When it comes to the "mysterious ancient country" in history, Loulan is undoubtedly the most mysterious and charming one. This small country, which has long disappeared in the long river of history, has left many intriguing traces in the poems.
From "Huangsha wears gold armor in a hundred battles, and Loulan will never be returned if it is not broken" to "I am willing to put the sword down my waist and cut Loulan directly", strong hostility towards Loulan can be seen everywhere. So, what did this small country, far outside the Central Plains, do to make the Central Plains people hate it so much?
To unravel this mystery, we must examine Loulan's fate in a broader historical context. Only in this way can we truly understand the complex role that Loulan played during this crucial period of the Han Dynasty, and why it was so badly hit in the end.
First, let's go back to this important historical period of the Han Dynasty. In the Western Han Dynasty, the Xiongnu were undoubtedly the number one enemy of the Han Dynasty. Since the Qin Dynasty, this fierce nomadic people has been harassing the borders of the Central Plains and posing a great threat to the Han Dynasty.
Unlike the powerful Xiongnu, the Han Dynasty at that time was in a relatively weak stage and could not confront the Xiongnu head-on. Therefore, Han Gaozu had to adopt a policy of harmony and affinity, trying to maintain the security of the frontier through marriage with the Xiongnu.
This humiliating condition lasted until the time of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, when it was alleviated. In this tug-of-war between the Han Dynasty and the Xiongnu, the small state of Loulan, which is located in the easternmost part of the Western Regions, also played a vital role.
As an important passage on the Silk Road, Loulan naturally became the object of contention between the two great powers. In order to survive in the cracks, Loulan eventually adopted a strategy of swaying from side to side, sometimes pro-Han, sometimes defecting to the Xiongnu.
When Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty first explored the Western Regions, Loulan's behavior naturally aroused strong dissatisfaction from the Han Dynasty. The monarch of Loulan not only acted as the eyes and ears of the Xiongnu many times, but also repeatedly attacked the envoys of the Han Dynasty. This undoubtedly greatly provoked the national prestige of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty. So, in the third year of Yuan Feng, the Han Dynasty sent an army to attack Loulan and captured the lord of Loulan. But even if Loulan succumbed to the Han dynasty at this time, its attitude soon leaned towards the Xiongnu camp again.
The reason why Loulan is so fickle and repetitive? The reason is that it is a small country with few people, weak and helpless, and can only try its best to survive in the gap between the two great powers. On the one hand, it was impossible for it to abandon the Xiongnu completely, as it would put itself in danger of destruction.
On the other hand, it also had to make overtures to the Han Dynasty from time to time, because only in this way could it ensure its own living space. This is the complication of Loulan, a small country, and two great powers.
However, even such a cautious strategy could not completely avoid Loulan's retaliation by the Han Dynasty. Later, the Han Dynasty sent assassins to Loulan to assassinate the pro-Xiongnu king An Gui, and appointed Wei Tuqi, a Han confidant, as the new king. This was undoubtedly a complete blow to Loulan by the Han Dynasty to punish its "rebellion".
From the history of Loulan, it is not difficult for us to see a general truth: a small country that seeks to survive between great powers has indeed a difficult fate. In the gap between the two great powers, the Han Dynasty and the Xiongnu, Loulan had to wander left and right, sometimes taking refuge in one side and sometimes leaning towards the other. This kind of helpless "wall-grass" behavior has made it deeply hated by the people of the Central Plains.
But we can't blame Loulan completely. After all, as a small country on the border, there are only a few ways it can take to save itself. As mentioned above, after the fall of Loulan, the Northern Wei Dynasty established the Shanshan Kingdom on this land for more than 600 years. This is enough to prove that Loulan occupies a pivotal position in the long history.
What deserves our attention more is the special status of this mysterious ancient country in the history of culture. Although it was helpless in the political wrestling, it left a deep mark on artistic creation.
From poems to novels, Loulan's endless mystical colors have always inspired the infinite imagination of future generations. This not only shows that Loulan not only belongs to China, but also belongs to the entire human civilization.
Of course, we can't completely glorify Loulan as a pure cultural symbol. After all, it once played a complex role in the critical period of the Han Dynasty, and to a certain extent, it endangered the interests of the Central Plains Dynasty.
But even so, we should look at it from a broader perspective, and we should not be confined to short-term historical grievances. Because for an ancient country that has disappeared for a long time, its value often goes far beyond concrete historical facts.
In general, Loulan, a mysterious small country, not only reflects the tragic fate of a weak country in the power game, but also highlights its special status in the development process of human civilization.
From poems to novels, people's infinite imagination has undoubtedly added a unique charm to this ancient country that has disappeared. We should recognize it with an open mind, and not just stop at historical grievances against it. Because only in this way can we truly appreciate the far-reaching significance of this magical small country of Loulan.
(Disclaimer: The content of this article, videos, pictures, and articles are all from the Internet, for reference only!