Study On The Passes And Ferries In Helong Region At The Perspective Of Silk Road Transportation In Medieval China

Helong Region,as a key part of silk road,which had the function of defending the regimes in Central Plains,reached Western Regions westward,Qiang and Shu regions southward,and was adjacent to Northern Nomadic tribes such as Huns and Turks.The passes and ferries were the central part of Helong silk road traffic network,which could not only ensure a smooth flow of traffic network,but also promote the political,economic and cultural exchange in Helong Region.In Hexi Area,the Yangguan Pass and Yumenguan Pass were built south and north relative on the west side of Dunhuang,acted as the division or somehow the gateway between Central Plains and Western Regions during Han Dynasty.The Jinguan Pass and Xuansuoguan Pass,established in the south bank and the north bank of the Ruoshui River,were the essential defense of northern frontier of Han Dynasty,and the communications pivots to protect the Hexi Corridor from being attacked by Huns.In Longyou Area,the Linjinguan Pass and Baitujin Ferry,both located in the upper reaches of the Yellow River,were important strategic territory in the period of the Sixteen States.The Fenglinguan Pass and Zuonanjin Ferry,located in the southern silk road of Longyou Area were the transportation pivots of Hezhou.The Jinchengguan Pass,Shichengjin and Qingshijin Ferry along the Jincheng River were the passageway connected Lanzhou with Liangzhou along the middle route of silk road.The Huiningguan Pass,and the Wulanguan Pass located in the big bay of Yellow River were the most convenient pivots from the northwest of Chang’an to Liangzhou along the north route of silk road.All these passes and ferries,as the main junction point of East-west traffic of Helong Region,had a very significant meaning for central government’s management to the traffic of the border areas and defend the frontier lines.In this article,on the bases of on-the-spot investigation,and comprehensively use the historical resources,Dunhuang and Turpan documents,Han wooden slips and epitaphs as well,the author tries to research the establishment time and location of the passes and ferries above,then further to explore the evolution of each pass and ferry and the traffic route through them.Firstly,the author hold the view that it is in Northern Zhou Dynasty that Yumenguan Pass moved from Dunhuang’s west to east,not Eastern Han Dynasty.Secondly,discuss the working condition of Yangguan road when Yangguan Pass no longer be the gateway to west regions,and how it was worked when combined with Yumenguan Pass road in Sui and Tang Dynasties.Thirdly,investigates the institution setting and function of Jinguan Pass,discusses the subordinate relationship among the Jianshui-Houguan(肩水候官),Dongbu-Houzhang(东部候长),Xingbei-Tingzhang(骍北亭长)and Guan-Sefu(关啬夫),and how their internal function operated.Fourthly,by analyzing the record for people went through the pass,the author thinks that Xuansuoguan Pass was located in the A21 site,which also was the seat of Leilu-Houzhang(累虏候长)and Leilu-Suizhang(累虏隧长).The A22 site,2 km south of A21 site,was both the seat of Xianglu-Suizhang(降虏隧长)and the Chengnan-Houzhang(诚南候长),had a function of defending Xuansuoguan Pass.Fifthly,explores the development process of Lingjinguan Pass from Baitu Ferry,and Guangwu-Liang from Qingshijin Ferry,as well as the transport route among Lanzhou,Hezhou,and Shanzhou.Sixthly,by analyzing the processes that Fenglinguan Pass changed from ferry to pass and finally to bridge,and its mutual influence with Bingling Temple,reveals the roles that Fenglingguan Pass played in the war between Tang and Tibet regime,and shows its strategic position in Hezhou’s transport network.Seventhly,discusses the eastward process of the seat of Jincheng prefecture’s government,and the interaction between Jinchengguan Pass,thinks that Jinchengguan Pass was not only an important strategic place to protect Jincheng prefecture from being attacked by others,but also the traffic pivot linked with the Liangzhou,Hezhou and Shanzhou during Northern Zhou Dynasty.Finally,through on-the-spot investigation,and study on the excavated epitaphs and historical sources,the author comes to the conclusion that the Wulanguan Pass and Huiningguan Pass were not set on the opposite of Yellow River,but both on the same side of Yellow River,respectively where the ancient Beichengtan Town and the old town site on its northwest located in.Put the passes and ferries into the network of silk road traffic,the author manages to through the traffic routes for envoys,the operation system of passport documents,and the phenomenon of Hu merchant’s smuggling trade that record in Turpan documents,to explain the significant meaning of passes and ferries in Helong Region.Liu Yuanding’s(刘元鼎)route from Chang’an to Tibet recorded in Tibet Biography of Tangshu,shows us the road map from central plains to Tibet,indicates that it was in Xiaochan-Du(today’s Xiaochuan-Huanghe bridge in Liujiaxia township,Jinyuan county,Gansu province)Liu Yuanding crossed Yellow River,in Xiaojingxing town(today’s Chuankou township,Minghe county,Qinghai province)together with Baishui troop Liu Yuanding firstly crossed the Huangshui River,and in Suirong town(today’s Huangyuan country,Qinghai province).He twice crossed Huangshui River,shows us a clearly traffic route between Tang Dynasty and Tibet.Further more,the document with the seal of“Yumen Guan Zhi Yin”unearthed from No.509 tomb at Astana is judged to be a damaged passport document issued by Tang Chancery,could be named as“the remaining passport document for slaves Dianxin and Guiming from Tang Chancery”,which can show us the function that Helong passes and ferries once held.The document above also shows us there were some sogdian merchants smuggling through passes and ferries in medieval China,took this as clue,the author has a further study on the pass and ferry law of Tang Dynasty.In summary,the author tries to put each pass and ferry into the transportation system of Helong Region,deepen ours understanding of the significant position that the passes and ferries in Helong Region once had in aspects like military,foreign affairs and trade etc.