Hepu is very remote, why can it become a famous port in history?

Hepu is located in Lingnan, thousands of miles away from the Central Plains. How did this place, far away from the ruling center and economic center of the Han Dynasty, become the largest port in the Han Dynasty?

Deep sailing tradition

The ancestors of Hepu Baiyue had a tradition of sailing. Hepu used to be the land of Baiyue, and there are traces of Baiyue sailing on the Hemudu site in 7,000 years. In Zhou Chengwang, the Yuetang family from the south went north from the coast of Beibu Gulf to the Central Plains to offer pheasants to Zhou Wang. In the Warring States Period, it was recorded in Zhuangzi-Xu Wugui and Lv Chunqiu-You that there were "people crossing the river" and "people crossing the sea" who braved the wind and waves at sea.

Later, Qin Jun traveled more than a hundred miles south, thinking that Guilin was like a county. By the end of Qin Dynasty and the beginning of Han Dynasty, Zhao Tuo was included in Lingnan, and Hepu became a part of Zhao Nanyue. South Vietnam also attaches great importance to the ocean. According to the records of South Vietnam, Zhao Jiande, the last king of South Vietnam, sent 3,000 people to the mountains in the southwest of Sui 'an County, and as a result, a huge ship with a load of 1000 stone (about 60 tons) was built.

In the tombs of Nanyue State unearthed, we can often see ship models and statues carved on bronzes and bricks. These historical records and archaeological remains show that the local people in Lingnan area, including Hepu, have mastered advanced shipbuilding and navigation technology, which, together with the rich maritime cultural accumulation, contributed to the birth of Dagang.

Unique geographical location

At that time, Hepu's geographical location was also suitable for becoming a port. Hepu ancient port is close to Beibu Gulf, and the conditions of monsoon and ocean current are very ideal, which is beneficial to the route. In the Han dynasty, ships could only sail along the coast. Hepu is located at the junction of the southernmost tip of China and Indo-China Peninsula, which is the most convenient route from the coastal line to Southeast Asia and then to India, North Africa and Europe.

The transportation from Hepu to the inland is also very developed. Hepu means the place where rivers meet. There are many rivers in the territory, including 93 large and small rivers with a total length of 558 kilometers. Waterways are vertical and horizontal, the water depth is feasible, and it is woven into a convenient waterway transportation network.

Another important factor to become a port is to have a prosperous hinterland economic zone. Leizhou Peninsula, where Hepu is located, flourished in Shang and Zhou Dynasties because of pearl picking. In the pre-Qin period, merchants from the Central Plains went south to Hepu to resell pearls, so that they "produced millions". Hepu is also rich in ramie, and the textile industry is prosperous. The "pineapple hemp" produced by Hepu is famous all over the country, and its "fine hemp can be used as yarn". All these have provided a solid material foundation for Hepu's prosperity.

In 1 12 BC, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty conquered South Dahan, and Hepu was formally incorporated into the territory of the Japanese Empire. A large number of Central Plains immigrants went south to Hepu, and Hepu was further developed. Korea's strong national strength and strong economic strength have injected a shot in the arm for Hepu's vigorous development. "Lianzhou County Records" records: "Liang Wudi's fame spread far and wide, and the thin sea followed the wind, and foreign countries and foreign businessmen all set out on a long voyage, in an endless stream. Now it is the most prosperous place in the coastal areas. " Hepu has thus become a first-tier port city in Dahan.

"Rival" Rinan Port "Obstacle"

With the decline of Rinan Port, Hepu sits alone as the largest port in Dahan. After Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty attacked and destroyed South Vietnam, there was Rinan County, which is in the middle of Vietnam today. Rinan County is in the east of the South China Sea, directly under the South Asia, and it is more convenient to go to West Asia and South Asia than Hepu. Hepu's limelight has been overshadowed. Du You said in the Tang Dynasty: "(Rinan County) Since Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, other countries have been here. After Emperor Huan of the Han Dynasty, Daqin and Tianzhu all came here to make contributions."

In the ninth year of Emperor Huan of the Han Dynasty, A.D. 166, "An Dun, king of the Great Qin Dynasty, sent envoys from southern Japan to offer ivory, rhinoceros horn and tortoise shells." This is the first official diplomatic contact between the two largest and strongest empires in the world, the Roman Empire and the Han Empire. He was also the first ambassador in Chinese and western history.

However, most of the residents in southern Japan were not Han Chinese, nor were they Vietnamese who were gradually sinicized at that time. But the brown people in Southeast Asia. Culture and race are far from Han people. "Eyes deep, nose high, fists black", "men and women are not ashamed to wear them". Refused to obey the rule of the Han dynasty and often rebelled. Burning the government, killing officials and robbing wealthy businessmen often happen. As a result, Rinan Port was often blocked and gradually declined. Overseas businessmen changed to Hepu, and Hepu became the first port of Dahan.