Dunhuang history

"Dun, big also; Magnificent Dunhuang has a long history and splendid culture! As early as the end of primitive society, the Sanmiao people who migrated to Hexi after the defeat of the tribal war in the Central Plains flourished here.

They focused on hunting and began to master primitive agricultural production techniques.

Neolithic stone knives, axes, pottery and bronzes were unearthed in Dunhuang area.

Dunhuang in Xia, Shang and Zhou Dynasties belonged to Guguazhou, and there were descendants of Sanmiao. At that time, Qiang people and Rong people settled nomadic here.

Many rock paintings left by nomadic people found in Dunhuang area are still vivid.

During the Warring States Period and the Qin Dynasty, the Dayue family, Wusun family and Sai family lived in Dunhuang.

Later, Dayue became stronger and merged with the original Qiangrong.

At the end of the Warring States period, Dayue people drove away Wusun people and Saizhong people and monopolized Dunhuang until the end of Qin Dynasty and the beginning of Han Dynasty.

In the early Western Han Dynasty, the Huns invaded Hexi and defeated the Vietnamese twice, forcing the Vietnamese to move westward to the two river basins (Syr Darya and Amu Darya).

The whole Hexi Corridor is the territory of Huns.

The powerful Xiongnu posed a serious threat to the Western Han Dynasty with the power of "more than 300,000 strings" and often harassed and plundered.

After the clever Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty succeeded to the throne, he adopted the strategy of both armed defense and active attack. In the second year of Jianyuan (BC 138), Zhang Qian was sent to the Western Regions for the first time to contact Yueshi and Wusun to attack the Xiongnu.

In the second year of Yuanshou (12 1 years ago), the Han Dynasty decided to cut off the enemy's right arm and leave me alone and set out for Hexi Corridor.

In the spring of the same year, Huo Qubing, the general of a title of generals in ancient times, was sent to command Wanqi from Longxi and marched into Hexi, winning a great victory.

Not only the son of the evil king of Xiongnu and Ginkgo biloba were captured alive, but also the Xiongnu "Golden Sacrifice" was captured alive, which dealt a heavy blow to the Xiongnu forces in Hexi.

Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty placed this trophy in Ganquan Palace (Fengxiang, Shaanxi Province) for offering.

This story is painted on the north wall of Cave 323 in Mogao Grottoes.

On this day, Huo Qubing personally led the cavalry across the Juyan River and rushed to Qilian Mountain, killing more than 30,000 people, which caused a devastating blow to the Xiongnu forces in Hexi. At the same time, the Xiongnu ruling group clashed, and the evil king Xiongnu killed Xiutu and surrendered to the Han Dynasty with more than 40,000 people.

In the second year of Ding Yuan in the Han Dynasty (1 15), Zhang Qian went to the Western Regions for the second time and returned to China smoothly from Wusun.

Since then, the Silk Road to the Western Regions has been opened.

Zhang Qian's "hollowing out" trip is a pioneering work in the history of Sino-Western exchanges, and it has made immortal historical contributions to promoting economic and cultural exchanges between China and foreign countries, the Central Plains and the Western Regions.

In order to completely cut off the contact between Xiongnu and Xiqiang, and maintain the security of the border crossing and the Silk Road, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty set up Jiuquan County and Wuwei County in Hexi in the second year of Yuanshou (12 1).

And take measures such as fortification, reclamation and resettlement to continuously enrich and strengthen the construction of Hexi.

In the sixth year of Ding Yuan in the Han Dynasty (11years ago), Jiuquan and Wuwei were respectively assigned to Dunhuang and Zhangye counties.

From Lingju (now Yongdeng) to Yanze (now Lop Nur), the Great Wall and beacon tower were built, and Yangguan and Yumenguan were set up, which were called "four counties, according to two customs" in history, ensuring the smooth flow of the Silk Road.

Since then, China's silk and advanced technology have spread to Central Asia, West Asia and Europe.

Jade, agate, rare birds and animals, crops, etc. It was transported from Europe, the Mediterranean coast and the western region to the Central Plains.

Ambassadors, soldiers, businessmen and monks from all over the world come and go in Dunhuang, the main road of the Silk Road.

Dunhuang has become the "throat lock key" for Chinese and western traffic.

At that time, Dunhuang had a vast territory and governed six counties.

West to Longle Yangguan, east to Yolanda (now Yumen City West), north to Yiwu (now Hami City), south to Xiqiang (now Qaidam, Qinghai Province).

After Dunhuang established a county, it laid a solid foundation for the Western Han Dynasty to govern the western regions.

For example, Li Guangli, the general of the Second Division, defeated Dawanguo and won a bloody horse; Zhao Ponu defeated Gu, captured King Loulan, and used Dunhuang as a supply base for grain, grass and military forces.

In the early years of the Eastern Han Dynasty, the Huns grew stronger and conquered most of the western regions that were once under the jurisdiction of the Western Han Dynasty, and the Silk Road was forced to be interrupted.

In 75 AD, the Eastern Han Dynasty sent troops to attack the northern Xiongnu in four ways. Dou Gu, a shepherd in Liangzhou, led his troops to defeat the Xiongnu in Hexi, recovered the lost land in Yiwu and reopened the gateway to the western regions.

At the same time, Ban Chao, a famous soldier, sent two missions to the Western Regions, killed the Xiongnu envoys, contacted countries in the Western Regions and established friendly relations with the Eastern Han Dynasty, thus reopening the Silk Road which had been interrupted for 65 years.

During the hundreds of years from the establishment of the county in the Western Han Dynasty to the end of the Western Jin Dynasty, although the Silk Road has undergone several twists and turns, Dunhuang has gradually presented a prosperous scene, and gradually developed into a military and political center, a cultural and commercial center in the northwest, and a metropolis of "Huarong Road University".

During this period, Dunhuang culture was developed, celebrities came forth in large numbers, and talented people came forth in large numbers: Zhang Huan, a brave frontier conqueror, Gai Xun, a courtier with a deep understanding of righteousness, Hou Jin, a talented great writer, and Zhang Zhi, a famous brother calligrapher who was called "Cao Sheng" and "Yasheng".

Yongjia fell, the Western Jin Dynasty perished, the Jin family moved south, and the Eastern Jin regime was established.

In the vast northern areas, there has been a scuffle and separatist situation between the "five lakes" and the "sixteen countries".

During the Wei and Jin Dynasties, Hexi region successively established feudal regimes such as former cool, later cool, southern cool, western cool and northern cool.

In the pre-Zhangliang period, Dunhuang was changed to sandbar.

In 400 AD, Gaoli proclaimed himself emperor and established Xiliang country.

Dunhuang became the capital for the first time in history, and later died in Beiliang.

When Liang Qian, Xiliang and Beiliang successively ruled Hexi region, they paid more attention to the internal affairs, the safety of the people and the environment, but ignored the thin tax, the persuasion of farmers and mulberry, and the worship of Confucianism to promote education.

Make Hexi region social stability, economic prosperity and cultural prosperity.

During this period, Liangzhou has become the cultural center of northern China, and Dunhuang is the cultural center of Liangzhou, with many celebrities and scholars.

Suo Jing, Zhong Yan, Zhang Biao, Su Xujie and Yong Suo, known as the "Five Dragons of Dunhuang", were all great writers at that time.

Suo Jing is also a famous calligrapher in history.

Professor Song Xian, Guo and Liu Ribing, the masters of Confucian classics in Dunhuang, taught hundreds to thousands of people. The Records of Thirteen States by Dunhuang Renkan is an important geographical work in ancient China.

There are also astronomers Zhao and some well-known scholars in Dunhuang, such as Suoai, Suoai, and Suo Ai.

During the Sixteen Kingdoms period, the Central Plains was contending with each other, wars broke out everywhere, and the people were displaced and in dire straits, while Hexi became a relatively stable area.

A large number of scholars, Confucianism, scholars and ordinary people in the Central Plains left their homes and fled to Hexi for refuge, bringing advanced culture and production technology.

In particular, Buddhism introduced from Han and Wei dynasties flourished in Dunhuang.

People suffering from war fell at the feet of Buddha, hoping to get rid of suffering and live a happy and stable life.

Dunhuang is the gateway and gateway of Buddhism spreading to the east, and also the center of Buddhism in Hexi area.

There are a lot of Buddhist monks giving lectures in Dunhuang.

Many Buddhist disciples from all over Hexi come here to study.

For example, Zhu Fahu, a master of classics translation who lives in Dunhuang; Song Yun and other Dunhuang people went to India to study Buddhism.

Faxian, Kumarajiva and other boiling masters have left footprints in Dunhuang no matter where they go.

In the second year of Jian Yuan in the former Qin Dynasty (AD 366), the monk Le Zun first opened a cave in Daquan Valley at the foot of Sanwei Mountain, and the Mogao Grottoes were born.

After that, the practice of making Buddha by opening holes continued for thousands of years, creating the world-famous Dunhuang art.

The Northern Wei Dynasty destroyed the northern cool, unified the north and occupied Hexi.

During this period, Dunhuang was relatively stable, the people lived and worked in peace and contentment, and Buddhism prevailed.

Northern Wei people dug 13 caves in Mogao grottoes.

The establishment of the Sui Dynasty ended the 300-year-long division since the Western Jin Dynasty and completed the great cause of unifying China.

When Emperor Wendi of Sui Dynasty recovered Hexi, he put down the invasions of Turks and Tuguhun successively, and ensured the smooth and prosperous Silk Road.

At the same time, Mingshan County was changed to Dunhuang County in the Northern Zhou Dynasty.

After Emperor Wendi of Sui Dynasty settled the separatist regime in the south, he would approve the nobles and their tribes of the Southern Dynasty to move to Dunhuang to fill the border and bring the southern culture and customs to Dunhuang.

In this way, Dunhuang combines the cultures of the North and South Han Dynasties, making the local culture of Dunhuang more distinctive.

Emperor Wendi of Sui believed in Buddhism, and ordered several states to build pagodas.

The imperial edict reached Dunhuang.

Under the advocacy of the supreme ruler, although the Sui Dynasty existed for just 37 years, there were 77 caves in Mogao Grottoes, which were large in scale, with exquisite murals and colored sculptures, and there were two completely different artistic styles in the north and south.

In the early years of the great cause, Yang Di sent Pei Ju, assistant minister of the official department, to Zhangye and Dunhuang to learn about the Silk Road and the trade between China and the West.

In the fifth year of the Great Cause (AD 609), Yang Di went to the Western Ocean and held a 27-nation trade fair in Zhangye, which was unprecedented.

In the early Tang Dynasty, Suzhou, melon and sand were established in Hexi.

Hexi all belongs to Tang Dynasty.

In the 14th year of Zhenguan (A.D. 640), Li Shimin, Emperor Taizong of Tang Dynasty, swept away the obstacles dominated by western Turks on the East-West Avenue in one fell swoop, ensuring the smooth occupation of the Silk Road.

Dunhuang in the Tang Dynasty, like the whole country, was highly prosperous in economy and culture, and Buddhism was very prosperous.

The number of caves opened in Mogao Grottoes is as high as 1000, and 232 caves have been preserved so far.

Murals and statues have reached an unusually high artistic level. In the 19th year of Zhenguan (AD 645), Tang Xuanzang went to India to learn Buddhist scriptures and returned to Chang 'an via Dunhuang.

With the rise of the Tang Dynasty, the Tubo dynasty in southwest China became stronger and stronger.

After the "An Shi Rebellion", the Tang Dynasty began to decline from its peak and never recovered.

Tubo attacked Hexi and captured Liangzhou, Ganzhou and Suzhou.

The soldiers and civilians in Shazhou persisted in resisting 1 1 year, and finally went into exile in the city for lack of ammunition and food.

Since then, Tubo has ruled the whole Hexi for more than 70 years.

Tubo also believes in Buddhism, and there are a lot of mural art in the middle Tang Dynasty in Mogao Grottoes.

A large number of Tibetan scriptures are preserved in the Tibetan Sutra Cave.

In the second year of Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty (AD 848), the people of Dunhuang could not bear the dark rule of Tubo and lived a slave-like life. Local Zhang Yichao took advantage of the civil strife in the Tubo dynasty to contact the local people of all ethnic groups, gather people to rebel, drive away the Tubo nobles and recover the sandbar in one fell swoop.

After 10 years of struggle, Hexi, Hehuang and other places were all recovered, and envoys were sent to the Tang Dynasty.

In the Tang Dynasty, Zhang Yichao was appointed as our ambassador to eleven states in Hexi and Hehuang, and a rebel army was established to control sand.

Later, the court ordered Zhang Yichao to be an official, and the Zhang family in Shazhou was in civil strife.

His grandson, Rizo, as our heir, rebelled against the Tang Dynasty and established himself as the "Jinshan Kingdom of the Western Han Dynasty", calling himself "Jinshan Baidi".

At this time, Ganzhou Uighur also controlled the central area of Hexi Corridor.

In order to get through the east-west traffic, the "Jinshan Kingdom" fought with Huijuan, and the result was a big defeat.

After Uighur attacked the sandbar, Zhang Chengfeng could not resist and had to surrender.

In 9l4 AD, Jinshan State died and the Zhang family died. Saudi Governor Cao Shi Ikin took charge of melons and sand instead of our special envoy.

During Cao Zhi's reign, the melon and ethnic groups were recruited, and the development of production, economy, military and cultural construction was emphasized, which improved the relations with neighboring ethnic groups. In the past 65,438+0,30 years, they have maintained harmonious relations with neighboring countries.

165438+At the beginning of the 20th century, the Northwest Tangut began to rise and become stronger.

In 1028, he defeated Uighur in Gansu, then captured Guazhou and Shazhou and dominated Hexi.

Xixia dynasty was founded in 1038.

At that time, there was a tripartite confrontation between Song, Liao and Xixia.

During the 100 years when Xixia ruled Dunhuang, Dunhuang maintained the level of "human and financial resources are empty, which is different from the Central Plains" since the Han Dynasty because of its emphasis on economic development.

Xixia rulers believed in Buddhism, did not exclude Chinese culture, and made great progress in culture and art.

Up to now, Mogao Grottoes and Yulin Grottoes have preserved a large number of rich and unique Xixia Buddhist arts.

The world-famous Dunhuang suicide note was sealed in Cave 17 of Mogao Grottoes during the reign of Xixia (A.D. 1036).

In the second year of Song Ningzong's accession to the throne (A.D. 1206), Temujin (Genghis Khan) in Yuan Taizu unified the tribes in Mobei and established a powerful tribal alliance.

1227, the Mongolian army destroyed Xixia and conquered Shazhou, and Hexi area was owned by the Yuan Dynasty.

Since then, Dunhuang has been upgraded to Shazhou Road, which belongs to Gansu Province.

Later, he was promoted to the general manager of Shazhou.

The Western Expedition of Yuan Dynasty must pass through Dunhuang.

At that time, there were many garrisons in Guazhou and Shazhou, with numerous camps and farmers and soldiers all over Danghe and Shule River basins.

Dunhuang once showed a scene of economic and cultural prosperity, and its trade with the western regions was more frequent.

Kyle Polo, a famous Italian traveler, roamed the Central Plains through Dunhuang during this period.

The rulers of the Yuan Dynasty also believed in Buddhism.

The Mogao Grottoes remain open.

There are about 10 existing caves in the Yuan Dynasty.

Since the Yuan Dynasty, Hexi Qianli has gradually lost its former glory.

After Zhu Yuanzhang established the Ming Dynasty, in order to sweep away the remnants of the Yuan Dynasty, he sent Song Guogong and Sheng Feng to lead the troops to pacify Hexi, won the victory, built Jiayuguan Ming Great Wall and rebuilt Suzhou City.

In order to strengthen the defense of the northwest frontier, the Ming Dynasty established the Kansai Seven Guards.

In the third year of Yongle (AD 1405), Shazhouwei was established in Dunhuang.

After Turpan captured Hami, Dunhuang was threatened.

In the Ming Dynasty, Han Dong left-back was set up in Shazhou ancient city.

In the 11th year of Zheng De (A.D. 15 16), Dunhuang was occupied by Turpan.

In the third year of Jiajing (A.D. 1524), the Ming Dynasty ordered the closure of Jiayuguan, moved Kansai civilians into the pass, and abandoned Gua and Sha states.

In the next 200 years, Dunhuang was not built, and it became a desert land where "the wind travels thousands of miles and the moon shines on quicksand another day".

In the late Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty, the Qing Dynasty gradually recovered the vast areas outside Jiayuguan.

In the third year of Yongzheng (A.D. 1725), Shazhouwei was established in Dunhuang, and 2,400 households from all over Gansu began to immigrate to Dunhuang for reclamation and settlement. At the same time, a large number of soldiers and civilians in Shazhou area moved to Turpan and Lop Nur.

At the end of Yongzheng, there were more than 65,438+10,000 mu of cultivated land in Shazhou and 10 canals in Danghe River for irrigation. Agriculture was quickly restored and developed, forming the Gobi oasis in the west of Hexi Corridor.

In the twenty-five years of Qianlong (1760), it was changed to Shazhou Weishan Dunhuang County, which directly belonged to Anxi. Until the Revolution of 1911, Dunhuang was the seat of the county government after the establishment of 1949 People's Republic of China (PRC).

1987, Dunhuang was established with the approval of the State Council.

1986 was named "China's famous historical and cultural city" by the State Council.