How long is the history of sandstorms?

On April 24th, 2002, the media reported that the Han bamboo slips of the Western Han Dynasty in Dunhuang area were first discovered in China. There are also records of sandstorm climate in China's history books: The Book of Songs has a saying that "the wind will eventually blow the haze", and The Biography of Langqi Pages in the Later Han Dynasty has a saying that "the weather is wrong, and the haze will cover the sun". "Smog" and "Cihai" are interpreted as "a weather phenomenon of atmospheric turbidity". That is, a sandstorm with flying dust. In ancient books, sandstorms are written as "yellow fog", "flying sand and stones", "black gas" and "black fog", which is considered as an ominous sign. Tian Wenzhi in the Book of Jin said: "If it rains in the four corners of heaven and earth, it will cover the earth with rain for ten days and five days, or for a while, so it is said that heaven and earth are hazy and good." The Book of Jin records: since 249 AD, that is, the first year of Cao Fangjiaping, king of Wei and Qi in the Three Kingdoms; By AD 402, the first year of Anyuanxing in the Eastern Jin Dynasty, 153 recorded 15 severe sandstorms, including twice a year. The record is as follows:

In the first year of Jiaping, Qi Weiwang (AD 249), there was a strong wind in the northwest, and houses were demolished, covering the sky.

In November of the first year of Sun Xiu's Yong 'an (AD 258), the Sino-Japanese War broke out, and it was foggy for days. /kloc-in October/February, there was a big sandstorm at night in Dingmao.

In the Western Jin Dynasty, Emperor Huaidi Yongjia lived for five years (AD 3 1 1), and the atmosphere was gloomy.

In the second year of Emperor Yan's founding in the Western Jin Dynasty (AD 3 15), the first month was dark and foggy, and people were like ink for five days a night.

In August of the fourth year of Daxing in the Eastern Jin Dynasty (AD 32 1), fog covered the sun.

In October of the first year of Yongchang in the Eastern Jin Dynasty (AD 322), the capital was foggy, the sky was covered with black gas, and the sun and the moon were dull.

In the first year of Taining in East Jin Mingdi (A.D. 323), the last month passed and there were four yellow fogs. It's yellow fog again in February.

In March of the seventh year of Yonghe in the Eastern Jin Dynasty (AD 35 1 year), there was a strong wind and trees were uprooted in Liangzhou, with dust flying and yellow fog. In the third year of Kangning, Emperor Xiaowu of the Eastern Jin Dynasty (AD 376), in March, a storm broke out, flying sand and stones.

In the fourth year of Taiyuan (AD 379), Emperor Xiaowu of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, there was a storm in August.

In the eighth year of Taiyuan (AD 383), Emperor Xiaowu of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, there were four yellow fogs.

In the first year of Yuan Xing in the Eastern Jin Dynasty (AD 402), it was applied in October, and the yellow fog was cloudy without rain.

The above incomplete statistics: 3 times in the 3rd century; 9 times in the 4th century, including 3 1 1-3 15 2 times, 321-323 times and 351-383 times; 5th century AD 1 time; Total 13 years 15 times. It is very clear that the 4th century belongs to the "sandstorm-prone period in a hundred years", and there are two frequent peaks in a century. The first peak appeared in the 1920s and 1930s, and the second peak appeared in the 1950s and 1980s. This is completely consistent with the written record that "people are far from the border" and "there are no birds and no animals under the world".

Although there are few direct records of sandstorms in ancient China, we can still find clues from the descriptions of ancient poems: The Song of Running Horse River Farewell to General Feng in the Western Expedition in the Tang Dynasty may be a true record of sandstorms. The original text is: "If you don't see me, I will travel by snow and sand, and I will be successful in my official career from the desert. The night of the ninth month was cold in the wheel tower and valley, full of broken boulder pecking measures, downward, upside down, with the wind. " Another example is Chen Ziang's "yellow sand curtain rises from the south and hides in the west corner during the day." -These scenes describing yellow sand flying and strong winds are typical features of sandstorms.