Zhelaizhai
Encyclopedia
Zhelaizhai (pinyin
: Zhěláizhài) is a village on the edge of the Gobi in China
. It belongs to Yongchang
county (永昌縣) (Yŏngchāng xiàn), Jinchang
prefecture (金昌市) (Jīnchāng shì), Gansu
province (甘肅省) (Gānsù shěng).
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. It did not become part of Chinese territory until Western Han dynasty conquered this area in 2nd century BC. Until the 1st century BC, it belonged to Fanhe county (番和縣) (Fānhé xiàn), Zhangye prefecture (張掖郡) (Zhāngyè jùn).
In 37 BC, general Chen Tang
(陳湯) (Chén Tāng) of Western Han dynasty attacked Xiongnu
and brought many captives back to China in 36 BC. These captives were given a land to be settled. The place was called Liqian
(驪靬) (Líqián), which is where Zhelaizhai is situated nowadays.
Liqian was split from Fanhe and received the county status in Western Han dynasty. The inhabitants around Liqian were later called Liqian Rong (驪靬戎) (Líqián Róng) or Lushui Hu (盧水胡) (Lúshŭi Hú) in historical records. Several states established by non-Han Chinese have controlled Liqian during the Sixteen Kingdoms
period. Lushui Hu even ruled one of these states, the Northern Liang
, from 401 AD to 439 AD.
The Northern Wei
conquered the Northern Liang. In the coming years, Liqian was ruled by the Northern Wei, the Western Wei
, the Northern Zhou
, and then the Sui
dynasty, which reunified China in 589. Liqian county was merged into Fanhe county again in about 592.
dynasty scholar Hui Dong (惠棟) (Hùi Dòng) in his book The Supplementary Gloss on the Book of the Later Han (後漢書補注) (Hòu Hànshū Bŭzhù) stated:
Liqian county was created for the surrendered Liqian people.
(驪靬縣，本以驪靬降人置。)
Some scholars think that Liqian was the name for the Ancient Rome
in ancient China. Many inhabitants of Zhelaizhai show some physical traits of the Caucasians. For example, some inhabitants have lighter hair colors, and some have blue or green eyes. The inhabitants practice bullfighting and have some other customs relative to the bulls. There is a theory suggesting that the inhabitants of modern Zhelaizhai are descendants of the soldiers of a missing ancient Roman legion.
In 54 BC, Marcus Licinius Crassus
led seven legions in an attempt to conquer Parthia
. In June 53 BC, he was defeated in the Battle of Carrhae
at Carrhae (modern Harran
in Turkey
). Crassus was decapitated, and more than 20,000 Roman soldiers were killed. However, more than 10,000 Roman soldiers were made prisoners.
Most of the prisoners were enslaved. However, the Parthians reserved some. The rest of the prisoners were sent to the extreme eastern part of Parthia, around the Amu Darya
region, to keep fighting for the Parthians in exchange for not being executed or enslaved. When the Romans and the Parthians reached peace in 20 BC, there was an exchange of prisoners, but the whereabouts of the captured Roman legion has been lost.
The proposed theory was that, afterwards, some of the lost Roman legionaries fought for Kangju
as mercenaries. Around 40 BC, Kangju lent these mercenaries to one of the Xiongnu leaders, Zhizhi Chanyu
(or Zhizhi Shanyu) (郅支單于) (Zhìzhī Cháyú or Zhìzhī Shànyú). China attacked Zhizhi Chanyu in 37 BC, and the lost Roman legion was defeated by Chen Tang at the fortress of Zhizhi (郅支) (Zhìzhī) (in modern Kazakhstan
) in 36 BC. The captives were brought to China, settled in Liqian, and became the ancestors of the inhabitants of the modern Zhelaizhai. Zhelaizhai got much attention from international media and researchers because of the theory.
Pinyin
Pinyin is the official system to transcribe Chinese characters into the Roman alphabet in China, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan. It is also often used to teach Mandarin Chinese and spell Chinese names in foreign publications and used as an input method to enter Chinese characters into...
: Zhěláizhài) is a village on the edge of the Gobi in China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
. It belongs to Yongchang
Yongchang County
Yongchang County is a county located in the province of Gansu in China. It belongs to the prefecture of Jinchang. The ancient North Silk Road passes through Yongchang County; numerous Han envoys were sent west along this trackway, some parties exceeding 100 members late in the first millennium BC...
county (永昌縣) (Yŏngchāng xiàn), Jinchang
Jinchang
Jinchang is a prefecture-level city in China's Gansu province.-Geography and climate:Jinchang City is located in central Gansu province, west of the Yellow River, north of the Qilian Mountains, and south of the Alashan Plateau. The southwest of the city borders Qinghai Province and the northwest...
prefecture (金昌市) (Jīnchāng shì), Gansu
Gansu
' is a province located in the northwest of the People's Republic of China.It lies between the Tibetan and Huangtu plateaus, and borders Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, and Ningxia to the north, Xinjiang and Qinghai to the west, Sichuan to the south, and Shaanxi to the east...
province (甘肅省) (Gānsù shěng).
History
Zhelaizhai lies in the Hexi CorridorHexi Corridor
Hexi Corridor or Gansu Corridor refers to the historical route in Gansu province of China. As part of the Northern Silk Road running northwest from the bank of the Yellow River, it was the most important route from North China to the Tarim Basin and Central Asia for traders and the military. The...
. It did not become part of Chinese territory until Western Han dynasty conquered this area in 2nd century BC. Until the 1st century BC, it belonged to Fanhe county (番和縣) (Fānhé xiàn), Zhangye prefecture (張掖郡) (Zhāngyè jùn).
In 37 BC, general Chen Tang
Chen Tang
Chen Tang , born in Jining, Shandong, was famous for his battle against Zhizhi in 36 BC , and a quote 夫胡兵五而当汉兵一 "a single soldier of Han is equivalent to five Central Asian soldiers"....
(陳湯) (Chén Tāng) of Western Han dynasty attacked Xiongnu
Xiongnu
The Xiongnu were ancient nomadic-based people that formed a state or confederation north of the agriculture-based empire of the Han Dynasty. Most of the information on the Xiongnu comes from Chinese sources...
and brought many captives back to China in 36 BC. These captives were given a land to be settled. The place was called Liqian
Liqian village
Liqian is a defunct county in today's northern province of Gansu in China. Today, the ancient Liqian city is situated in a village called Zhelaizhai.The area of the former Liqian city is known for its inhabitants...
(驪靬) (Líqián), which is where Zhelaizhai is situated nowadays.
Liqian was split from Fanhe and received the county status in Western Han dynasty. The inhabitants around Liqian were later called Liqian Rong (驪靬戎) (Líqián Róng) or Lushui Hu (盧水胡) (Lúshŭi Hú) in historical records. Several states established by non-Han Chinese have controlled Liqian during the Sixteen Kingdoms
Sixteen Kingdoms
The Sixteen Kingdoms, or less commonly the Sixteen States, were a collection of numerous short-lived sovereign states in China proper and its neighboring areas from 304 to 439 AD after the retreat of the Jin Dynasty to South China and before the establishment of the Northern Dynasties...
period. Lushui Hu even ruled one of these states, the Northern Liang
Northern Liang
The Northern Liang was a state of the Sixteen Kingdoms in China. It was founded by the Xiongnu Juqu family, although they initially supported the Han official Duan Ye as prince, they overthrew him in 401 and took over themselves....
, from 401 AD to 439 AD.
The Northern Wei
Northern Wei
The Northern Wei Dynasty , also known as the Tuoba Wei , Later Wei , or Yuan Wei , was a dynasty which ruled northern China from 386 to 534 . It has been described as "part of an era of political turbulence and intense social and cultural change"...
conquered the Northern Liang. In the coming years, Liqian was ruled by the Northern Wei, the Western Wei
Western Wei
The Western Wei Dynasty followed the disintegration of the Northern Wei, and ruled northern China from 535 to 556.After the Xianbei general Yuwen Tai killed the Northern Wei emperor Yuan Xiu, he installed Yuan Baoju as emperor of Western Wei while Yuwen Tai would remain as the virtual ruler...
, the Northern Zhou
Northern Zhou
The Northern Zhou Dynasty followed the Western Wei, and ruled northern China from 557 to 581. It was overthrown by the Sui Dynasty.Northern Zhou's basis of power was established by Yuwen Tai, who was paramount general of Western Wei, following the split of Northern Wei into Western Wei and...
, and then the Sui
Sui Dynasty
The Sui Dynasty was a powerful, but short-lived Imperial Chinese dynasty. Preceded by the Southern and Northern Dynasties, it ended nearly four centuries of division between rival regimes. It was followed by the Tang Dynasty....
dynasty, which reunified China in 589. Liqian county was merged into Fanhe county again in about 592.
Hypothetical Relationship with the Ancient Rome
The QingQing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
dynasty scholar Hui Dong (惠棟) (Hùi Dòng) in his book The Supplementary Gloss on the Book of the Later Han (後漢書補注) (Hòu Hànshū Bŭzhù) stated:
Liqian county was created for the surrendered Liqian people.
(驪靬縣，本以驪靬降人置。)
Some scholars think that Liqian was the name for the Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
in ancient China. Many inhabitants of Zhelaizhai show some physical traits of the Caucasians. For example, some inhabitants have lighter hair colors, and some have blue or green eyes. The inhabitants practice bullfighting and have some other customs relative to the bulls. There is a theory suggesting that the inhabitants of modern Zhelaizhai are descendants of the soldiers of a missing ancient Roman legion.
Marcus Licinius Crassus
Marcus Licinius Crassus was a Roman general and politician who commanded the right wing of Sulla's army at the Battle of the Colline Gate, suppressed the slave revolt led by Spartacus, provided political and financial support to Julius Caesar and entered into the political alliance known as the...
led seven legions in an attempt to conquer Parthia
Parthia
Parthia is a region of north-eastern Iran, best known for having been the political and cultural base of the Arsacid dynasty, rulers of the Parthian Empire....
. In June 53 BC, he was defeated in the Battle of Carrhae
Battle of Carrhae
The Battle of Carrhae, fought in 53 BC near the town of Carrhae, was a major battle between the Parthian Empire and the Roman Republic. The Parthian Spahbod Surena decisively defeated a Roman invasion force led by Marcus Licinius Crassus...
at Carrhae (modern Harran
Harran
Harran was a major ancient city in Upper Mesopotamia whose site is near the modern village of Altınbaşak, Turkey, 24 miles southeast of Şanlıurfa...
in Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
). Crassus was decapitated, and more than 20,000 Roman soldiers were killed. However, more than 10,000 Roman soldiers were made prisoners.
Most of the prisoners were enslaved. However, the Parthians reserved some. The rest of the prisoners were sent to the extreme eastern part of Parthia, around the Amu Darya
Amu Darya
The Amu Darya , also called Oxus and Amu River, is a major river in Central Asia. It is formed by the junction of the Vakhsh and Panj rivers...
region, to keep fighting for the Parthians in exchange for not being executed or enslaved. When the Romans and the Parthians reached peace in 20 BC, there was an exchange of prisoners, but the whereabouts of the captured Roman legion has been lost.
The proposed theory was that, afterwards, some of the lost Roman legionaries fought for Kangju
Kangju
Kangju was the name of an ancient people and kingdom in Central Asia. It was a nomadic federation of unknown ethnic and linguistic origin which became for a couple of centuries the second greatest power in Transoxiana after the Yuezhi....
as mercenaries. Around 40 BC, Kangju lent these mercenaries to one of the Xiongnu leaders, Zhizhi Chanyu
Zhizhi Chanyu
Zhizhi Chanyu was a Chanyu of the Xiongnu at the time of the first Xiongnu civil war, who held the north and west in contention with his younger brother Huhanye who held the south. His original name in Chinese transcription was Luanti Hutuwusi, i.e...
(or Zhizhi Shanyu) (郅支單于) (Zhìzhī Cháyú or Zhìzhī Shànyú). China attacked Zhizhi Chanyu in 37 BC, and the lost Roman legion was defeated by Chen Tang at the fortress of Zhizhi (郅支) (Zhìzhī) (in modern Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Ranked as the ninth largest country in the world, it is also the world's largest landlocked country; its territory of is greater than Western Europe...
) in 36 BC. The captives were brought to China, settled in Liqian, and became the ancestors of the inhabitants of the modern Zhelaizhai. Zhelaizhai got much attention from international media and researchers because of the theory.