In 937, the Duan clan officially established the State of Dali. By 1253 AD, this multi-ethnic regime in the southwest of The An'an had disappeared into the long river of history. Due to the influence of Dali, its culture and politics, the written records and archaeological discoveries that have been handed down so far are relatively rare. In the 1960s, archaeologists found a stone stele in Qujing County, Yunnan Province, which was too out of touch with reality, so many historians still argue endlessly. So what exactly do these inscriptions record?
Friends who like to read martial arts novels should know that according to legend, Dali Duan's martial arts are strong and strong, and they also have the secret "Six-Pulse Excalibur". Therefore, many people feel that the Dali Duan clan is a gentleman, and he should be a great hero in eliminating evil and promoting good. But in real history, the Dali Duan clan was a prince of the dominant side, not a chivalrous guest. In 937, Duan Siping, the founder of the Dali State, united with many famous and prestigious clans in the Erhai region to establish a centralized power of ethnic minorities in Dali, Yunnan. Since the Duan clan of Dali was the sage of the Bai residents, many powerful figures in the Duan family believed in Buddhist culture. Even if Dali was in the chaotic war years at that time, it was also a paradise for many people's dreams.
In 1961, the Yunnan Provincial Cultural Relics Bureau found a stone stele at the Wuhou Ancestral Hall in Qujing County. This stele is not exactly named, and is known as the "Thirty-Seven Guild Monuments". According to expert surveys, this stone stele was built by Duan Sushun, the 5th king of The Dali Kingdom, in 971 AD. In the eighteenth year of the Kangxi Dynasty of the Qing Dynasty, that is, in 1679, it was buried in the ground. It was not until 1961 that the stele reappeared. Now this stele has been moved to Qujing Middle School, and the State Council has promulgated it as one of the national key cultural relics protection units. The stele is 1.25 meters high, 0.58 meters wide and 0.16 meters thick, with a total of 212 characters and lines. The content of the stone tablet is also very simple, and the inscription records that around 970 AD, the Dali Duan clan regime rebelled against several local rebellions in Yunnan, and allied with the Bai and Yi tribes and most of the eastern thirty-seven departments in Qujing.
More generally speaking, in 970 AD, Duan Sushun, the king of Dali, combined with many other forces to form an alliance in order to fight the local rebellion. After the rebellion, Duan Sushun personally built this stone monument to commemorate this alliance. However, this meeting is not recorded in the historical records. According to the judgment of many literary experts, the content of this inscription runs counter to the real history. Historically, the bai and Yi forces fought endlessly, although after the Dali Duan clan established power, it slightly appeased the conflict between the minority tribes throughout Yunnan.
But Duan Sushun, the 5th king of Dali, did he have the strength and courage to gather thirty-seven units to make an alliance? Let these few tribes, which are in a state of great power, go together to suppress the rebellion? Therefore, many historians have reserved personal opinions on the content of this inscription. According to the author's point of view, is the content of this stone tablet true or false? I don't dare pack tickets. However, this stone stele is indeed an old object left over from the Song Dynasty, which is beyond doubt, and the inscription on it does not have any suspicion of being old. It's just that at first glance, the content does sound a bit unconsidered.
During the Jin Dynasty and the Southern and Northern Dynasties, many northern tribes came to Yunnan to take root. Due to the different cultures of various ethnic groups, since the Jin Dynasty, Yunnan has not been very peaceful. Although the Duan clan of Dali became a local prince, it slightly suppressed the struggle of other minority tribes. However, Duan Sushun was not the leader of the Central Plains regime, and at that time, could the Duan clan of Dali have the strength to let other tribes make alliances. The differences in tribal cultures and beliefs are difficult to explain clearly in a word or two, and it is impossible to let these various forces with historical grievances sit together. Could it be that the content of the inscription is entirely artificially fabricated? Maybe not necessarily.
After all, the fact that there is no record of events in history does not mean that it did not really happen. According to many local county records in Yunnan, the Duan regime in Dali has a lot of experience in balancing the forces of all sides. Therefore, it is not excluded that around 970 AD, the Thirty-Seven Ministries of the East really made an alliance in Qujing. Many authoritative people in the industry have also said that this inscription is an important material for the study of the history of the Dali State and the ethnic minorities in Yunnan at that time. Perhaps from another aspect, the content of this inscription is not without a certain degree of credibility, but we still have to look at the content of these inscriptions rationally.
References: History of the Song Dynasty, Chronicle of Dali County