A Study Of The History Of The Gaoche

The Gaoche were a nomadic people active in the north and north-west of China in ancient times,named after their skill in making and using vehicles with 'tall wheels and a large number of spokes'.From the mid to late 4th century AD onwards,the Gaoche tribes,active north of the desert,began to appear in historical records.After the fall of the Northern Wei Dynasty,the name 'Gaoche' gradually disappeared from the official history.The early record of the history of the Gaoche,the Book of Wei,not only established a special biography of the Gaoche,but also pioneered the documentary history of the Gaoche.After the original version of Biography of Gaoche in Book of Wei Dynasty was lost,Biography of Gaoche in History of Northern Dynasty became the earliest and most comprehensive surviving biography of Gaoche's history and culture.The biography of Gaoche and the specialized biographies such as Tong Dian-Frontier Defense Thirteen-Northern Di Four-Gaoche together form the basic historical source for the study of Gaoche,and later histories books inherited much of the earlier history books.In addition to the basic historical records,there are some important historical facts about Gaoche scattered throughout the volumes of the Book of Jin Dynasty,the Book of Wei Dynasty,the History of Northern Dynasty,the Book of Northern Qi Dynasty,and the History as a Mirror.They can be used to supplement basic historical sources as well as for correction and erratum.On the basis of the basic historical sources of Gaoche and the main scattered historical sources,a rough framework of the history and culture of Gaoche during the Northern Dynasties can be sketched out.From the end of the 1st century to the middle of the 2nd century AD,the Dingling,who had migrated to the Mongolian plateau,interacted and intermingled with the remaining Xiongnu,forming a predominantly Dingling ethnic group with some Xiongnu integration.The tribe called itself the Chile,and after the Tuoba Xianbei entered the Central Plains,it was also known as the Gaoche.It is inaccurate to assume that Gaoche originated from either Dingling or Xiongnu.In Gaoche society,there were many clans and tribes,including the "six kinds and twelve surnames".Most of these clans and tribes were located in the northern part of the desert in the Orkhon and Tula river basins or in the area west of the Selenge River to the Altai Mountains.Their formation and development were closely related to the wars,exchanges and integration between the tribes in the north.From the period of the Sixteen Kingdoms to the beginning of the Northern and Southern Dynasties,the Gaoche were in the development of a patriarchal clan system and did not join a unified military alliance under the influence of the ethnic identity of 'freedom'.Each clan and tribe was governed by its own chief,and the names of a number of Gao Che chiefs are recorded in the literature.After the westward migration of the Fu fuluo tribes to establish the Gaoche state in the eleventh year of the Taihe era(487),the social pattern moved forward and new chiefly titles emerged.Among the chiefly titles of the Gaoche,"Mofo",which originally meant "brave",was originally from the Eastern Hu people and was transmitted to the Gaoche from Rouran along with "Mohe QUfen".The name "Houlou Fule" refers to the military chiefs of the tribal alliances in the early stages of the transition to statehood.The "Houbei" were relatively independent military chiefs,all of whom were created by the Gaoche state;the "Bushuai","qushuai" and and "Daren" originated from the Chinese,where they were used to refer to the chiefs of various northern tribes.In exploring the origins,meanings and duties of these titles,it also reflects the exchange,inheritance and mutual influence between various ethnic groups during the Wei,Jin and Northern Dynasties.In military terms,the Gaoche not only borrowed the military system of the Xiongnu,but were also known for their bravery in battle and their skill at riding and shooting,and were known as the 'famous horsemen of the world'.In both the Northern Wei and the Rouran armies,a certain number of Gaoche cavalrymen served.The Gaoche people's economy consisted mainly of animal husbandry,hunting and handicrafts,while the Gaoche state,established by the Fufuluo tribe,exchanged goods with the Northern Wei regime by way of tribute.Despite the fragmentary nature of the cultural practices of the Gaoche,it is still possible to gain some insight into the original beliefs,language and writing,marriage,burial,music and dance of the Gaoche,which also contribute to a comprehensive understanding of the daily life of the Gaoche.By sorting out the ethnic relations of Gaoche during the Wei,Jin and North and South Dynasties,it is clear that Gaoche had frequent contact with the Northern Wei regime,Rouran and the Western states.In order to survive and develop steadily,the Gaoche fought wars with the above-mentioned peoples or regimes on the one hand,and absorbed advanced culture and production technology through trade,peacemaking and diplomatic missions on the other.After a long period of hard work,the Gaoche ministries continued to grow in strength and became a force to be reckoned with in the north and south of the desert during this period.