A Brief Investigation On Garrison Soldiers Of Northwest Frontier Fortress Of Han Dynasty Around Archaeological Remains And Bamboo Slips

Since the last century,archaeologists found in the northwest of China many sites and relics of fortress towns and beacon fires in the Han Dynasty,which have provided materials for research into diverse aspects of the Han society,as well as bamboo slips in the northwest frontier annotated by experts and scholars,academic achievements of senior scholars also referred to.Moreover,in order to make more precise the archaeological data cited as evidence,the study took use of high-definition satellite topographic maps,in combination with the annual maps of fortress towns and beacon fires.The high integration of real-world terrain map and hand-drawn maps could access a large amount of precious data,forming a new way of investigation into the current status of the historical sites and their surroundings.This research into the situations of the frontier garrison focused on the archaeological remains and the bamboo slips,examining people via the sites and relics,depicting people via the official records.The situations of the frontier garrison in this study involved armament,types of work,basic necessities of life,and so on.This study,like other similar studies,has certain limitations due to material constraints.First,throughout four hundred years of the Han Dynasty,from the time when Emperor Wu of Han ordered to garrison Juyan till when the northwest garrison gradually got abolished at the end of the Han Dynasty,there had been similarities and differences in state power,military power and political environment across the different imperial dynasties.Second,the garrison policy varied across different periods,due to the political relationship between the Han Dynasty and Xiongnu remained turbulent between war and peace.Third,given a large proportion of the bamboo slips were incomplete,the records of dates and iconic figures were scarce,so that it was difficult to determine the specific years in many slips.This research obtained some relatively valuable information,which may meet some temporary needs,and even may have wide implications.For example,according to the large quantities of the bamboo slip records,the researcher probed the units of measurement in Han,conducted unit conversion and measurement experiment,and calculated the daily food ration of the garrison and other involved personnel with"gram" as a unit of measurement,thus achieving a more tangible contrast between the ancient time and the current time.It also discovered suspected traces of officials reselling stocks for such garrison.Besides,comparing the time span on mail delivery from the North to the South and vice versa,the research revealed that it was the importance of mail,rather than the level of terrain,that determined the mail delivery speed.Furthermore,the frequent use of "sand removal" on the bamboo slips appeared to indicate sandbags as defence tools by the garrison,rather than the pure cleanup of sand.All in all,on the basis of these archaeology relics and unearthed bamboo slips,the following conclusion were reached:the garrison could only gain the most elementary life guarantees,but they had to face danger on guard and pressure during labor.They had nearly no hope of promotion,though they could obtain the basic guarantee from the government by receiving basic life necessities as well as medical treatment and funeral services,and physical protection of satrap's government decree.But in the complex relationship between grassroots officials and garrison soldiers,the garrisons and their families exist as the weak,or occasionally as illegal labor;a very few garrison would even violate regulations to be employed as workers by the local people.All these are manifestations of how the garrison had to survive the low life quality.