In the first year of Jianyuan (BC 140), Liu Che, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, ascended the throne, and Zhang Qian served as a Langguan in the palace. In the third year of Jianyuan (BC 138), Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty recruited envoys to send envoys to the Yue family, hoping to unite the Yue family to attack the Huns. Zhang Qian recruited them as messengers, set out from Chang 'an, was captured by Xiongnu, was trapped for ten years, and then ran away.
I went west to Dawan, passed Kangju, arrived at Dayue's home, and then went to Daxia, and stayed for more than a year before coming back. On his way home, Zhang Qian changed from South Road to Nanshan in an attempt to avoid being discovered by Xiongnu, but he got it from Xiongnu and was detained for more than a year.
In the third year of Yuanshuo (BC 126), the Huns were in civil strife, and Zhang Qian took the opportunity to escape to the Han Dynasty, and reported the situation of the western regions in detail to Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, who named him a doctor too much. Because of Zhang Qian's prestige in the Western Regions, the envoys of the Han Dynasty later called him Bo Wanghou to win the trust of other countries.
Zhang Qian's mission to the Western Regions was originally intended to carry out the strategic intention of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty to unite with Da Yueshi to fight against the Huns. However, after he went to the Western Regions, the cultural exchanges between Han and Yi were frequent, and the civilization of the Central Plains spread rapidly around through the "Silk Road". Therefore, Zhang Qian's mission to the Western Regions has special historical significance. Zhang Qian has made outstanding contributions to the opening of the Silk Road from China to the Western Regions, which is praised by the world.
2. The Silk Road and the Story of Xuanzang
Xuanzang started from Chang 'an, passed through Qin Zhou, Lanzhou and Liangzhou, dived into Guazhou, and went out of Yumenguan via North Road, so he had to be accompanied by a thin horse. After many difficulties and obstacles, I arrived in Yiwu and then transferred to Gaochang. At that time, Wang Ju of Gaochang came across the desert alone, regarded him as a Taoist priest, received him warmly, and urged him to stay in Gaochang to preach Buddhism, but Xuanzang insisted on learning Buddhist scriptures in Tianzhu, but Wang Gaochang was not allowed to stay.
So Xuanzang talked here for a month and became brothers with King Gaochang. Later, King Gaochang sent money and goods to twenty-four kings and western Turks along the way, asking them to take care of them when Xuanzang passed by, so Xuanzang continued to travel westward.
He passed the Aryan Kingdom (Yanqi), Qu Zhi (Qiuci) and Luga (Gu Mo) successively, crossed the Green Ridge, and finally reached the Broken Leaf City, where he saw the four leaves of the West Turkic Khan.
3. The Silk Road and the story of Ban Chao.
In the 16th year of Yongping, Ming Di (73), Dou Gu made a northern expedition to Xiongnu, and made great contributions in the battle between Ban Chao and Xiongnu in Prehai (now Bakou Lake, Xinjiang). Thirty-six officials were ordered to be sent to countries in the western regions to recruit Shanshan (whose real name was Loulan, near Ruoqiang, Xinjiang), Khotan (now Hotan, Xinjiang) and Shule (now Kashgar, Xinjiang) one by one. In the third year of Yonghe (9 1), more than 50 countries in the western region all surrendered to Han, and the western region was decided.
Ban Chao was appointed as the commander-in-chief of the Western Regions and stationed in Kuqa (now Kuqa, Xinjiang). In the seventh year of Yongyuan (95), he was appointed as a distant Hou. In the 14th year of Yongyuan (102), he returned to Luoyang due to the recurrence of his old illness. He was worshipped as the shooting captain, and he was ill that year. During his thirty-one years in the Western Regions, Ban Chao made outstanding contributions to safeguarding China's frontier defense, ensuring the safety of people of all ethnic groups, ensuring the smooth flow of the Silk Road and promoting cultural exchanges between China and foreign countries.
4. Religious monks
On the Silk Road, it was not for profit but for gospel and truth. It was religious monks who walked from one place to another without fear of danger. Among them, Buddhist monks are the most, including Ku Morosh and other western monks who were introduced to China, and China monks who went to India to study Buddhist teachings and classics. In addition, there are Manichaeism monks and Nestorianism monks from the East.
The caravan leaders of the Sogdians are often Zoroastrian leaders, and they are called Sabao in historical documents. There are also Taoist priests and monks traveling westward, such as Qiu Chuji, a real person in Changchun. Interest is usually the driving force of life, but what these monks seek is only the truth in their hearts. They think day and night about how to help the world get rid of suffering.
As a result, due to their efforts, different religious cultures on the Silk Road have been exchanged, and the local culture has also changed and developed due to external stimulation. For example, without the introduction of Buddhism into China, Taoism would be hard to survive in China, and China culture and China people's thoughts would certainly take on different faces.
5. Kissing
On the Silk Road, the most touching thing is the farewell team with the princess. In order to maintain good relations with other countries or nationalities, dynasties in China usually adopted two ways. One way is to award the title of leader, China an official position, and show his close relationship with China. This is the so-called conferring system.
The second is affinity. The Chinese princess married a local leader, and the two countries used this marriage relationship to reach an alliance. Of course, only those countries that are particularly important will China implement a pro-democracy policy towards them. China married Wusun (1 10 BC) in the Western Han Dynasty, because Wusun was the most powerful country in the Western Region at that time.
Jiang Bin, King of Qiuci, also wanted to kiss the Han Dynasty, but he knew that he was not qualified. Therefore, Shi, the daughter of King Wusun and Princess Weng Guimi of the Western Han Dynasty, returned to Wusun from Chang 'an and detained her when passing by Qiuci, hoping to marry Shi. Jiang Bin lobbied Wusun and the Han Dynasty to send a mission. Finally, King Wusun agreed to this marriage, and the Emperor of the Western Han Dynasty specially established the first historical princess. ?
The rise of the post-Tubo dynasty coincided with the affinity of the Tang Dynasty with the northern Turks and Tuguhun (Qinghai ethnic minorities). Songzan Gambu, the leader of Tubo, thought that his position and strength were better than Tuyuhun's, so he sent envoys to ask the Tang Dynasty to make peace with his relatives. In 640 AD, Emperor Taizong sent Princess Wencheng to carry out the pro-marriage policy.