Some Issues On The History Of Wuhuan

Wuhuan inhabited in northern China from Qin and Han Dynasties to the Period of Wei, Jin and Southern and Northern Dynasties, and they were very influential in Chinese history as an ancient nationality in the historical ethnic area of Donghu nationality and their descendants. As a general name of the tribe, "Wuhuan" appeared for the first time in the Historical Records, and was seen occasionally in history annals in detail or in brief. Generally, it was recorded as "Wuhuan" in the historical documents of Western Han and Eastern Han Dynasties, and as "Wuwan" afterwards as the exclusive title for Wuwan’s descendants. Nevertheless, this name was rarely seen in Chinese historical records after Liao Dynasty History.Wuhuan history is an important part in the national development history of Donghu descendants of northern nationalities. In terms of the regional history and the history of ancient ethnic relations, its research is highly significant for the ancient Chinese history. As to the present status of relatively unsubstantial research, some issues about Wuhuan history need more systematic study and discussion. On the basis of the previous studies, the research made a rethink and new exploration for some issues which was less analyzed before and attempted to put forward an academic viewpoint individually. The literature materials in this dissertation are mainly from historical documents as well as some archaeological materials, and relevant theories and methods are employed such as history, ethnology, historical geography and archaeology.Four chapters can be found in the dissertation.Chapter one made a thorough analysis on the basic historical materials of Wuhuan. One of the main reasons for the failure of consensus and further study in the previous research is the insufficient collection and different analysis of historical documents. During a long period of history, documents about Wuhuan were occasionally seen in various books, and generally its material was relatively decentralized and less systematic. In addition, since historians in dynasties had collected different amounts of materials about Wuhuan and analyzed them with dissimilar choice and from distinct viewpoint, the difference in documents’quality and value is unavoidable, which undoubtedly had a negative effect on the efficient usage of the existing materials. Hence, the first chapter makes a thorough and systematic analysis on the basic historical materials about Wuhuan, and mainly focuses on their existence states in various books, writing background of and the origin of historical materials in order to distinguish their interrelationship in circulation and continuity, and then assess their values to discard the dross and select the essential.Chapter two is on the historical divisions of Wuhuan’s development. Based on the previous study and according to the general historical development tendency of Wuhuan itself, the history was divided into 6 stages to be interpreted in this chapter. Since Tsao Tsao occupied the three counties of Wuhuan, special records about it had never been seen in historical documents and its disappearance remains a historical mystery. About B.C.206 "Wuhuan" appeared in historical materials as a general call for this nationality after Donghu community disintegrated. In A.D.207 the partial integration of Tadun broke up and then the general influence of Wuhuan decreased. The period of about 400 years is very important for its historical development, so the knowledge about the developmental characteristics and rules in this period is the key to the mysterious disappearance of Wuhuan.Chapter three focuses on the multiple economic forms in Wuhuan’s society and it is mainly about their geographical environment, the multiple economic forms fit for it and its historical influence. In the previous study on Wuhuan history, the nationality was generally classified as a tribe dependent on nomadism, or farming and hunting or fishing and hunting. Evidently a consensus hasn’t been reached about the Wuhuan’s economic type. Since it was recorded in the documents of Han Dynasty, the majority of Wuhuan people had inhabited in the northern mountainous regions of YanshanMountain around Laohahe river basin. The research results of environmental archaeology also shows that this region had seen frequent natural evolution as well as the development of material and cultural environment in history. According to the historical records and data of archaeological excavation, Wuhuan nationality flexibly adjusted them to the unique geographical environment, and worked at multiple economic production activities such as stock farming, agriculture, hunting, and handicraft to support themselves and meet the needs of their development. Among them, handicraft industry was specially attached importance to and particularly supervised by an official called "Daren". Hence, its development with metal forging as the leading trade not only provided other economic industries with iron tools, but also offered technical support for the sustainable development of their multiple economic forms.Chapter four has a discussion about "villages" in Wuhuan society focusing on the origin, features, and historical influence of villages in Wuhuan society. According to the Chinese documents, there existed "villages" in Wuhuan society. Previous researchers made a study from the perspectives of social organization, class polarization, social nature and other aspects of villages in Wuhuan society and put forward various viewpoints, which haven’t led to a satisfactory conclusion. After a comprehensive analysis about relevant materials, a conclusion is drawn in this dissertation that "villages" were gradually formed in order to meet the needs of social division of labor and cooperative relationship in the interactive process between Wuhuan people and resources and environment. These "villages" had their own features in the aspects of layout structure, location, economics, and politics and so on. The long-lasting "village" system had a significant impact on the social changes and cultural inheritance and development of Wuhuan society during this specific historical period.