National Institute of Informatics - Digital Silk Road Project
Digital Archive of Toyo Bunko Rare Books

sword at his disposal. This was the young general Ho Ch'ü-ping, whose illustrious
name has never faded in the historical books of the Chinese. In a three year cam-
paign, between 121 and 119 B. C., he wrested north-western Kansu from the
Huns.

In order to make the exposed Kansu corridor secure against the inroads of the
nomads, very extensive fortifications were constructed. The Great Wall was ex-
tended to a point north-west of Tun-huang. Several military garrisons were found-
ed, and along the Edsen-gol¹ valley, which afforded the easiest approach for attack
from the north, the Chinese caused the building of walls, signal towers and fort-
resses, and these were also garrisoned. This was the district of Chü-yen where I was
fortunate enough to discover, in 1930—31, a large number of Han records on wood.

What had been a road of invasion for the Huns since the expulsion of the Yüeh-
chih now became a road of expansion for the Chinese.

Though China still had to suffer from Hsiung-nu inroads during several cent-
uries, it was this strong and active anti-Hun policy of Emperor Wu which started
the downfall of the Hsiung-nu power in Asia.

Chang Ch'ien's mission to Central Asia has received its due credit from all
students dealing with the early inter-relation between China and the West. When
this famous ambassador returned from his eventful journey to the Chinese capital
in B. C. 126 or 125 he was full of surprising news about rich foreign countries in
the west, whose existence had until then been unknown to the Chinese. A whole
new world now lay open to the powerful Emperor Wu. After this the fighting
down of the Huns was not only a question of pacifying the frontiers. It acquired a
deeper significance. Until then the frontiers had for the Chinese represented the
end of the civilized world. But Chang Ch'ien's report spoke of many rich count-
ries behind the fringe of barbaric tribes surrounding China, and the hope of open-
ing relations with these far off countries accelerated the campaign against the
Huns.

Especially the tales of the 'blood-sweating' horses of Ferghana seem to have
aroused the particular curiosity of Emperor Wu, and he did not hesitate to dis-
patch two very expensive military expeditions across the vast distances of Central
Asia with the sole object (at least so it is said) of bringing back those famous
steeds. By means of equipping his cavalry with superior horses the Emperor hoped
to beat the Hsiung-nu nomads at their own tactics. After the success of the second
expedition to Ferghana the prestige of the Chinese was firmly established along the
routes through Central Asia, and it was followed by a remarkable development of
trade. The quest of the strange, coupled with mercantile interests, drew Chinese