The imprint of China’s territorial expansion, the former third largest city, the power of the Hexi Corridor

Wuwei, mighty When the warm East Asian monsoon carries the breath of the Pacific across half of China, when the poplars flying all over the east bank of the Yellow River entwine the warmth and throbbing of summer, Wushaoling is still very beautiful. lonely. It was as if the summer wind, when it reached the foot of Wushaoling, suddenly felt the vastness of its journey to the west, and then disappeared without a sound. After all, once you pass Wushaoling, you move from China's monsoon area to non-monsoon area, and from semi-arid area to arid area. Wushaoling (Photography? Gucheng) ▼ On the other side of Wushaoling is the Hexi Corridor that puzzled Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty. The Huns cavalry emerged one after another from here, approaching Chang'an at every turn, which made emperors of all dynasties feel depressed. At that time, Wuwei must have been quite proud of being the closest Xiongnu base camp to Wushaoling. The geographical location of Wuwei (Cartography? Lonely City) ▼ In 126 BC, Zhang Qian, who had not been heard from for thirteen years, suddenly appeared in Chang'an City, covered with dust. When he took out a long roll of sheepskin map from his sleeve, when the majestic snow peaks of the Qilian Mountains and the vast grasslands with fertile horses spread out endlessly on Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty's desk... Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty Liu Che swept away his dragon robe, He stood up, pointed at the map, and spat out three words: Hit me! This determination made a young man, Huo Qubing. Only three years later, the seventeen-year-old Huo Qubing followed Wei Qing in the battle against Monan and showed his heroic qualities. At the age of nineteen, Huo Qubing, as the first hussar general in history, crossed Wushaoling and attacked the Monan Mountains. Yanzhi Mountain made the Xiongnu sing a tragic song that has been passed down through the ages: Losing me in the Qilian Mountains will make my six animals unable to live; losing me in Yanzhi Mountain will make my married woman colorless. Yanzhi Mountain (Photography? Gucheng) ▼ When he was 21 years old, Huo Qubing led the light cavalry deep into Mobei and swept away all the Xiongnu tribes. He "drinked the vast sea of ??horses and sealed the wolves in Xu". From then on, the Huns fled far away, and there was no royal court in Monan. ". The young hero, in his youth, riding his horse and whip for the country is enough to make people excited, and the sentence ""Why do we need to be a family before the Huns are destroyed" is even more amazing. This is a city that demonstrates the majesty of a great power, and it is also the first time that the Han Dynasty took over the Western Regions. The horn. The martial power shocked all directions. 01 In the pre-Qin period, "Shang Shu Yu Gong" divided the world into nine states, one of which was called Yongzhou. In 106 BC, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty divided the territory of the Han Dynasty. There are thirteen prefectures, each with one governor, forming the Thirteen Prefectural Departments. He renamed Yongzhou: Liangzhou. According to the "Liangzhou Prefecture Chronicle Preparation" records: Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty changed the name of Yongzhou to Liangzhou because of its gold industry and land. It means cold. In other words, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty felt that Liangzhou was in the west of China. From the perspective of the five elements, the west was gold, and the weapons just felt cool, which also reflected the cold climate of Liangzhou during this period. Liangzhou is like a "province" today. Its jurisdiction covers not only the entire Gansu, but also parts of Ningxia, Inner Mongolia, Qinghai and Xinjiang. The administrative seat of Liangzhou has been located in Guzang for a long time. This is today’s Wuwei. The Thirteen Governors of the Western Han Dynasty (Cartography? Gucheng) ▼ To the west of Chang’an, there are many towns, large and small, that may not be as bright as Wuwei in terms of traffic and traffic. As the gateway to defend Chang’an and control the Western Regions , Wuwei has been the military, political and cultural center of the northwest region for a long time, and as the port of the Hexi Corridor into and out of the Central Plains, Wuwei has also been an important center for trade between China and the West before the advent of the Maritime Age. A "" Special Economic Zone" for foreign trade. People who do business here can make a fortune within a few months. Because supply and demand are both strong, transactions are still going on in the street market even at night. In other words, early in the morning Before 2000, there was a night market in Wuwei. "" Guzang was called Fuyi, and the currency was Qiang and Hu. "——"Book of the Later Han Dynasty" ""There are hundreds of thousands of houses in seven miles of Liangzhou, and the barbarians are half-playing the pipa". This was once the third largest city in China after Chang'an and Luoyang. At that time, people's yearning for Wuwei was like Today's pursuit of Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. The Liangzhou poem that was popular all over the country during the Tang Dynasty even sang about people's hopes and imaginations for this frontier city. Laugh, how many people have fought in ancient times? - Liangzhou Ci·Wang Han (Tang Dynasty) "The word "Liangzhou" has a profound imprint on Wuwei. During the Sixteen Kingdoms period, there were 5 generals in the Hexi area." "Liang Kingdom", because every king who founded the country attached great importance to the word "Liang" and did not distinguish between them, this period of history, which was not originally complicated, was made difficult to describe in one sentence. To put it simply, these five The Liang Kingdoms are in order: Qianliang, Houliang, Nanliang, Northern Liang, and Xiliang. Their capitals are located in different cities in Liangzhou. Both Qianliang and Houliang have their capitals in Wuwei. Northern Liang first moved their capital to Zhangye. Wuwei, the capital of Southern Liang was Qinghai Ledu, and Xiliang was in Jiuquan. In more than 160 years, there were 26 kings of Liang, 18 of whom set their capitals in Wuwei, so there is a "" history of Liangzhou. Half of it is in Wuwei. On the south gate tower of Wuwei, a plaque with the name Liangzhou still hangs high. It can be said that if you understand these two words, you also understand Wuwei. Wuwei South Gate Tower (Photography? Gucheng) ▼ 02 Whether it is the "" martial arts military power" that shocks the world, or the "" Liangzhou Horse" that dominates the world, Wuwei shows a sense of domineering, but the cultural atmosphere here has a completely different side.

We often say that the humanistic temperament and education of a place are closely related. People in Beijing will have a kind and honest atmosphere when listening to Peking Opera, people in Sichuan will have a melodious and delicate atmosphere when listening to Sichuan Opera, people in Jiangsu will be talented when listening to Kun Opera, and people in Henan will feel simple and honest when listening to Henan Opera. , Shandong Bangzi is full of loyalty, and the two Northeastern people are festive... Wuwei is very different. People here listen to "Xianxiao". It is said that "Xianxiao" appeared during the period of Qin Shihuang. In order to relieve the hard work after work, people would Using the three-stringed qin to accompany the stories of heroes and wise men, loyal ministers and good generals, and filial sons and virtuous women in historical books, they are narrated to people with singing and singing, and the concept of "being virtuous in society and being filial at home" is implemented in the hearts of the people. They are all available in Liangzhou, but they are particularly concentrated in Wuwei. After all, it is a big city, so this is very powerful. When all parts of China are enjoying leisure and entertainment, Wuwei still teaches every detail... But we are in the streets and small towns. I didn't hear "Xianxiao" in the alley, but I met many old people playing the erhu, playing the sanxian, and banging the clappers. The ancient tunes are obviously incompatible with the music we like today, but we are still willing to accept it all. On the road The old man playing while playing (photographed by Gucheng) ▼ 03 In the late Eastern Han Dynasty, wars broke out and wars broke out. In addition to severe natural disasters, countless people died from famine and war. On a midnight night filled with fear, a high place was found due north of Wuwei. A silent figure appeared on the mound of rammed earth. Under the mound was a secret tomb. But this man knew that he had to make a choice in order to survive. The owner of the tomb was a general who died in a tragic battle. , the soldiers only brought back his leg bones from the battlefield. At this time, his wife was still alive, so people buried the general's remains together with his wife's ornaments. The reason why this Han tomb is unique. It is a memorial and a longing. The chariots and horses in the Leitai Han Tomb are enlarged replicas (Photography? Gucheng) ▼ The man in the night may be a descendant of a craftsman whose ancestors participated in the construction of this tomb. , so that he could accurately drill a cave from the front and top of the main tomb. Under the thick rammed earth layer was a masonry dome tomb, which had no bonding or support and relied entirely on the pressure of the rammed earth on the vault to maintain stability. , if you are not careful, it will collapse. With the flickering torch, he sneaked into the tomb through the small hole he dug, took away the easily cashable gold and silver, and then carefully sealed the hole. Maybe God intended. In the panic when he emerged from the tomb, a pair of earrings slipped from his pocket and fell lightly to the ground, making a subtle sound of bells. The gold earrings unearthed from the Leitai Han Tomb are hidden in the Gansu Provincial Museum (Photography? Gucheng) ▼ Silence and darkness. In the tomb, the golden earrings did not show a trace of luster. For more than 1,700 years, there were only rows of bronze galloping horses in the back room, staring at them quietly, as if telling the story of never leaving. The chariots and horses unearthed from the Leitai Han Tomb are stored in the Gansu Provincial Museum. The replica (photographed by Gucheng) ▼ On top of the unnoticed tomb, the Qianliang people built the Lingjun Terrace, which was built during the Eastern Jin Dynasty. It was not until 1969 that the locals finally discovered the clues while digging holes to store food. The massive array of bronze horses suddenly appeared in front of the world, and one of them was the one that shocked the whole world. "Horses trample flying swallows." The bird looking back in surprise under the horse's hooves, the muscular figure of the flying horse, and the ingenious balance of the entire sculpture, ""Horse Treading on Flying Swallows"" is amazing both in terms of craftsmanship and conception. The neighing horse, the tiger and the wind, this small The small bronze galloping horse is not a wonderful display of the feelings of a great nation and cultural confidence. The horse is hidden in the Gansu Provincial Museum (photographed by Gucheng) ▼ 04 Around the 3rd century AD, the Western Jin Dynasty’s "Eight Kings Seize Power" and its ensuing The subsequent "Five Indiscriminate Disruptions of China" devastated all life in the Central Plains. But in Liangzhou, people were not only safe and sound, but also continued the dignity of Chinese civilization like many areas in the "Southern Crossing". In 301, Liangzhou came A governor, Zhang Gui. When he passed away, he left a last word to warn future generations, which can also be said to be a reflection of his life: to uphold loyalty and ensure the safety of the people, to serve the country first, and to serve the family at the bottom. After taking office in Liangzhou, the first thing was to exterminate the rebels, the second thing was to appease the people, and the third thing was to run a school in Chongwen and practice Chinese culture and etiquette. The world was in chaos, but Zhang Gui was not in chaos. In the northern land where the drums are endless and the people are in dire straits, he is the only one who has expanded a city without haste. Naturally, he is the most beloved and prosperous Wuwei. A song that has been passed down to this day just sings this contrast: In the middle of Qinchuan, There was no one left but Liangzhou Yizhuguan. Under Zhang Gui's rule, Wuwei society was stable and business prospered, and many people from the Central Plains who took refuge came here. For a time, this area originally accommodated the ancient Qiang and Wusun. In the land of nomadic peoples such as Xirong and Huns, well-dressed Central Plains nobles also walked calmly. In the singing of Sanxian and Huqin, the sound of descendants and descendants began to be heard from all directions. Falling, Liangzhou protected the gentry culture of the Qin, Han, Wei and Jin Dynasties in the bloody era, and the Confucian way of a gentleman also took root in Liangzhou, and the Wuwei Confucian Temple was holding a ceremony to worship Confucius (photographed by Gucheng). ) ▼ 05 In 382 AD, the former Qin general Lu Guang led his army to the Western Regions. When he was victorious and triumphant, he did not forget to take away the most famous talent in Qiū Cí - Kumarajiva.

This is a radiant and enlightened monk. It is said that he can speak at the age of six, can read at the age of three, is well-read at the age of five, and has become a monk with his mother at the age of seven. At a young age, he has learned a lot about ancient and modern times, is familiar with Buddhism, and is famous in the Western Regions. . It seems that history chose Wuwei. When Lu Guang walked to Liangzhou, he suddenly heard that his emperor had been killed, so he simply stopped in Liangzhou and established the Houliang regime in Wuwei. At the same time, Lu Guang also built a temple for Kumarajiva to live in and promote Buddhism. During his seventeen years in Wuwei, Kumarajiva not only learned Chinese, but also translated nearly a hundred Sanskrit Buddhist scriptures. This kicked off a grand ceremony for the spread of Buddhism. The tower of Roshi Temple still shines with the light deep in Kumarajiva's soul. Before his death, he made a wish: If the translated scriptures do not violate the original meaning, his body and tongue will not burn after his death. ""The body is destroyed, but the tongue is not broken," the monks in the temple said. The tongue relics of Master Kumarajiva are still hidden under this ancient pagoda that is more than 1,600 years old. Kumarajiva Pagoda (Photography? Gucheng) ▼ Soon after, Houliang died and the Northern Liang regime took over Wuwei. During this period, monks gathered in Liangzhou began to dig Buddhist caves on Tianti Mountain, 50 kilometers south of Wuwei City. "Tianti Mountain, the originator of Chinese grottoes". The grottoes slowly emerged. Tiantishan Grottoes (Photography? Gucheng) ▼ In 439 AD, the Northern Wei Dynasty destroyed Northern Liang. Some of the monks in Liangzhou were moved to Pingcheng (now Datong, Shanxi), and some went west to Dunhuang. The grotto art in Liangzhou It also spread to the east and west directions. The shadow of Tiantishan Grottoes can be easily found in the Yungang Grottoes and Longmen Grottoes, which were excavated in the Northern Wei Dynasty. Even the Dunhuang Grottoes, which were excavated slightly earlier, were at their peak development period. , also with the help of Liangzhou monks. Photo: Earth Traveler @ Gucheng When we were in the Gansu Museum, we saw many huge Buddha statues in a room. At that time, we thought that these were all newly made and not worth seeing. I just walked away. It was a pity that I later learned that these Buddha statues came from Tianti Mountain. In 1958, the Huangyang River Reservoir was about to be built. It was estimated that after the water was filled, most of the Tianti Mountain Grottoes would be submerged in the water. A relocation and relocation. The work of rescuing the cultural relics of the grottoes has also begun. Today, the Great Buddha Grottoes in Tianti Mountain are protected by a thick cofferdam. When we walk on the cofferdam, we have a vast water surface on one side and a 30-meter-high grotto on the other. Without the cofferdam, the lake would probably have flooded up to the Buddha's chest. In fact, people initially overestimated the water level of the Huangyang River Reservoir, and it did not pose a threat to the small caves on the mountainside when the water level was at its highest. Many caves have already been "emptied out" during rescue operations. Only the giant Buddha sits firmly and faces us with his palms outstretched, as if to say: I won't leave. Photography: Earth Traveler@Gucheng06 We chatted with a teacher in Wuwei , she said: ""We in Wuwei have such good things and such a profound culture, but its popularity has never increased. It is a pity. "Many people know that Zhangye has Danxia, ??Jiuquan has Satellites, and Dunhuang has Mogao Grottoes, but when it comes to Wuwei, they can't think of a familiar object. The horse-stepping swallow, which is listed as a Chinese tourism symbol, although it was unearthed in Wuwei , but it has been moved to the Gansu Museum for proper storage for better protection. Wuwei lacks a magnet to attract people's attention, and its rich historical heritage and cultural foundation have been lightly hidden by time, waiting to be discovered and recognized now. People often use the name "Liangzhou" given by Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty to the entire Hexi Corridor to refer to Wuwei. This is also because the names "Wuwei County" and "Liangzhou" were always exchanged in Wuwei during the Sui and Tang Dynasties. . For a thousand years, Wuwei is still Wuwei, and Wuwei is not only Wuwei. This city bears the mark of the Han Dynasty's expansion of territory, and also witnessed the unity and unification of China in 1247, when the religious leader Sakya Pandita and Mongolia were united. General Kuo Duan held a famous "Liangzhou Talks" at the White Pagoda Temple in Wuwei. On this day, Japan was officially included in the territory of China, giving this rooster a more majestic and upright figure. The White Pagoda Temple became this A historical witness of a major event. The border town can only be intoxicated. Walking out of Wuwei will lead to the vast border moon. Walking in from Wuwei is the call of a great country that the emperor of the Han Dynasty longs for. In the most affectionate answer, Wuwei is the preface. PS: In the past ten days, we have been traveling through the Hexi Corridor, covering more than 4,000 kilometers. This is a double feast of humanities, history and natural landscapes. , in order to make it clear what the Hexi Corridor is and live up to the wind and sunshine of the northwest, we plan to write it in five episodes. Wuwei is the first episode, followed by general chapters on Zhangye, Jiuquan, Dunhuang and the Hexi Corridor.

At the same time, we have also created an activity tailored for the Hexi Corridor. The first phase is planned to be launched in early July. If you are interested in the Qilian Mountains, the Hexi Corridor and the Silk Road, pay attention to our later articles and activities to ensure that you will return with a full load! Follow Earth Travelers and don’t miss out on good articles! Original work, if you need to reprint, please contact us. Unauthorized reprinting and excerpting of images and texts are prohibited. For each platform account, search ""Earth Traveler""? For more good articles, click ""Learn More" below