The Study On Several Problems About Four Garrison Commands Of Anxi During The Tang Dynasty

In August of Zhenguan fourteen years(640),Gaochang was perished by the Tang Empire.Anxi Frontier Command was set up in Jiaohe city,Xizhou(Turpan)in September.Later the Tang Empire established four military towns to be administrated by Anxi Frontier Command in the western regions,which are Qiuci(Kuqa in Xinjiang),Yanqi(southwest Yanqi in Xinjiang),Yutian(southwest Hotan in Xinjiang),Shule(kashi in Xinjiang).The four military towns were known to history as "four garrisons of Anxi".Major energy have been always put into it in the historical academic field.Specialists and scholars have not reached agreements in views on several issues such as the alternation between Yanqi and Suyab,the establishment and abolishment of four garrisons of Anxi,geographical location of Suyab.The author plans to make a basic study on issues related to four garrisons of Anxi by combination of handed-down documents and excavated documents on the foundation of former studies.The first chapter started with issues on migration of Anxi Frontier Command 's seat and original establishment of four garrisons of Anxi.We can find that the seat of Duhu organization has been still in Xizhou during Yonghui period of Tang Gaozong according to unearthed documents from Turpan in recent years.According to former studies,the seat was migrated from Xizhou to Qiuci in Xianqing three years(658)after the suppression of Ashina Helu's rebellion.And four garrisons of Anxi were originally established after Xianqing three years(658),rather than the end of Zhenguan period.Moreover,the reason why Tang Empire chose Qiuci as the new seat of Anxi Frontier Command is mainly because of its geographical advantage,core function among kingdoms in western regions and abundant manpower resources as well as strategic requirement of exploiting and managing western regions by Tang Empire.The second chapter mainly discussed the academic hot point,the abolishment and establishment of four garrisons of Anxi at the beginning of Tang Dynasty.The author held the view that Tang Empire did not abandon all of four garrisons because of Tibetan Empire's invasion during Xianheng period.Abandoned garrisons only included Yutian and Shule and Qiuci and Yanqi were still controlled by Tang Empire in the first year of Xianheng period basing on Turpan documents.Tibetan Empire united western Tujue to attack Anxi Frontier Command,however,failed to occupy four garrisons and the seat of Duhu organization did not move back to Xizhou during Yifeng period.Tang Empire made repeating fights with Tibetan Empire to centre on the control over four garrisons during Chuigong period,however,ended in failure due to lack of troops and other reasons.Tang Empire chose to abandon all of four garrisons and their organizations in Chuigong two years(686)and the situation did not change until the first year of Changshou period(692)that Wang Xiaojie recaptured four garrisons.And Tang Empire set up Anxi Frontier Command again in Qiuci as well as stationed 30,000 troops to perform the functions of military defense.Four garrisons of Anxi have ushered in a longer period of stability since then.The third chapter started with issues on geographical location of Suyab as well as the alternation between Yanqi and Suyab,and analyzed four recordations related to Suyab,which are Suyab in Atami,Suyab in Hami,Suyab in Yanqi,Suyab in Bohuan.The author pointed out that Suyab belonging to four garrisons of Anxi is Suyab in Atami rather than Suyab in Yanqi.And there is Yanqi rather than Suyab in the list of four garrisons at the beginning of establishment.Pei Xingjian used strategy to capture Khan Ten Surname,Ashina Duzhi in the first year of Diaolu period(679),and Suyab replaced the status of Yanqi in four garrisons in order to strengthen the embrace and control over western Tujue's remaining forces.And Yanqi did not go back to the list of four garrisons until Kaiyuan seven years(719).As for the second change,the author held the view that Suyab locating in the northern foot of Tianshan Mountain was brought into the administrative region of Beiting Duhu organization at the beginning of Kaiyuan period and Suyab no longer belongs to Anxi Frontier Command's administrative region until Kaiyuan seven years(719).At the moment,with the increasing activities frequency of Tibetan Empire in the east road entering the western regions,to enroll Yanqi into the list of four garrisons again could strengthen the military defense of Tang Empire against Tibetan Empire.Accordingly,Tang Xuanzong consented to the request of Khan Ten Surname to reside in Suyab.The fourth chapter discussed the relationships between Anxi Frontier Command and Xizhou as well as the time of Anxi Frontier Command's final collapse.The author pointed out that although their geographical locations separated far and wide and there were no administrative subordination relationships,and what we should pay attention to is that there were very close relationships among them,all of them constituted the whole defense and management system of Tang Empire in western regions.Four garrisons were frontier of the system and Xizhou was main rear base which offered support.They relied on each other from the perspective of military defense and system management.In addtition,Anxi Frontier Command was finally exterminated after the third year of Yuanhe period(808).