From Hostile Confrontation To Coexistence And Mutual Benefit: The Twentieth Century, Hu, Han Between The Conflict, Running And Compromise

From the end of3rd century B.C., when agriculture and nomadic empires firstly encountered, to Uighur empire collapsed in A.D.840, relations between China and nomads had experienced several magnificent turning points in more than1000years’ development. From Ho-Ch’in to war, Former Han dynasty and Hsiung-nu wanted to impose their will on the other by force. After suffering huge losses, Han dynasty and Hsiung-nu gradually began to explore the peace way which was mutually acceptable. The civil war of Hsiung-nu forced Hu-han-yeh Shan-yu surrendered to the Former Han Dynasty in B.C.50s. This event made Han and Hsiung-nu learn how to deal with each other in peace way. Hu-han-yeh’s Political legacy made a great impact on nomads of later era. Initially, confrontation is the keynote of the relations between China and nomads. But in several centuries after Hu-han-yeh, cooperation became the mainstream of the relations between each other. Simultaneously, nomads on the steppe trapped in state of in long period of time. Rebellion of five kinds of nomad broke out in early years of4th century. Finally, T’o-pa Hsien-pi marched southward gradually from frontier and established Northern Wei Dynasty which ruled North China. Emperors of Northern Wei Dynasty in P’ ing-Ch’ eng era had two identities: emperor and khaghan, they had ambition of dominating steppe and China. This ambition made steppe unite again, another confrontation between China and nomads began. But with sinification deepened, the frontier policy of North Wei Dynasty became more and more familiar with those dynasties estblished by Chinese. After the rebellion of six fortress, Norhthern Wei and Jou-jan formed a new kind of cooperation relationship, which was more interdependent, just like the relationship between T’ang Dynasty and Uighur after the rebellion of An and Shih. After the split of Northern Wei Dynasty, the tributary system which had always dominated by Chinese Dynasties started to reverse. When T’ang Dynasty eliminated Turk empire, the contest for dominance of tributary system came to an end. However, the dominance of tributary system of T’ang Dynasty became more and more nominal when she dealt with the second Turk empire and Uighur empire. This situation was the result of adjusting, running and compromise between Chinese and nomads. Both nomdic empire and Chinese dynasty finally approved and accepted tributary system as a basic pattern to deal with the relationship between each other and the tributary system became more inclusive and flexible.Chapterl discusses the process that how the relationship between agriculture and nomadic empires changed from hostility and distrust to searching the peace way which was mutually acceptable after they firstly entountered in the end of3rd century B.C..Chapter2is to discuss that the peace coming unexpectedly how to impact the relations between China and nomads in centuries. The conflicts between China and nomads had eased and cooperation became the mainstream of the relations between each other.Chpter3mainly discusses the beginning and easement of new confrontation between nomads entered China and nomads on the steppe. They formed a new kind of cooperation relationship, which was more interdependent finally.Chapter4discusses that China and nomads contested for the dominance of tributary system, and both sides accepted tributary system as a basic pattern to deal with the relationship between each other by adjusting, running and compromiseIn the closing chapter, I point out that contacts between China and nomads had become increasingly frequent, both of them had been more familiar with each other and influenced by each other from the end of3rd century B.C.. It made the attitude and policy of both sides to each other keep changing. In one hand, the frontier strategies of Chinese dynasties had been effective to the more advanced and large nomadic polities. In the other hand, Chinese dynasty had to make more compromisese to maintain the tributary system with nomadic empire, and it made the tributary system which had changed, interrupted or even reversed from534become stable in T’ang Dynasty.