| The Records of the Rivers and Roads of Western Region(Xi yu Shui-dao ji???????)by Xu Song during the Qing Dynasty,which is based on the writing style of Shui-Jing Zhu(Comments the Waters and Ways,?????),mainly deals with the histography,water-way systems and mountain chains,ethnography,ethnic-composition,historical events and the overland traffic systems of Western Region including Xinjiang and Tibet and part of the Central Asia along the Tianshan Region.Xu Song,the official historiographer of the imperial court of the Qing,had composed his work based on his personal observations during his excursion to Xinjiang as a garrison official in 1811.Meanwhile,his sources included the Chinese official history and annals Han-shu(The History of the Former Han Dynasty????),the Tang-Shu({History of the Tang Dynasty),Yuan-Shi(The History of the Yuan Dynasty),Ming-shi(The History of the Ming Dynasty),and some other chronicles,travel reports and its contemporary works such as Xi-chui Zong-tong Shi-lue????????(Biographical Sketch of Western Frontier),Xinjiang Tuzhi??????(Biographical Sketch of Xinjiang)which are compiled during Qing period.Xu-Song,in his work,described a vast variety of land,Jia-yu guan and Tianshan Mountain,stretched from Eastern-Xinjiang to Pamir to the west,being the main line of description,given the accounts of water-way systems,mountain ranges,ancient over-land traffic posts,towns,villages and ethnic composition,and the military garrison points erected on the border lands of Qing Empire in detail.Xu-Song,but also,little concerned in his work,with the historical events and geographical settings of roads,villages,travel routes and ethnic composition of Kirgiz,Tajiks and Afghans in Badakhshan and what is now Tajikistan respectively.Being a non-muslim Author,Xu-Song is also concerned with the Islamic tradition,concerning prophet,and so-called later followers,which are known as Khwajas,and their activities agians the Qing court.The Records of the Rivers and Roads of Western Region???????(Xi-yu Shui-dao Ji)is consisted of five chapters in all and described Lop-Noor(what is now Luo-bo-po in Chinese),Eren-Habirgha(Elin Habier-ga in Chinese),Khara-noor(Hala-nuo-er in Chinese,what is now in North-Western part of Dun-huang,Gansu),Barkol-noor(Bars Kol in early Turkic and Arabo-Persian sources,Ba-li-kun in Chinese records during the Qing Dynasty),Sayram Noor(what is now the Sai-li-mu hu in Chinese),Balqash Noor(Ba-er ka-shi hu in Chinese),Temur-tu Noor(what is now Issyk-kul in Turkic and the Re-hai in classical Chinese Annals),Burul-Toqay(Ga-le-zha-er ba-she nuo-er in Chinese),Ala-kul(A-la-ke-tu gu-le nuo-er in Chinese,what is now in Khazakistan,formerly was being in Qing Dynasty territory),and the Zaisang-Noor respectively in detail and their tributaries were also found in the description by Xu-Song.Among the Chapters of The Records of the Rivers and Roads of Western Region(Xi-yu Shui-dao ji),the former two chapters(chapter one and the chapter two)are mainly concerned with the water-way systems of the rivers of Kashgar,Yarkan,Ulaan-Usu(the Qizil River,also known as Chi-he[??]in Tang annals),Zarafshan,Tiznaf,Khotan(Yorungqash,Qaraqash),Ogan,Tarim and the Qaydu.Meanwhile,Xu-song had made a detailed description about the location of villages,military garrisons,mountain passes alongside above mentioned rivers andthe ethnic composition of the Pamir,Southern slopes of Tianshan range was also concerned in the work.By the way,Xusong(??)lad also made some notes,nevertheless his comments mainly drawed directly from its contemporary work Xi-yu Tong-wen Zhi???????(Records of Place-Names and Peoples-Names in Five Languages,Manchu,Chinese,Tibetan,Uyghur and Mongol),on the linguistic and etymological origin of these place names mentioned in the his record.These are the important linguistic and historical sources for the study of the place-names and geographical settings of Southern Xinjiang.Among other works written in Arabic,Persian,Mongol and Chahgatai languages,we could find some equivalents of the historical events,geographical settings and local villages,tribal distributions of ethnic groups in Pamir and Western Tianshan Range which inhence the reliability of the work by Xu-Song.It is also of interest for the toponymical history of Southern-Xinjiang.These knowledge thereafter becomes a prime sources for the study of place-names and toponyms in Southern-Xinjiang along the silk road.To inquire the linguistic background and etymological origin of these names of Non-Chinese origin and the reconstruction of the people's names,place-names of Uyghur,Mongol and Persian written in Chinese are the main focus of the present study.Likewise,the official title of the Begs of various ranks in Southern Xinjiang and some particular technical terms(Boderge,Patman,Charek,Tuti,Tenge)of Non-Chinese origin,at certain length,will be discussed in the paper.The paper is divided into eight chapters:The first chapter is about the rivers driven in to Lop-Noor lake which are originated from Pamir Range and the cities,villages,Qing military garrisons,mountain passes alongside the rivers.Many of these cities,villages,and mountain passes were recorded in Chinese ancient annals like Yuan-Shi(The History of the Yuan Dynasty),and travel reports like Dc-tang Xi-yu Ji ?????(The Records of theWestern Region by Tang Dynasty Monks),Huo-han Lu-cheng Ji??? ?(Records of the Roads to Khokand).The second chapter describes the water-way systems of Pamir ranges and the Yamanyar River,one of the main tribute of Qizil river,which originated from the Pamir platue.The main mountain passes and ancient caravan routes which leads from Kashgar to Fergana and to Badakhshan region is also the main concern of this chapter.The third chapter will concerned mainly with the geographical settings of the villages alongside the Yarkand River and the geographical location of the Qing military garrisons,Qarawuls(Kalun in Chinese)which are build during Qing Dynasty?The historical information related to events during the Qing Dynasty period will be noted in this chapter.The fourth chapter mainly discusses the historical-geography of the villages,towns,commercial posts and mountain ranges alongside the Khotan River,including the Qara-qash River and Yorung-qash River.The fifth chapter is the description of the historical-geography of the villages,towns,commercial posts and mountain ranges alongside the Aqsu River,Keriya River and Tarim River?The commercial interaction,based on the information given in Chinese and Tibetan sources,between Northern Tibet and Keriya through the maintain passes ans oasis will also be shortly noted.Chapter six is the discussion about the main streams of Tarim Basin,concretely,various towns,villages and ancient towns along Ogan River and the military garrisons located in Shahyar and Kucha.Some of them are ancient towns which were mentioned inTang-Shu(The History of Tang Dynasty)and Tang-ui-yao?????.In this chapter a short account of history and location of the Buddhist temples which are built during Tang Dynasty will be given.What is more,The Lop-Noor area,generally believed wrongly in some Qing annals to be the main source of Huang-he ??(The Yellow River).It is a known fact that the Huang-he actually originated in the regions of Bayan-Khara mountains in Qinghai.Chapter seven is the historical and geographical observation on the cities,towns and villages located on the banks of Tarim River and its tributaries.This chapter is mainly focused on the military garrisons,Qarawuls and copper mines which were located on the shores of Muz-art river and its tributaries.The last chapter(chapter eight)mainly deals with the historical geography of mountain passes,military garrisons and towns,villages along the Qaydu River.The Great Yulduz and Litte Yultuz valley will be mainly observed.And ethnic composition of the Turghut tribes scattered Yulduz valley historically will be examined in brief. |
PDF Full Text Request