Huns And The History Of The Western Han Relations

This is a dissertation on the history of the Hun nationality. As Hun is closely related to the Central China, many episodes of the latter is mentioned as necessary. The whole dissertation consists of three parts, with approximately 250,000 words, 96 illustrations and 8 charts.The Introduction of the dissertation gives a brief account of the Hun people, the accomplishments of previous scholars and some creative ideas of my own.Chapter I expounds on the economies of Hun and Central China respectively in the process of their communications in various fields. Based on materials never utilized by previous scholars, I deny in this dissertation that the Hun people were once engaged in agriculture. The Hun people used to live in pastoral areas, neighboring Huihe, Korea in the east and Rouzhi and Diqiang in the west. As a result of Emperor Wu of Western Han Dynasty's invasion, Hun lost 220,000 people, vast stretches of pastures and large volume of livestock and properties within ten years, and gradually turned into a relatively inferior position. Being defeated in grabbing the Western Region, Hun lost another major source of income and consequently became even weaker in its national strength, and severe civil wars broke out on the basis of such economic disorder. Huhanye surrendered to the Han Dynasty and was provided with economic aid, while Zhizhi, who, with no economic supports, was eventually defeated and fled to Kangju. The economic situation of Hun is divided into five phases in my dissertation.During the early years of the Western Han Dynasty, taxes and corvee could be imposed by the central government only within 20~30% of the total areas of the former Qin Danysty. Among the 54 prefectures of the state, only 15 were under direct leadership of the central government. Small kingdoms awarded to namesake or non-namesakes of the royal family were in coexistence with prefectures and counties for a long period of time. The central government of the Western Han Dynasty was too weak to fight against Hun. The central government's concentration on developing economy at that time was somewhat related to the pressure imposed by Hun, though signs of preparation against war were gradually emerging. Liu Che's invasion of Hun brought about both tremendous disasters to Hun and heavy burdens to Central China, the economy of which was put on the edge of collapse, and the national production suffered a devastating blow. The people lived in extreme poverty, while Liu Che led a highly luxurious life.In the communications of economy and materials between Western Han Dynasty and Hun. the influence of culture and customs were highly prevailing. However, little has been mentioned so far in the research works in this respect. In three chapters in succession, the dissertation expounds on this issue, with the contents of two engraved wooden tablets quoted, indicating that the elements of Hun culture existed extensively in Central China and had even reached as far as Guangdong, Guangxi and other areas.The population of Hun was once utilized as evidence for the social system of Hun. However, both "the number of conscription" and "one soldier out of five people" are inconvincible. Jia Yi and Zi Lu were in different times and social environments, therefore neither can be used in comparison with the other.With the transition of economic status of Hun and Western Han Dynasty from prosperities to depression in turn respectively, large number of people flowed between back and forth. The life of immigrants from Central China to Hun indicates that Hun was not under a social system of slavery.The policy of cementing friendly relations through political marriages of the Wsetern HanDynasty was put forward as a result of the economic conditions hardly matched to those of Hun, the essence of which was to conquer Hun with means other than military ones over long period of time. As soon as the economy of Central China grew strong enough, the Western Han Dynasty began to send troops to invade Hun and the previously mentioned policy of political...