The Western Regions are mostly from Yumen Pass to the Hexi Corridor to southern Xinjiang, and broadly extend to Central Asia.
The region is mainly located in desertification and semi-desertification areas, the climatic conditions are very poor, the population is relatively sparse, but the ancient Chinese emperors attached great importance to the area, and the general powerful dynasties sent troops to control the area.
What is the importance of the Western Regions?
The first time the ancient Central Plains Dynasty established contact with the Western Regions was during the Western Han Dynasty, mainly during which the Western Han Dynasty faced the powerful Xiongnu in the north, there was great pressure and needed help, and the Great Moon Clan in the Western Regions was also deeply affected. So the Han Dynasty decided to send emissaries to unite with the Great Moon Clan against the Xiongnu.
However, because of the Xiongnu's control of the region, it took a long time for the emissaries to reach the territory of the Ōtsuki clan, who had already migrated, did not want to be enemies of the Xiongnu, and the plan to unite against the Xiongnu failed, but contributed to the world-famous Silk Road.
During the han dynasty, the Han Dynasty ended the defensive state of the Han war against the Xiongnu, and after the Xiongnu were defeated by the Han, they lost control of the Western Regions, and the influence of the Han Dynasty in the local area increased greatly, and the Western Regions Capital Protectorate was established in the Western Regions, which governed the Western Regions and coordinated the relations between the countries in the Western Regions.
Judging from the above situation, the primary reason for attaching importance to the Western Regions is the security of the Dynasty itself, especially the Dynasty of Chang'an, which has the capital of Chang'an, attaches importance to the management of the Western Regions.
For example, in the Tang Dynasty, the Western Regions were the gateway to the western borders of the Dynasty, and if the Western Regions were lost, they would threaten Chang'an along the Hexi Corridor, and if they controlled the Western Regions, the threat to the Dynasty would be much smaller.
The second reason why ancient dynasties attached importance to the Western Regions was that the Western Regions produced famous horses.
Ancient war horses were important, but most of the Central Plains belonged to farming areas and did not produce war horses, while most of the northern nomads coveted the Central Plains, and traded with their warhorses significantly less than in the Western Regions.
The Western War Horse is famous, and the current Central Asian countries also produce famous horses. If you keep the western region, you will keep your own horse farm.
The third reason for valuing the western region is the Silk Road.
Although commerce was not valued in ancient times, with the development of the Silk Road, a large number of animals and crops were introduced into the Central Plains, as well as commodities, to enrich their lives.
The Silk Road became the main channel of foreign trade of the Central Plains Dynasty of China, its key was the Western Regions, and it was the only passage at that time, if it did not control the Western Regions, it would be difficult for commodities from Europe and Arabia to enter Chang'an, and the ruling class had to preserve the Western Regions in order to need them.
The last reason is that the development and exchange of Buddhism requires the Western Regions.
Buddhism has blossomed everywhere in China as a foreign religion, and its popularity has overwhelmed the local Taoism. Most of the rulers of later generations believed in Buddhism, and the veneration of Buddha became the norm.
The birthplace of Buddhism is in ancient India, and the famous Master Xuanzang traveled west to India to take the western region. Imagine if the western region was not controlled by the Central Plains Dynasty, the road to India could only pass through the sea, and the navigation industry was more developed at least until the Song Dynasty, and it was difficult for ancient ships to withstand strong winds and waves, so it was still safe by land.
As the gateway to the western part of the Central Plains Dynasty, the geographical location of the Western Regions was particularly important, and it must be paid attention to for the security of the Dynasty itself, at the same time, the rise of the Silk Road, the need for warhorses and the spread of Buddhism prompted the rulers to pay more attention to the Western Regions, and still strengthened the military deployment in the case of difficulties in the supply of local troops, which shows its importance to the Dynasty.