The Battle of Yiwulu took place during a major expedition against the
Xiongnu
The Xiongnu (, ) were a tribal confederation of nomadic peoples who, according to ancient Chinese sources, inhabited the eastern Eurasian Steppe from the 3rd century BC to the late 1st century AD. Modu Chanyu, the supreme leader after 20 ...
launched by the
Han dynasty
The Han dynasty (, ; ) was an imperial dynasty of China (202 BC – 9 AD, 25–220 AD), established by Liu Bang (Emperor Gao) and ruled by the House of Liu. The dynasty was preceded by the short-lived Qin dynasty (221–207 BC) and a warr ...
in February AD 73, after the fall of
Xin Dynasty
The Xin dynasty (; ), also known as Xin Mang () in Chinese historiography, was a short-lived Chinese imperial dynasty which lasted from 9 to 23 AD, established by the Han dynasty consort kin Wang Mang, who usurped the throne of the Emperor Ping o ...
. The battle was a success for the Han, who were led by
Dou Gu
Dou Gu (; died 88 AD), born in Xianyang, was a Chinese military general during the Eastern Han dynasty who fought in the Battle of Yiwulu in 73. Shortly after the battle, Dou Gu sent two of his generals, Ban Chao
Ban Chao (; 32–102 CE), co ...
. In 73, annoyed at the
Xiongnu
The Xiongnu (, ) were a tribal confederation of nomadic peoples who, according to ancient Chinese sources, inhabited the eastern Eurasian Steppe from the 3rd century BC to the late 1st century AD. Modu Chanyu, the supreme leader after 20 ...
's constant incursions against the northern border, the
Han Dynasty
The Han dynasty (, ; ) was an imperial dynasty of China (202 BC – 9 AD, 25–220 AD), established by Liu Bang (Emperor Gao) and ruled by the House of Liu. The dynasty was preceded by the short-lived Qin dynasty (221–207 BC) and a warr ...
dispatched four columns, commissioned generals Dou Gu and
Geng Chong
Geng Chong (), born in Xianyang, Shaanxi, was a general during the Battle of Yiwulu in 73, he is a nephew of Geng Kui.
Han dynasty generals
1st-century Chinese people
{{china-mil-bio-stub ...
to lead an army against the Xiongnu from
Jiuquan
Jiuquan, formerly known as Suzhou, is a prefecture-level city in the northwesternmost part of Gansu Province in the People's Republic of China. It is more than wide from east to west, occupying , although its built-up area is mostly located in ...
. The majority of this expedition only had minor successes, but had captured the
Yiwulu area in this battle.
Aftermath
In
Yiwulu,
Dou Gu
Dou Gu (; died 88 AD), born in Xianyang, was a Chinese military general during the Eastern Han dynasty who fought in the Battle of Yiwulu in 73. Shortly after the battle, Dou Gu sent two of his generals, Ban Chao
Ban Chao (; 32–102 CE), co ...
set up an agricultural garrison, and appointed a commander to make sure that the army stationed in the Western Regions had a lasting supply of provisions. In the same year, Dou Gu sent
Ban Chao
Ban Chao (; 32–102 CE), courtesy name Zhongsheng, was a Chinese diplomat, explorer, and military general of the Eastern Han Dynasty. He was born in Fufeng, now Xianyang, Shaanxi. Three of his family members—father Ban Biao, elder brother ...
and
Guo Xun
Guo Xun (, d. 75) was a military officer under the Han Dynasty of China. He was an associate general of Ban Chao, as he and Ban Chao were sent to the Western Regions for a diplomatic expedition by Dou Gu. In 75, he was killed along with Chen Mu ...
along with 36 men to go south. Ban Chao successfully organised the three states of
Shanshan
Shanshan (; ug, پىچان, Pichan, Piqan) was a kingdom located at the north-eastern end of the Taklamakan Desert near the great, but now mostly dry, salt lake known as Lop Nur.
The kingdom was originally an independent city-state, known in t ...
,
Yutian and
Shule against the
Xiongnu
The Xiongnu (, ) were a tribal confederation of nomadic peoples who, according to ancient Chinese sources, inhabited the eastern Eurasian Steppe from the 3rd century BC to the late 1st century AD. Modu Chanyu, the supreme leader after 20 ...
, restoring peace and order in the Western Regions. Subsequently, in AD 74, the
Han
Han may refer to:
Ethnic groups
* Han Chinese, or Han People (): the name for the largest ethnic group in China, which also constitutes the world's largest ethnic group.
** Han Taiwanese (): the name for the ethnic group of the Taiwanese p ...
government reestablished the Protectorate of the Western Regions, in the city of Jinman at the state of North Jushi. In 75, on the death of the short-reigned
Emperor Ming of Han
Emperor Ming of Han (15June 28 – 5September 75), born and also known as and as , was the second emperor of China's Eastern Han dynasty.
He was the fourth son and second crown prince of Emperor Guangwu. It was during Emperor Ming's reign ...
, the Xiongnu with its allies seized their opportunity and captured Jushi and Liuzhong, and killed the Protector General
Chen Mu
Chen Mu (, d. 75) was a governor and general during the Han Dynasty who served the first Protector General of the Western Regions under Eastern Han between 74–75. During his service, he was killed by the rebels in Karasahr
Karasahr or Karashar ...
. In 76, the Han government abrogated the Protectorate of the Western Regions. As the Western Region's situation was getting precarious, Ban Chao, who was left to defend Shule and Yutian, won the support of the local officials and people and drove the Xiongnu troops from the capital of
Gumo in Shicheng. In 80, he wrote to the imperial court, proposing that they send more troops to the Western Regions. The new emperor agreed to his proposal and ordered Xu Gan to lead an army to help Ban Chao.
During the war against the Xiongnu's allies which lasted several decades, Ban Chao distinguished himself as a statesman and strategist. Relying on the various nationalities in the Western Regions, he united all the people and maintained the unity of the empire. In 90, Ban Chao detained an envoy from
Kushan
The Kushan Empire ( grc, Βασιλεία Κοσσανῶν; xbc, Κυϸανο, ; sa, कुषाण वंश; Brahmi: , '; BHS: ; xpr, 𐭊𐭅𐭔𐭍 𐭇𐭔𐭕𐭓, ; zh, 貴霜 ) was a syncretic empire, formed by the Yuezhi, i ...
who requested a marriage for his king. In retaliation, the Kushan marched on Ban Chao with a force of 70,000 under commander
Xie, and besieged the city of Shule for about ten days. Ban Chao continued to defend the city, until the attackers exhausted their food supplies and retreated. In 91, the Han government appointed Ban Chao the Protector General of the Western Regions, with his office in Tanqian, state of
Qiuci
Kucha, or Kuche (also: ''Kuçar'', ''Kuchar''; ug, كۇچار, Кучар; zh, t= 龜茲, p=Qiūcí, zh, t=庫車, p=Kùchē; sa, कूचीन, translit=Kūcīna), was an ancient Buddhist kingdom located on the branch of the Silk Road t ...
. In 94, Ban Chao organised an army of 70,000
mercenaries
A mercenary, sometimes also known as a soldier of fortune or hired gun, is a private individual, particularly a soldier, that joins a military conflict for personal profit, is otherwise an outsider to the conflict, and is not a member of any o ...
, approach and arrested the kings of
Yanqi and
Yuli, they were executed where Chen Mu was killed. In 97, Ban Chao commissioned an envoy named
Gan Ying
Gan Ying (; fl. 90s CE) was a Chinese diplomat, explorer, and military official who was sent on a mission to the Roman Empire in 97 CE by the Chinese military general Ban Chao.
Gan Ying did not reach Rome, only traveling to as far as the "west ...
to visit
Rome
, established_title = Founded
, established_date = 753 BC
, founder = King Romulus (legendary)
, image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg
, map_caption ...
. He was unsuccessful, but returned after traveling as far as the
Black Sea
The Black Sea is a marginal mediterranean sea of the Atlantic Ocean lying between Europe and Asia, east of the Balkans, south of the East European Plain, west of the Caucasus, and north of Anatolia. It is bounded by Bulgaria, Georgia, Roma ...
.
For more than thirty years Ban Chao worked in the Western Regions until he was seventy, when he retired and returned to
Luoyang
Luoyang is a city located in the confluence area of Luo River (Henan), Luo River and Yellow River in the west of Henan province. Governed as a prefecture-level city, it borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the east, Pingdingshan to the ...
.
Ren Shang
Ren Shang (, died 118) was the Protector General of the Western Regions under Eastern Han between 102-106 CE.
In February, 91, he and Geng Kui defeated the unnamed Northern Shanyu shortly after the Battle of Ikh Bayan, on commission by Dou Xian ...
succeeded Ban Chao as the Protector General of the Western Regions in 102, but as he was unkind and harsh toward the local people, they rose against him, plunging the region into disorder. The Han court soon recalled him in 106, and replaced him with
Duan Xi
Duan Xi (, died 110) was the last Protector General of the Western Regions during the Han Dynasty. He was appointed in 108.
See also
*Battle of Yiwulu
The Battle of Yiwulu took place during a major expedition against the Xiongnu launched by t ...
. On July 29, 107, the Han government abrogated the protector generalship, and recalled Duan Xi back under the escort of General Wang Hong.
References
Bibliography
*Fan Ye et al., ''
Hou Hanshu''. Beijing: Zhonghua Shuju, 1965.
*Sima Guang, comp. ''
Zizhi Tongjian
''Zizhi Tongjian'' () is a pioneering reference work in Chinese historiography, published in 1084 AD during the Northern Song dynasty in the form of a chronicle recording Chinese history from 403 BC to 959 AD, covering 16 dynast ...
''. Beijing: Zhonghua Shuju, 1956.
*
{{coord missing, Xinjiang
Yiwulu 73
Yiwulu 73
1st century in China
History of Xinjiang
Yiwulu
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70s conflicts