dynasty, a clear and flowing wind formed. Li Ying and other scholars from the Qingliu faction were the main figures in the Qingyi movement. They were honest and upright in their work, fearless of violence. The highest evaluation of them by the world was their attack on the eunuch group. The eunuch group is actually an extension of imperial power, and cracking down on the eunuch group is also a challenge to imperial power in a sense. For scholars, their approach is a fearless attitude towards power. But when the political balance was disrupted, the disaster of party imprisonment quickly arose, and Li Ying and other members of the Qingliu faction bravely died, and the Qingliu was ultimately brutally extinguished.