On The Animal Husbandry Of Dunhuang From Tang Dynasty To The Early Song Dynasty

Dunhuang has been a place of strategic importance on the west boundry of China since Xi Han Dynasty established official governing there. And it has been a metropolis of Chinese and Western economy and culture on the Silk Road. From Xi Han Dynasty, successive dynasties reclaimed and cultivated wasteland, built irrigation works, and developed angriculture, which helped Dunhuang become a place fitted to both angriculture and husbandry. Till Tang Dynasty, Wu Dai and early Song Dynasty, both angriculture and husbandry coordiated growth in Dunhuang area. The geographical conditions are special, that is. the oasis is comparatively small. Besides high mountains, hills, gobis and deserts, there distribute numerous meadows, mountain streams and lakes. These areas fit to animal husbandry and later become the important bases of animal husbandry. So the area of animal husbandry in Dunhuang usually distribute near the riverbanks, lakes and swaps, meadows on the high mountains and the boudoirs of oases. In this belt has formed the following larger husbandry areas: ex-Yumen Gate, Arli Mountain, Ziting Mountain, the lower Kushui husbandry area, as well as those scattered husbandry areas in gobis. The existence and development in the husbandry of Dunhang in Tang, Wudai. and early Song dynasty is inseparable from the efficient administration made by the government or institution at that time. At the beginning of the establishment of the Guiyi military authorities, husbandry supervision is set up in Ziting and supervisor is therefore assigned to make united husbandry supervision over those big animals such as horses, camels, donkeys. Later sheep department was set up to deal with affairs related to sheep husbandry. Besides, official horse institution was established in Dunhuang to deal with matters relevant to the supply of horses for military, mail, and long-distance-focused purposes. In order to strengthen the administration and use of the meadows in husbandry areas, a particular officer was assigned to run ~Il -7 meadow affairs, with assistants to do his favor. Under his supervision was grass institution that was responsible for the collection and storage forage in case that there would be some need in winter and spring. Besides, officers responsible respectively for grass, lake, and valley were also assigned to supervise matters dealing with administration of lakes, streams, and valley meadow areas. What抯 more, strict administrational principles were stipulated. The establishment of these institutions and administrational mechanism and efficient measures has guaranteed the development of husbandry. Kinds of animal husbandry in Dunhuang area are comparatively complete, including herd horses, camels, cattles, donkeys, and tend sheep, etc. All the kinds there were booming, especially, tend sheep is more prosperous. No matter whether the local authorities, temples, or the proprietors of the privately operated enterprises, the sheep they possesed and the scope of their operation adequately reflected the flourishing of animal husbandry in the Guiyi military period of Tang Dynasty. The development of animal husbandry brought along the development of wool spinning and leather processing, and it had extensional effects. Especially the wool spinning had complete kinds and colors. I...