History and Literature

Zhang Qian's Diplomatic Mission to the Western Regions

: Zhou Dunyi (1017 - 1073), born in Yingdao County of Daozhou (today's Daoxian County of Hunan...

: Emperor Yan (Yandi) was also called "Red Emperor (Chidi)", "Lieshan Shi", or "Shennong Shi".

: Zhang Fei, born in Zhuoxian of Zhuojun (present Zhuozhou of Hebei Province), was a key general of...

When Emperor Wu of the Western Han Dynasty ascended the throne, it was urgent for feudal rulers to further strengthen the absolutism and centralism politically and economically. Taoist thinking that advocates quietism and inaction could not meet the above-mentioned political needs, while Confucianism featuring the unification of Spring and Autumn Annals, benevolent ideas and ethical concepts of the monarch and his subjects was in conformity with the situation at that time. Therefore, Emperor Wu applied Dong Zhongshu’s strategy of “Paying Supreme Tribute to Confucianism while Banning All Other Schools of Thought“. Since then, Confucianism became the ruling thought of the feudal dynasties, while Taoism and other schools of thought were degraded.
In 138 BC Emperor Wu of the Western Han Dynasty sent Zhang Qian on a diplomatic mission to the Western Regions to cooperate with the Dayuezhi State in the west to attack the Huns. Zhang Qian and his entourage were detained by the Huns for more than 10 years on their journey. After they escaped and finally found the Dayuezhi State, it had already settled around the Gui River (around today’s Amu Darya), unwilling to fight against the Huns. In 126 BC, Zhang Qian came back to Chang’an, the capital of the Han Dynasty. In 119 BC, Emperor Wu once again sent Zhang Qian on a diplomatic mission to the Wusun State in the Western Regions (in today’s Ili River Valley, Xinjiang). Zhang Qian persuaded the Wusun State to fight against the Huns together. In 115 BC, when Zhang Qian returned home, Emperor of Wusun sent dozens of envoys to accompany him to Chang’an.
Zhang Qian’s twice diplomatic missions to the Western Regions connected thoroughfare from China’s Xinjiang area to the west Asia, blazed the world-famous path called “Silk Road“, and strengthened political, economic, and cultural ties between the Han Dynasty and other nations in the Western Regions.

Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty

Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty was one of the talented and ambitious emperors in the Chinese history, and Han Dynasty became the most powerful nation at that time in the world under his reign.

Paying Supreme Tribute to Confucianism while Banning All Other Schools of Thought

Paying Supreme Tribute to Confucianism while Banning All Other Schools of Thought

When Emperor Wu of the Western Han Dynasty ascended the throne, it was urgent for feudal rulers to further strengthen the absolutism and centralism politically and economically.
Battles Against the Huns

Battles Against the Huns

Emperor Wu of the Western Han Dynasty ended peace-making marriage policy (to appease relations with ethnic minorities by marrying daughters of the Han imperial family to them) with the Huns, and...
Mao Mausoleum

Mao Mausoleum

The Mao Mausoleum, the tomb of Liu Che, Emperor Wu of the Western Han Dynasty, is located in the Maoling village, Nanwei Town, northeast of Xingping County, 40 kilometers northwest of Xi¡¯an.
Initiation of Era Name

Initiation of Era Name

No era name had been set ever since the ancient times, when the years were counted in numeric sequence.
Qiufeng Tower

Qiufeng Tower

In the third year during the reign of Yuan