Longxi - a famous pearl of the ancient Silk Road

• Long, abbreviated as Gansu. Longxi, west of Longshan, upper reaches of the Wei River. During the Qin dynasty, a county was established, and the Han Dynasty was placed in Xiangwu. People are brilliant and spiritual, and there are talents on behalf of talents. For thousands of years, it has been the political, economic, military and cultural center of Longyou. It is known as "Nan'an Blessed Land" and "Gongchangxiong Town".
• Silk Road Town has a long history
• Longxi has a long history and rich culture. According to historical records, there were human activities as far back as the Paleolithic period hundreds of thousands of years ago. Longxi was built very early and was once a county, prefecture, prefecture, and road governance office. After Qin Shi Huang unified the six kingdoms, he implemented the county system. In the twenty-sixth year of Qin Shi Huang (221 BC), the world was divided into thirty-six counties. The land east of the Yellow River and west of Longshan was set up in Longxi, which was the beginning of the establishment of Longxi County.

• Figure 1 Map of Longxi County of Qin and Han Dynasty, the three-level system of prefectures, counties and counties was implemented. Longxi County is under the jurisdiction of the Liangzhou Spur History Department. The county governs Di Dao, and its jurisdiction is set up in three counties: Qiandao, Xiangwu and Shouyang. During the Tang Dynasty, in the first year of Gaozu Wude (618 AD), Longxi County was changed to Weizhou. In the third year of Emperor Lizong of Song (1230 AD), Longxi set up Gongchang Mansion and Shaanxi Road Gongchang General's Mansion. In the second year of Yuan Shizu's unification (1261 AD), the Gongchang Road was rebuilt as the Marshal of Gongchang Road. The largest territory was five provinces and twenty-seven states. In the seventh year of the Kangxi Dynasty (1668 AD), Shaanxi and Gansu Province and Gongchang Bu Zhengsi moved to Lanzhou and became Gansu Bu Zhengsi. At the same time, Gongchang also moved to Lanzhou, and from then on, the political, economic, military, and cultural center of Gansu was transferred from Longxi to Lanzhou. There are many surviving buildings in Longxi. Representative ones include Weiyuan Tower, Fuwen Temple, Dacheng Hall, Baochang Tower, Lijialong Palace, Wenfeng Pagoda, Beiguan First Memorial Arch, etc. Weiyuan Building is a national cultural relic protection unit. It was built in the first year of the Tiansheng of the Renzong of the Northern Song Dynasty (1023 AD), and this building was named "Weiyuan Lou" after "overwhelming the whole army and threatening the distance". In the 55th year of the Kangxi Dynasty (1716), it was expanded again into a five-bay, three-story wooden building, and a giant plaque of "Gongchangxiong Town" was hung.

• Figure 2: Longxi Weiyuan Building: Weiyuan Building is in the center of the ancient city. The brick base is three floors, the brick base is 11 meters high, 27 meters long and 17 meters wide, and the building is 15 meters high and 21 meters long. There are 24 pillars supporting the building, the four corners of the eaves are high pecking, the tile seams are uneven, and there are 102 fighting arches under the eaves. The roof of the building is mountain-style, the ridge end is high and vertical, the head of the weeping ridged beast is squatted, and the front ridge is like a beast. The bronze bell of Song Huizong Chongning was placed upstairs, and the sound of striking was heard. Climbing the building to overlook, the county seat has a panoramic view, which can be called a scene of Longxi. Nowadays, Weiyuan Tower is a famous historical and cultural city in Longxi, the most significant landmark ancient building, and also a symbol of Gongchang Fuzhi in Longxi County. It records the development of Longxi's thousand-year-old cultural ancient city and the wisdom and talent of Longxi people who have the courage to create. Ruins Rich in cultural relics Longxi as a very unique historical and cultural city, thousands of years, ancestors have created a splendid culture in this ancient land. It has left behind many ancient cultural sites, ruins, ancient tombs and many precious cultural relics. Among them, two have been designated as national cultural relics protection units, four are provincial-level cultural relics protection units, and 12 are county-level cultural relics protection units. More than 100 places are not included in the protection unit. Ancient cultural sites and relics include Liangjiaping Ruins, Nuanquan Mountain Ruins, Lüjiaping Ruins, Xihetan Ruins, Warring States Qin Great Wall, etc.

• Figure 3 Majiayao swirl pattern pointed bottom faience The Majiayao culture pointed bottom faience vase unearthed in Shouyang Town, Longxi, illustrates that in ancient times more than 5,200 years ago, the ancestors lived and multiplied along the river. The gray pottery, pots and bronzes unearthed at the site of Xihetan have the characteristics of the Western Zhou Dynasty, and the Warring States bronze sword reproduces the high development of metallurgy and weapon manufacturing at that time. In 1971, when the Longxi County Cultural Relics Census Group was surveying the ancient cultural site of Lüjiaping in Longxi, it accidentally found a painted pottery bottle full of oil stains in the home of farmer Gou Fuyuan, which was later identified by the museum as the best of Majiayao cultural painted pottery, 5200 years ago, with high historical, scientific and artistic value. This faience vase is 26 cm high, 7 cm in diameter, 14 cm in shoulder diameter, fine clay red pottery, black color, ears, pointed bottom, thick color, rigorous composition. The pointed bottom faience bottle is a water dispenser, which has a very high scientific level, and the flat bottom touches the water surface when drawing water, and the bottle automatically overturns to draw water. When the water is full, the bottle automatically stands upright again. Kiss with the principle of center of gravity and the law of tilt center in modern physics. The unique painting and magical shape of the pointed bottom faience vase not only reflect the amazing superb artistic level of Majiayao cultural faience, but also show the extraordinary wisdom of the ancestors of the Weishui River Basin. This cultural relic was identified as a national first-class cultural relic by the State Administration of Cultural Heritage. It is not only a fine piece in Chinese faience, but also a rare treasure in the world's faience. In the thirty-fifth year of the reign of King Zhaoxiang of Qin (272 BC), the state of Qin extended the Great Wall from Min County along the Tao River to the northeast for more than a thousand miles. The ruins of the Great Wall of Lintao, Longxi, Tongwei and other counties are the old sites built in those years.

• Figure 4 In the 32nd year of Qin Shi Huang (215 BC), the great general Meng Tian led an army of 300,000 Xiongnu in the Northern Expedition against the Xiongnu and captured the area south of the Hetao in Inner Mongolia. This section of the Great Wall was repaired, and the Great Wall of the Qin, Zhao and Yan Kingdoms was connected to the Liaodong Peninsula, stretching for 5,000 li, known as the "Great Wall". The Great Wall of Qin is about 100 kilometers in Longxi, from Yehuwan in Weiyuan County to Yin Mountain in Dexing Township, Longxi, and then to Heping Township to the west of Tongwei County. Located in Fuxing Town, a section about seven kilometers long is relatively well preserved and is commonly known as the "Great Wall Liang". At the site of this section of the Great Wall, the rammed earth layer is 8 to 10 centimeters thick, and the average height is only 1.3 meters. The "Great Wall Liang" embodies the majestic talent of Qin Shi Huang who ruled the world at that time and the wisdom and creative spirit of the working people. The Silk Road connects ancient and modern Longxi and has been an important passage in southeast Gansu, east, west, south and north since ancient times. East to Guanzhong , west to the Western Regions, south to Sichuan, north to the desert, Qin Dynasty Road, Silk Road, Tang Bo Ancient Road through Longxi, to Yuan, Ming and Qing post stations are more developed. Upstream from Guanzhong Province, the fortress of Qiang Rong is an important town of Longyou's fortress and is known as "Longyou Lock Yin". Today, the New Eurasian Land Bridge passes through Longxi as a "dry wharf" for commerce and trade.

• Figure 5: Schematic diagram of Zhang Qian's route to the Western Regions: Zhang Qian made two envoys to the Western Regions. Emperor Sui toured Zhangye, and Princess Wencheng and Princess Jincheng entered Tibet, all passing through Longxi. Han Silk Road: In the third year of the founding of Emperor Wu of Han (138 BC), Zhang Qian sent an envoy to the Western Regions, starting from Chang'an, tracing up the Weishui River, crossing the Longshan Mountains into Gansu, passing through Tianshui, Longxi, Linxia, crossing the Yellow River from the Imjin ferry port, entering Qinghai, and crossing the Qilian Mountains into the Hexi Corridor. In the fourth year of Yuangari (119 BC), Zhang Qian sent an envoy to the Western Regions for the second time, and from here he also went west. Since then, it has communicated friendly exchanges between the Han Dynasty and the countries of the Western Regions. The Western Han Dynasty married Wusun, and Emperor Wudi of Han twice sent envoys to escort Xiaojun and the second princess Xie to Wusundu. The Western Han Dynasty sent envoys to the countries of the Western Regions many times, and Longxi was a necessary place. In the first year of the Northern Wei Xiaoming Emperor's Sacred Turtle (518), the monk Song Yong and Shamen Huisheng went to Tianzhu to obtain scriptures, set off from Luoyang through Chang'an, to Tianshui, through Longxi, to Yongjing to cross the Yellow River, into Qinghai to the west, travel in the Western Regions, lasted four years, and then returned to Luoyang by the same road. Tangbo Ancient Road: Tangbo Ancient Road opened earlier. In the eighth year of Zhenguan (634), the Tubo chief Songtseng Gampu sent an envoy to propose to the Tang Dynasty Nagon. In the fifteenth year of Zhenguan (641), Princess Wencheng married Songtsam Gampo; In the fourth year of Emperor Jinglong of Zhongzong (710), Princess Jincheng set out from Chang'an, via Tianshui and Longxi to Lanzhou, crossed the Yellow River into Qinghai, and entered Tibet at Zhaling Lake. Marriage and marriage, envoy exchanges, and commercial and trade circulation have played an important role in the economic and cultural exchanges and development of Tibet and China. Tang Silk Road: During the High Tang Dynasty, the southern route of the Silk Road, which ran through the entire territory of Gansu and the Western Regions, was unprecedentedly prosperous. Starting from Chang'an, it traveled west through Longxi, Lanzhou to Hexi, then to Istanbul in the west, and then by water, from the Venetian merchants to the Italian peninsula, all the way to Western Europe, as far as England. The Tang Silk Road, with post stations, pavilions and transfer carriages and horses along the way, greatly facilitated the westward and eastward transportation of various commodities.

• Figure 6: This route was taken by Xuanzang and Xuanzang in the Golden Section of Gansu on the Silk Road. Returning from the same way. Longxi still has the story of "sunning the scripture slope". It is said that when the Tang monks returned from taking the scriptures, they passed through Longxi, wet the scripture scrolls in heavy rain, and dried them on the slope of the east street of the county, so the section of the lane of the Longxi Normal Affiliated Primary School is still called "Sunning Slope". Extraterritorial Treasures Recreate Longxi, which is an important town on the Silk Road. It has been an important commodity distribution center since ancient times. On this ancient road, the military generals, monks, and merchants who walked through the Central Plains also entered the messengers and missionaries of the Western Regions. The silk, ceramics, tea, etc. of the Central Plains and the cattle, sheep, horses, furs, spices, etc. of the countries of the Western Regions and the surrounding Tubo were traded here by merchants. In early December 2018, I visited Mr. Mu Shixiong, a well-known scholar of literature and history and a coin collector in Longxi. From some books, articles, collections published by the old man and his conversations, I learned that at the end of the 90s of the 20th century, the gold coins, Persian silver coins, and Tuqi Shi money of the Eastern Roman Empire were unearthed before and after Longxi. The "half-two" stone money fan of the Western Han Dynasty unearthed in Longxi in 1951 proved that Longxi had begun to mint money during the time of Emperor Wen, the Song Dynasty placed Weiyuan to supervise the minting of money, and the Kangxi Bureau of the Qing Dynasty set up a treasure bureau in Gongchang Prefecture to cast "Kangxi Tongbao" in the sixth year, which fully proved Longxi's important geographical location on the Silk Road. In 1969, Mao Jun of the Northwest Aluminum Processing Factory purchased a Persian silver coin; In 1994, Zheng Jun of the Nongxi Machinery Section purchased three from farmers in Yongji Township; In 1995, farmer Li Jun picked up one in his potato field in Renshou Mountain. All of the above are identified as King Belus silver coins. In 1998, Longxi Hongxing Primary School (the site of the former Miaoguang Temple) built infrastructure, dug up a porcelain vase, and stored one natural shell coin, one Eastern Wei five baht, one red coral, one amber, and nine bronze rings. One gold coin of the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire, seven Persian silver coins, etc. In 1999, Mr. Mou wrote an article on the gold coins of Theodosius II of the Eastern Roman Empire and four Persian silver coins, which were published in newspapers and periodicals such as "Archaeology", "Collection", "Chinese Numismatics", "Dingxi Daily" and so on. The Roman Empire gold coin is 18 mm in diameter, 0.5 mm thick and weighs 2.36 grams, the gold coin is a half-helmeted statue of the king on the obverse, holding a javelin and shoulder in the right hand, holding a shield and chest in the left hand, wearing an armor jacket and robe; on the back of the coin is the statue of the goddess of victory, holding a long-handled cross in the right hand, with wings on the back to the right, and five letters "C O O N O B" ON THE HORIZONTAL LINE OF BOTH FEET.

• Figure 7: Eastern Roman gold coins were later identified as the Eastern Roman Byzantine Empire Theodosius II (408-450 AD) dynasty gold coin "Sarid". In 395 AD, the Roman Empire was divided into two parts, the Eastern and Western Roman Empires, from the division of the Eastern Roman Empire to the fall of the Eastern Roman Empire in 1453 AD. For a long time, "Byzantine" gold coins were the currency in circulation in Central and West Asia. Persian silver coins in the Middle Ages Central and West Asia circulation is very wide, play an important position in international currency, four Persian silver coins are as follows: 1, Belus silver coin, diameter 26.2 mm, thickness 1.2 mm, weight 4.1 grams, during the reign of Belus (459-484), was the time when the Northern Wei Dynasty had the most contact with the Sassanid Empire. The silver coin features a portrait of a king on the obverse and a Zoroastrian altar on the reverse. 2. Jammaspo silver coin, diameter 25.3 mm, thickness 0.9 mm, weight 4 grams. During Jammaspo's reign (497-499), the coin was minted less, and found less. The obverse of the silver coin is a half-length of the "St. Jammaspo" with a crown on his head, and an altar in the center of the back. 3. The remaining two silver coins are slightly different from the above two except for the same statue of the king. One is 26 mm in diameter, 1.3 mm thick and weighs 4 grams, while the other is 27.1 mm in diameter, 1 mm thick and weighs four grams. Judging from the pattern characteristics of the two silver coins, it should be a silver coin of Kavadesh.

• Figure 8 These extraterritorial remains found in Longxi by Persian silver coins are enough to prove that the ancient county of Longxi in history was a transit station and distribution center for foreign trade on the Silk Road, and also fully proved the frequent economic and cultural exchanges between the Central Plains Dynasty and the countries of the Western Regions. It provides detailed and valuable precious material materials for the study of Silk Road culture. Li's culture has a long history in Longxi, an ancient county that has been praised by national historical classics for thousands of years, and the emperors since the Han and Tang Dynasties, such as the emperors and literary masters, have been integrated into one. Renji Di Ling, stars twinkle, emperor has Later Qin Eryao, Tang Dynasty Zhao Li, Wulong Hanzong Lian Wang, Wen Xiansheng Tang San Li, Wang Shi Weizhen Longshu, each leading the way. In the sixth century, Marshal Li Shimin led 100,000 troops with the Guanlong army as the core, chasing deer, fighting in the south and the north, and making meritorious contributions to the Tang Dynasty. In order to realize his heroic ability to enrich the country and strengthen the army, Li Shimin judged the time and sized up the situation, resolutely launched the Xuanwu Mutiny, and ascended the throne of the Ninth Five. When he came to the world, he immediately had a far-sighted vision and far-sighted formulation and implementation of a plan for governing the country. First of all, an ancestral hall was established in the treasure land of Longxi, a major town in the western region of "True Dragon Falling Vein", showing the ancestors of the light, Wei Zhen far away, and writing the "Li Family Dragon Palace". The Tang Book lineage table states: "Emperor Gaozong of Tang named Li Shimin the King of Longxi County, Emperor Taizong of Tang named Li Boyi the King of Longxi, Li Jun the King of Xiangwu, and Emperor Gaozong of Tang named Li Ying the King of Nan'an, all in this region of Longxi." The Li Family Dragon Palace was built in the early Tang Dynasty (627 AD) as a large hall of the Li clan built in Longxi during the Tang Dynasty. Tang Tianzi honored local officials and built the "Li Family Dragon Palace" after more than three years of painstaking efforts by thousands of skilled craftsmen. Accounting for one-third of the entire Longxi City at that time, the towering red walls and yellow tiles competed with the sun and the moon.

• Figure 9 The gate of Lijialong Palace has changed in the times, and now the "Lijialong Palace" is located in Beiguan, Longxi County, covering an area of more than 20,000 square meters, with many pavilions and towering ancient trees in the palace. Using some ancient relic buildings, there are new antique buildings such as Xuanyuan Hall, Longxi Hall, Jiulong Hall, County Building, Theater Tower, Bell Tower, Drum Tower, Dragon Hall, and Family Tree Hall. Quite elegant and spectacular. At the main entrance, four large golden characters of Emperor Taizong's imperial pen "Li Family Dragon Palace" were hung high, solemn and dignified.

• Figure 10 The Li Family Dragon Palace Stele The Tang royal family was founded in Longxi, and Emperor Taizong of Tang revised the "Clan History" with the surname Li as the crown of the surname in the world, and decreed that the Li family in the world take Longxi as the "county hope", and the descendants of the Li family flourished and prospered in Longxi. In the years that followed, the Lee clan was scattered throughout Kyushu, but the clans were connected. So far, all people surnamed Li have infinite affection for the word Longxi. Whether they live overseas or scattered all over the country, they believe that Longxi is their roots, and all the sacrificial halls are named "Longxi Hall" Longxi Renshou Mountain "Longxi Hall" was built in the middle of the Qing Dynasty, 11 meters long and 9 meters wide, and the top of the hall is a sharp mountain-style hard peak. The ridge of the temple is carved from transparent bricks, and the main ridge is a lion carrying vase, which means "treasure forever enters", and on both sides are pigeons and cranes, which means "good music and long transmission, rivers and mountains forever". On the back are unicorns and eight immortals. The huge plaque of "Longxi Hall" is hung on the eaves of the hall, and the statue of Li Chong, the ancestor of the Longxi House of the Li family, is enshrined in the store. Another "Longxi Hall" is located in the middle of the Lijialong Palace in Beiguan, newly built in the 90s of last century, 29 meters long, 11 meters wide, 15 meters high, seven bays, five meters high at the base, surrounded by white jade carved railings, strong atmosphere, magnificent. Today, there are still many ruins in Longxi that mark the activities of the Li clan; The first scene in Longxi, on Cuiping Mountain in "Cuiping Spring Dawn", there was once an offering shrine of Li Jing, the king of Tota. Now the small city pass is Li Ao's "reading hall" during the Tang Dynasty. Longxi Normal Primary School is the pavilion where Li Yi, Li Guan, Li Yi, Li He and Li Ao studied learning, and was later called the "Five Li Pavilion". Li Heji, Li Henanyuan, Taibaijing, etc. all record the traces of the activities of the Li clan in Longxi.

• Figure 11 Longxitang Li culture is one of the four major cultures in Gansu (Fuxi culture, Dunhuang culture, Li culture, Gannan Tibetan culture). For thousands of years, it not only prospered Longyuan, but also benefited the four seas of Kyushu. Its rich spiritual connotation is a model of the hard work of people in ancient and modern times. Longxi Li culture has become an important window for Longxi to open to the outside world; Become a cultural brand with Longzhong characteristics; It has also become a powerful driving force for the prosperity of Longxi's economy. In recent years, the Longxi County Government has organized a grand event of Li's Culture and Art Festival every year. Cultural stage, economic singing, all over the world come to Longxi to find roots, tourism, business negotiation, and carry forward the Guangda Li culture. On May 28, 2014, Li Tieying, former vice chairman of the National People's Congress, paid homage to the ancestor of Longxi Li Jialong Palace, and he was hired by the Li Cultural Research Association as a bachelor of protocol for many years. On that day, more than ten of our bachelors presided over the ancestor worship ceremony in the main hall of Longxi Hall, only one or two steps away from Vice Chairman Li Tieying. At about 11 a.m., the sky was blue and cloudy, the sun was shining, and suddenly a multicolored halo suddenly appeared around the sun. After Vice Chairman Li Tieying finished paying homage to his ancestors, he stood on the steps of Longxi Hall and looked up at the sky and the crowd, and they all saw this spectacle. Immediately, I made a poem "Tieying Worship Ancestor Longxitang", which was later published in the special issue of "Li Culture". Tie Ying worshiped the ancestor Longxi Hall, and the heavens descended auspicious Rui to show his aura. Weiyuan downstairs people life, (Note: Longxi two major landscape Weiyuan building Renshou Mountain) Li culture has a long history. Conclusion: The history and culture of a nation is the soul dwelling place of that nation; The history of a place is the soul symbol of the existence of that place. As a unique historical and cultural city in western China, Longxi has become one of the oldest and oldest cultural and geographical terms used in Chinese cultural history.

  Inherit and carry forward the long and profound historical traditions of Longxi, protect cultural heritage, and make rational use of valuable historical and cultural resources, so that these ancient cultural heritages can play a greater and better role in building the Silk Road Economic Belt in the new 21st century. Let Longxi lead to the world and bloom its unique cultural charm.