What did Yili bring us?

Yili is located in the west of Xinjiang, bordering Kazakhstan in the northwest and Russia and Mongolia in the northeast. This is the wettest place in Xinjiang.

Because the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau blocks the water vapor in the Indian Ocean, the whole northwest is in an arid area. Ili, which was supposed to be dry, inherited the water vapor of the Atlantic Ocean, became wet and rainy, and there were many glaciers, rivers and lakes, which gave birth to forests and grasslands.

Yes, you are not mistaken. Yili receives the water vapor from the Atlantic Ocean, thanks to the efforts of the flat Eurasia and Yili itself. Let's start with Eurasia. The water vapor in the Atlantic Ocean passes through the flat European plains and Eurasian grasslands and reaches Ili, 5000 kilometers away. This is really a spirit of internationalism. Besides, Yili's own efforts, three sides of Yili are mountains with an average elevation of more than 4000 meters, leaving only one horn in the west. In this way, the water vapor in the Atlantic Ocean was blocked by high mountains and began to condense and fall, becoming glaciers, lakes and rivers in Yili, and then there were forests and grasslands.

Having said so much about the climate and environment of Yili, we can think of the importance of Yili to all ethnic groups in ancient times. Whoever occupies Yili will get high-quality land, crops and livestock and raise a large population. With soldiers and food, we can occupy other small countries. This is also the reason why Han and Tang dynasties were so powerful in history, but they could not completely control the western regions, because Han and Tang dynasties never controlled Ili. As long as the nomadic tribes who control Yili seize the opportunity to attack the small countries controlled by the Han and Tang Dynasties, they can also cope when the national strength of the Han and Tang Dynasties is strong. Once the national strength declines, the western regions will soon fall.

Until the Qing dynasty, the story reversed. With the efforts of emperors Kangxi, Yongzheng and Qianlong, the Qing Dynasty finally defeated the Zhungeer khanate and occupied Yili. Qianlong built nine cities in Yili, together with a series of measures such as immigration and reclamation, which formed the management of the whole Xinjiang centered on Yili and brought the whole Xinjiang into the Chinese territory steadily.

To sum up, Yili has brought us huge territory and stable frontier, as well as delicious fruits.