National Institute of Informatics - Digital Silk Road Project
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Citation Information

Collection Information

XI-3-A-b-53

Title 前漢書 English Title Historical Records of the Former Han Dynasty Description The corpus of Twenty-Four Histories, the 49-year Wuyingdian edition which was published in the 4th year of Qianlong(1739), with notes by Yan Shi's of the Tang period. Year of Publication 1739 Location of Publication China Volume Information Vol. 94 bottom, No. 64 bottom ; Vol. 95, No. 65 bottom ; Vol. 96 top, No. 66 top ; Vol. 96 bottom, No. 66 bottom ISO639-1 Chinese ISO639-3 zho

Volume Information

XI-3-A-b-53 > V-94-2

Title 前漢書 English Title Hanshu : History of the Former Han Dynasty Subtitle 匈奴伝 第64下 English Subtitle Accounts of the Xiongnu No.64 bottom Volume vol.94 bottom Author Ban Gu Description "Accounts of the Xiongnu", Historical Records of the Former Han Dynasty. Published in the Qing period. In a letter which he sent to Han Emperor Xiaowen, the Xiongnu chief Modu declared that he had subjugated Yuezhi, Loulan, Wusun, Hujie, and another 26 kingdoms on their periphery, and made them part of his domain. This meant that the Silk Road routes from the Hexi area to the Tarim Basin were almost completely controlled by the Xiongnu. The Account also contains the first mention of the legendary kingdom of Loulan in a historical chronicle. Year of Publication 1739 Measurements (cm) 28x18

XI-3-A-b-53 > V-95

Title 前漢書 English Title Hanshu : History of the Former Han Dynasty Subtitle 西南夷両粤朝鮮伝 第65 English Subtitle Biography of Yunnan, Nanyue, Dongyue and Korea No.65 Volume vol.95 Author Ban Gu Description "Biography of Yunnan, Nanyue, Dongyue and Korea", Historical Records of the Former Han period. Published in the Qing period. During his stay in Daxia, Zhang Qian saw bamboo canes from Qiong and silk cloth from Shu (both in present-day Sichuan Province). When he asked where these goods had come from, he was told that they had been brought by Bactrian merchants who had gotten them from India. From this, he concluded that India was not very far from Shu. He consequently suggested to Emperor Wu that it would be the only way going to Xi Nan rather than Shu without being menaced by the Qiang and the Xiongnu if he went southwest to serve Daxia. Year of Publication 1739 Measurements (cm) 28x18

XI-3-A-b-53 > V-96-1

Title 前漢書 English Title Hanshu : History of the Former Han Dynasty Subtitle 西域伝 第66上 English Subtitle Geographical Accounts of the Western Area No.66 top Volume vol.96 top Author Ban Gu Description "Geographical accounts of the western area", Historical records of the Former Han period. Published in the Qing period. This chapter of the "Hanshu" contains the first appearance of the term "Xiyi" (Western Area), and profiles the kingdoms west of China. Geographically, it describes the area as bounded by high mountains on the north and south, bisected by a river, and measuring more than 6,000 leagues east and west and more than 1,000 leagues north and south. This characterization clearly applies to the Tarim Basin, i.e., Eastern Turkestan. However, the accounts treat not only the kingdoms in this territory but also those in Western Turkestan as well as India and Iran. The Hans gradually made headway in their campaigns against the Xiongnu, and Emperor Wu swiftly established the four outposts of Jiuquan, Wuwei, Zhangye, and Dunhuang in the Hexi corridor, thereby securing the Han's hold on the most vital artery of the Silk Road for the first time. The accounts include the kingdoms of Shanshan, Dayuezhi, and Dayuan (Ferghana). Year of Publication 1739 Measurements (cm) 28x18

XI-3-A-b-53 > V-96-2

Title 前漢書 巻96下 English Title Hanshu : History of the Former Han Dynasty Subtitle 西域伝 第66下 English Subtitle Geographical accounts of the western area No. 66 bottom Volume vol.96 bottom Author Ban Gu Description Geographical accounts of the western area, Historical records of the Former Han period. Published in the Qing period. Zhang Qian advised Emperor Wu to make an alliance with the kingdom of Wusun for the purpose of putting a complete halt to Xiongnu invasions of the Western Area. In response, Emperor Wu dispatched a mission to Wusun, and vice-envoys were sent from there to the kingdoms of Dayuan (Ferghana), Kangju, Yuezhi, and Daxia. In addition, the king of Wusun was given Xijun, the daughter of the ruler of Jiangdu, to be his princess, and relations were established with the other kingdoms visited by the vice-envoys. It was around this time that Li Guangli made his famed expedition to Dayuan. Eager to get his hands on its fabled steeds, which legend had it would run so long and fast that they began to sweat blood, Emperor Wu gave an envoy a lot of gold and prize mounts, and ordered him to buy the horses. Unfortunately, the king of Dayuan, who looked down on the Hans, ridiculed his "insolence" and ultimately had him murdered and robbed of his property. In a rage, Emperor Wu immediately ordered an expedition against Dayuan, and picked Li, the older brother of his favorite concubine, to command it. Li set out for Dayuan with a force of some 6,000 cavalry from vassal states and tens of thousands of troops from other kingdoms. Year of Publication 1739 Measurements (cm) 28x18

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