In the vast history, the blending of Eastern and Western civilizations has often been accompanied by wars and conflicts. As an important town of Chinese civilization, the territory of the Central Plains Dynasty has undergone many expansions and contractions, among which the development of the east and west wings has the same goal, but there are subtle divisions. Once upon a time, the Road to the Western Regions was highly valued, and the continuous Silk Road was like a torch that would never be extinguished, illuminating the whole world with the light of oriental civilization. However, in the far northeast, this vast land seems to have been rarely tamed by the Central Plains Dynasty, and even the powerful Tang Dynasty has far less control over this land than the Western Regions. Is this because the Western Regions are more important than the Northeast, or is it because the Northeast is too powerful to conquer?
One. The climatic environment determines the ease of development
The creation of nature is always ruthless, but it determines the rise and fall of water and soil. The Western Regions is located in a temperate continental climate, with scarce annual precipitation, but due to its unique geographical environment, it has given birth to an oasis like a pearl everywhere.
The Hexi Corridor is the most brilliant pearl in the Western Regions. Since ancient times, it has been a necessary stop on the Silk Road. The corridor is bordered by the Hetao Plain in the east and the Shule River Oasis in the west, and several oases are connected, constituting a "courtyard" suitable for human survival. Although the climate is arid, it does not freeze all year round, and there is enough water to moisten this hot land in the rainy season, making it the birthplace of a long-standing agricultural civilization.
Not only that, the Hexi Corridor was also a famous horse production area, and the Hequ horse breed has been established for thousands of years. The sweaty BMW "Hussar" comes from here, and among the "six horses" of Li Shimin, Taizong of the Tang Dynasty, there are two Hequ horses. The Tang Dynasty king Zhizhi said to the world, and once praised this place: "The land of Hexi, the hometown of horse leather, there is no world trouble, the people are accumulated, and they are forgotten." This paints a beautiful picture of Doma thriving and prosperous people.
However, the situation in the Northeast is quite different. Most of the area has a cold temperate continental monsoon climate, which is very cold all year round. Except for the Xiaoxing'an Mountains and the Changbai Mountains in the west, which are relatively mild, most of the rest of the plains have long and bitter cold winters, and the land is covered with ice and snow for half a year. The vitality seems to stop in this desolate land.
Even in summer, the climate in Tohoku is not very pleasant, because it is cold and rainy. Zhang Jiaxian of the Ming Dynasty once sighed in "Journey to the Northeast" that "the land of the north is lewd and damp, and its cold is like under Helan Mountain." "It shows how cold the summer day is, and it's intimidating. Not to mention that this area is sparsely populated and mixed with foreign barbarians, it is really difficult for the Central Plains Dynasty to adopt the concept of cultural governance and martial arts.
The Central Plains, which has been a farmer since ancient times, may find it difficult to understand the strength of this cold land in the Northeast. Zhang Xie, a native of the Ming Dynasty, once made an exaggerated analogy, "There is no physiology in the Northeast." Only the most tenacious and brave peoples, who can repeatedly kill and fight in harsh environments, can survive and reproduce in such an environment.
For a long time, the Northeast has been the weak area of the Central Plains Dynasty. Even in the heyday of modern industry, the coal resources here are not comparable to the abundant geothermal resources of the northwest Xinjiang region. It is precisely because of the huge difference in climate and environment that the difficulty of these two areas being operated and developed by the Central Plains Dynasty is very different.
Ii. East-West shift in the economic centre of gravity
Since ancient times, the economic center of gravity of the Central Plains Dynasty has always tended to shift westward. The Silk Road, deep in the Northwest Desert, has become the export channel of the Central Plains civilization, connecting the intersection of Chinese and Western civilizations.
In the beginning, the Silk Road was only a trade route between China and foreign countries. As far back as the time of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, Zhang Qian made two missions to the Western Regions, opened up a land route connecting Central and Western Asia, and introduced Dawan horses to the Central Plains. Subsequently, it was precisely because of the addition of Dawan Horse and Hexi Liangju that the combat power of the dynasty's cavalry was greatly improved. Coupled with the courage and good fighting of the Han people, the territory of the Central Plains Dynasty began to expand to the northwest.
In the Eastern Han Dynasty, Ban Chao went on an expedition to the Western Regions and opened up an important hub on the Silk Road. Due to mutual benefit and environmental friendliness, trade between China and the West has continued along the Silk Road ever since. The Western Regions has thus become a link between Chinese and Western cultural exchanges, and the most popular among them is the world-famous silk.
As a luxury product, silk has been extremely sought after by foreign princes and nobles since ancient times. During the Song Dynasty, blue and white porcelain could be sold for sky-high prices in Rome. "History of the Song Dynasty" contains: "The nobles of Rome and Anna, how much do they compete for money? Those who make gifts without silk are filled with porcelain. The price of the blue and white plate is 500 guan in Rome, and the price of the cup is 1,500 guan. ＂
This shows the huge profits of silk and porcelain on the westward journey of the Silk Road. This shows how firm the determination of the Central Plains Dynasty to run the Western Regions is. The development of the Silk Road is really an important channel for gold nuggets.
By contrast, the economic value of the Northeast region pales in comparison. Although there are also expensive ginseng, precious mink skins, and fatty fish and shrimp here, its influence is far from the same as that of the Silk Road.
However, in some special historical periods, the Northeast region also had a significant impact on the economy at one time.
During the Yuan Dynasty, the Mongols had long been rooted in this land. They live in harsh conditions and have regarded horses as the root of life since ancient times. As a result, the phenomenon of good horses being expensive reached its peak during this period. It is recorded that the "Kipchak Khanate...... Six-year-old red horse, 100 gold contention; Horses, fifty gold. "The price of horses is so high that it is almost equal to gold!
Not only that, in the later period of Timur's reign in the north, he once regarded the northwest region as the primary town. Under his management, the affairs of the region were in order, the horse administration was prosperous, and the Silk Road trade tended to be active. One scholar said: "Timur was indeed the king of the north, and the northwest was his stronghold." ＂
It can be seen that although the Central Plains Dynasty's emphasis on the Western Regions is far from being unreasonable, it is not that the Northeast region is worthless. It's just that in contrast, the lucrative Silk Road trade in the northwest region made the Central Plains Dynasty have to focus on it. Until the late Yuan Dynasty, the Northeast once occupied the core position of political economy. Such a switch is really thrilling.
Differences in the distribution of nomadic peoples
In the confrontation between the ancient agricultural civilization and the nomadic civilization, the Central Plains Dynasty has always regarded the northern nomads as the number one threat and a henchman. However, there are obvious differences in the distribution patterns of nomadic peoples in the northwest and northeast regions, which is destined to be the strategy adopted by the Central Plains Dynasty in managing these two regions.
In the Western Regions, the main nomadic groups are relatively single, and the ethnic groups are relatively scattered. Among them, the most famous belongs to the Dayue clan, which once ruled the Western Regions. They were originally a nomadic tribe operating in the southern part of present-day Xinjiang, and through continuous conquests, they eventually dominated the Western Regions. However, due to civil strife, they were eventually destroyed by the Siamese who went south.
In addition, there are also many small groups of nomads wandering in the grassland, such as Kangju, Qiuzi, Yanqi and so on. Most of them were weak and unable to confront the Central Plains Dynasty. They are often subjugated after being conquered, or they are co-opted by the rulers of the Central Plains and become a member of the frontier defense line.
In contrast, the nomads of the Northeast are much more powerful. This vast land has been inhabited by powerful nomadic peoples such as Xianbei, Tuoba, Wuhuan, Khitan, and Jurchen since ancient times. Not only are they warlike and self-defensive, but they often form alliances to protect each other, forming large nomadic alliances.
Among them, the Xianbei people are particularly famous. At the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, they became stronger in the western part of present-day Liaoning and established two regimes, the Great and the Small. In the Western Jin Dynasty, Qianyan was established by the Wan people, and its territory spread throughout present-day Shanxi, Hebei, Inner Mongolia, and Liaoning, becoming a powerful opponent to compete with the Central Plains. At one time, he captured the Central Plains and captured the capital Luoyang for more than ten years.
and even the later Tuoba Xianbei, Rouran, Omurowei, etc., all have similar feats. At the same time, a great turmoil led by Rouran was also set off in the northeastern grasslands, which severely damaged the strength of the Central Plains Dynasty.
In the face of such a powerful nomadic alliance, the Central Plains Dynasty was overwhelmed and could often only temporarily retreat. It was not until the Tang Dynasty that Xuanzong sent a well-equipped Anxi capital guard corps, and after years of conquest, he finally pacified this area. However, although Rouran retreated, powerful nomadic alliances such as the Jurchens and Khitans were still wandering the borderlands, eyeing them all day long.
In contrast, the nomadic forces in the Western Regions are much more scattered and thin. Sometimes there is unity, but often it also falls apart due to civil strife. The Central Plains Dynasty was naturally more likely to take root there. Especially in the Eastern and Western Han Dynasty, there was a comprehensive conquest of the Western Regions and long-term garrison management.
However, although the military expenditure of the Central Plains Dynasty in the northwest region was greater than that in the northeast, they also paid a heavy price. It is precisely because of the frequent impact of the pastoral forces in the upper and lower reaches of the Mongolian Plateau that the military expenditure on the northwest frontier defense remains high, and in addition to the continuous wars, the national strength has been greatly consumed. This is also one of the main reasons why it was difficult for the Central Plains Dynasty to completely conquer the Western Regions in the later period.
Fourth, the differences in cultural transmission
Cultural communication is often the vanguard of civilizational exchanges. In the process of the operation of the Western Regions and the Northeast region of the ancient Central Plains Dynasty, the difference in the degree of cultural penetration in the two directions was also deeply reflected.
The Western Regions, as a link between Chinese and Western civilizations, has played an important role in cultural transmission since ancient times. In the 7th century B.C., Buddhism was introduced from India to all parts of the Western Regions, and it was all the rage during the Han and Tang dynasties, which deeply affected the local folk customs.
Among them, the most well-known is the country of Qiuzi. It was once an important town on the ancient Silk Road, and it was also the center of Buddhism in the Western Regions. Xuanzang, a high-ranking Indian monk, lived in Qiuci for several years and experienced the local Buddhist grand scene. He recorded in detail in the "Records of the Western Regions of the Tang Dynasty": "There are 5,000 monks, and there are three great temples...... All carved and painted, exquisitely picked. ＂
It was here that Xuanzang met the opportunity to study Buddhism, which paved the way for his later study of the scriptures. In addition to Qiuzi, Shule, another important Buddhist center, was also praised by him as "the prosperity of Buddhism and the metropolis".
In addition to Qiuzishule and other places, there are various Buddhist relics along the entire Western Regions. There are not only nearly 100 cave temples, such as Kizil, Yanqi, Tuyugou, etc., but also many ancient temple stone scriptures and large stone carving groups. For example, the ruins of the Beiting Dayun Temple, the ruins of the Baicheng Great Buddha Temple, and so on.
The blossoming of Buddhist culture in the Western Regions shows how smooth this cultural transmission is. With the spread of scriptures and statues, the Central Plains culture also spread westward through the Silk Road. This makes this area present a unique cultural scene.
The Northeast is a very different story. Due to the influence of geographical barriers, the spread of Central Plains culture here is limited.
Northeast China was originally uninhabited, and the local residents were mainly Manchus, Mongolians and other nomadic peoples. They continue their shamanic cultural traditions, and there is a clear gap between them and the Central Plains culture. For example, although there were cities in the Northeast during the Han Dynasty, the shape was mostly square and right-angled, rather than the circular relics of the Central Plains cities.
Even in terms of Buddhism, the Northeast is far less beautiful than the Western Regions. Although there are ruins such as the Great Cloud Temple, the scale and number cannot be compared with the Western Regions. It was not until the reign of the Yuan Dynasty that Tibetan Buddhism took root in the region.
The "History of the Yuan" records: "Since Genghis Khan's conquest of the Western Regions, as for the time of Möngke Khan, Buddhism flourished...... Many Tibetan monks and nuns then gathered from the east. "At that time, Mongolia was the heart of Buddhism, and there were many relics of Tibetan Buddhism.
However, Tibetan Buddhism is far less popular in the Central Plains than Buddhism in India. Although the Yuan Dynasty was in its heyday, the main areas of Tibetan Buddhism were still concentrated in the northwest, such as Gansu, Ningxia, and Qinghai. The royal family of the Yuan Dynasty enshrined it as the state religion, which also played a role in fueling the flames.
This difference in cultural transmission is really thought-provoking. The root cause is, of course, inseparable from the influence of geographical factors, but more importantly, the strategic choices of the Central Plains Dynasty at that time were different. Only by considering the Western Regions as a forward zone can cultural exchanges be carried out smoothly. The Northeast region has been marginalized for a long time, and cultural dissemination is naturally not in full swing.
5. The change of dynasty is a constant source of strife
The northwest and northeast have always been the main battlefields for the rise and fall of the Central Plains Dynasty. Regardless of the dynasty, the competition in these two regions is extremely fierce, and disputes arise one after another.
In the northwest, due to the advantages of hussars and horses, dry climate, etc., it has always been the main activity area of many nomadic peoples. Once a certain nomadic alliance is strong, it is possible to take advantage of the situation and defeat the Central Plains Dynasty.
For example, such wars broke out during the Northern Wei Dynasty. At that time, the Xianbei clan of the Yuwen Lang clan relied on the strong cavalry force to raise troops from Pingcheng, and captured Guanzhong in only a few years, establishing the Northern Wei regime. Later, under the leadership of Yuwen Hu, he eliminated the Northern Yan and unified the Central Plains.
Before the Northern Wei Dynasty came to power, the Northern Yan Kingdom had been a separatist regime that lasted for more than a century. It was originally established by the Wan people in the area of the Beizhong Plain, which posed a great threat to the Central Plains Dynasty.
Although the Northern Wei Dynasty eventually conquered the Northern Yan, it was only a little more than a century before it was wiped out by Rouran and other northwestern nomads. These nomadic alliances successively established short-lived regimes such as the Western Wei and Northern Zhou dynasties, and confronted the Eastern Wei court for many years. The two sides repeatedly fought along the Great Wall, and the war never stopped.
It was not until the emergence of the Sui Dynasty that this impact from the northwest was temporarily suppressed. But only a few decades later, the Tang Dynasty started from Chang'an City, and had a clear geographical relationship with the previous dynasties. This repetition has almost become a rule.
In addition to the threat from the northwest, the turmoil in the northeast is also intense. Since ancient times, the region has been inhabited by a strong nomadic population that can riot at any time.
In particular, the Liaoyang area is the center of turmoil. It used to be the base of nomadic tribes such as Murowei and Tuoba Xianbei, and it has been competing with the Central Plains Dynasty for a long time. Later, it became the base camp of the Khitans, who once dominated the northeast and conquered the Central Plains twice, establishing the Yuanbo and Liao regimes respectively.
Although the Jurchens started late, they soon took their place and established the grand Jin Dynasty. They not only unified the Northeast, but also controlled the entire North China Plain for a time, leaving the Southern Song Dynasty in a predicament of being attacked on all sides.
It can be seen that both the northwest and the northeast region are the top priorities for the unification of the Central Plains. Many dynasties were unable to consolidate their foundations, often because they were unable to quell the fires in both regions at the same time. In other words, if anyone can firmly control these two major battlefields, it is basically equivalent to having the way to occupy the Central Plains.
It is precisely because of the peculiarity of the geographical relationship that these two regions have always been the decisive factors in the succession of dynasties. No matter which dynasty it is, the attitude towards the northwest and the northeast is also very different, which fully reflects their different governing concepts and strategic visions.