Protectorate of the Western Regions

The Protectorate of the Western Regions () was an imperial administration (a protectorate) of Han China in the Western Regions.

The "Western Regions" referred to areas west of Yumen Pass, especially the Tarim Basin. These areas would later be termed Altishahr (southern Xinjiang, excluding Dzungaria) by Turkic-speaking peoples."Xiyu Duhu"
The term "western regions" was also used by the Chinese more generally to refer to Central Asia.

The protectorate was the first direct rule by a Chinese government of the area. It consisted of various vassal states, placed under the authority of a Protector-General of the Western Regions, who was appointed by the Han court.

History

During the Han–Xiongnu War, the Chinese empire established a military garrison at Wulei (near present-day Cedaya 策达雅, in Bugur/Luntei County). The Chinese sought to control the Western Regions in order to keep the Xiongnu away from Inner China, and to control the valuable Silk Road trade that passed through the area. The local inhabitants of the Western Regions were diverse, and the area contained several groups who originated in Western Eurasia and/or spoke Indo-European languages. These groups included Tocharian-speaking city-states like ''Ārśi'' (Arshi; later Agni/Karasahr), '' Kuča'' (Kucha), ''Gumo'' (later Aksu), ''Turfan'' (Turpan), and Loulan (Krorän/Korla). Additionally, residents of the oasis city-states of Khotan and Kashgar spoke Saka, one of the Eastern Iranian languages.

The position of Protector-General was officially established in 59 or 60 BCE. It was the highest Han dynasty military position in the west during its existence. During the peak of the Protectorate's power in 51 BCE, the Wusun nation was brought under Han submission. The post was abandoned in 23 CE, during the tumultuous Xin dynasty of Wang Mang. By then, at least 18 different people had served as protector-general, though only 10 of them have known names.

During the second half of the first century CE, at the time of the Eastern Han dynasty, Chinese armies led by Ban Chao, Dou Gu, and Guo Xun brought the Western Regions back under Han control. The Protectorate was thus re-established.

In 74 CE, Emperor Ming of Han and his successor awarded the position of Protector-General (now with administrative obligations as well) to general Chen Mu. In 83 CE, the office of Chief Official of the Western Regions was established and awarded to Ban Chao. The position of the Chief Official was beneath that of the Protector-General. Ban Chao would later be made Protector-General in 91 CE.

During the Eastern Han, the seat of the Protectorate was for a time shifted to Taqian (or Tagan; near modern Kucha).

On 29 July 107, a series of Qiang uprisings in the areas of Hexi Corridor and Guanzhong forced the abandonment of the post, although it was resumed in 119.

In the 7th century, a successor administration, the Protectorate General to Pacify the West was established by the Tang Dynasty at Xizhou (Turpan) and was later moved to Kucha.

In the southern Tarim Basin, coins from the period of the Protectorate's existence have been found with inscriptions in both Chinese and the Kharoshthi script, which was used for local Indo-European languages.

Thirty-six city states

List of Protectors-General

Western Han and Xin

* Zheng Ji 60－48 BCE
* Han Xuan (韓宣) 48－45 BCE
* Unknown (3rd) 45－42 BCE
* Unknown (4th) 42－39 BCE
* Unknown (5th) 39－36 BCE
* Gan Yanshou (甘延壽) 36－33 BCE
* Duan Huizong (段會宗) 33－30, 21－18 BCE
* Lian Bao (廉褒) 30－27 BCE
* Unknown (9th) 27－24 BCE
* Han Li (韓立) 24－21 BCE
* Unknown (11th) 18－15 BCE
* Guo Shun (郭舜) 15－12 BCE
* Sun Jian (孫建) 12－9 BCE
* Unknown (14th) 9－6 BCE
* Unknown (15th) 6－3 BCE
* Unknown (16th) 3 BCE－1 CE
* Dan Qin (但欽) 1－13 CE
* Li Chong 13－23 CE

Eastern Han

* Chen Mu 74－75
* Ban Chao 91－102
* Ren Shang 102－106
* Duan Xi 106－107

Maps

File:Asia 001ad.jpg, Asia in 1 AD. The Western Regions were at the centre of the map (south-west of the Xiongnu)
File:Roman HanEmpiresAD1.png, The Han dynasty (yellow) in 1 AD.
File:Xinjiang regions simplified.png, Modern Xinjiang, showing .
File:Larger Tarim oasis states (1st century BC).svg, 1st century BC

See also

* Chief Official of the Western Regions
* Han–Xiongnu War
* War of the Heavenly Horses
* Sogdia
* Tang dynasty in Inner Asia
** Protectorate General to Pacify the West
** Beiting Protectorate

References

Bibliography

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External links

* Ma, Yong
"Xiyu Duhu" ("Protector General of the Western Regions")
''Encyclopedia of China'' (Chinese History Edition), 1st ed.

The Grand Game in Afghanistan

{{coord missing, Xinjiang

Administrative divisions of ancient China
Han dynasty
History of Xinjiang
Former protectorates
Chinese Central Asia