Study On The People From Gaoli, Baiji And Xinluo To The Tang Dynasty

Gaoli, Baiji and Xinluo were called Sanhan in the Tang Dynasty. The current academic circle confines the research on Sanhan in the Tang Dynasty mainly to the cultural exchange between the Tang Dynasty and Xinluo. Therefore, this dissertation aims at making a systematic study on the Sanhans in the Tang Dynasty in order to approach the relationship between the Tang Dynasty and Sanhan. Basing the research on the achievements of the predecessors, the author makes full use of the records in the history books written in biographical style and combines the inscription on tablets, the unofficial history, the literary sketches and all kinds of collected works and miscellanies with them to do the research. In this dissertation, special emphasis is laid on the human nature of the Sanhans in the Tang Dynasty, including their biographical notes, their family backgrounds, their marital status, their religions and pursuits of life.Gaoli, Baiji and Xinluo all tried to achieve their political goals through their diplomatic envoys' activities in the Tang Dynasty, but the outcomes were quite different as the intelligence and the moral character of these diplomatic envoys was subordinate to the interests and power of their states.The members of the royal families of the former Baiji, Gaoli and the Quan Family, the minister of the former Gaoli, who were compelled to the Tang Dynasty, were still employed at high levels by the Tang imperial court. They made a great contribution to the politics, military affairs, culture and policy towards nationalities of the Tang Dynasty. However, their fate varied widely because they were closely integrated with the political situation at that time. Concerning the historical evaluation about Wuzetian, the author argues that the existing merits and demerits theoriesare short of justice and objectivity.The author complements and does textual research on the deeds of the Sanhans recorded in the biographies. Meanwhile, the author researched into the deeds of the Sanhans in many fields which were recorded briefly or left out in the history books written in biographical style. The author reaches the following conclusions:1.The reasons why some Sanhans of low status (mainly Gaolis) rose to a higher rank after participating in the palace coup d' e' tats are the gambling psychology of these Sanhans, the cultural similarity between the Tang Dynasty and Sanhan and the political situation at that time.2. Although the Sanhan merchants brought about a great advance in the commercial transactions in the East Asia region, especially contributes to the economic exchange between the Tang Dynasty and Sanhan, the importance of these merchants should not be overestimated.3. The willpower of the Buddhist monks of Sanhan seeking the law in the Tang Dynasty deserved commendation, but the view that these monks managed to keep their native country's language and customs should be reconsidered.4. Compared to the hard lot of Kunlun slaves, the Sanhan slaves had a better life in the Tang Dynasty. Such difference was caused by the power of state, the attention paid to the nationals living overseas by the government and the racial and cultural differences, etc.