Ep. 248 | The History of Xinjiang (Part 5)

The saga continues, and rather exciting it is becoming…the Göktürks, the Sui Dynasty, Buddhism galore, and lots of historic times to groove on.

In this Part 5 episode, the plot thickens and Xinjiang is getting a facelift. In a few hundred years you will hardly recognize it.

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Terms in Episode

Pinyin/TermChineseEnglish/Meaning
Àixīn Juéluó爱新觉罗Aisin Gioro Clan, the highest ranking among the Manchu's. All Qing Emperors came from this clan
Āshǐnà Tribe阿史那The leading and highest ranking tribe among the Göktürks
Bān Chāo班超32-102 BCE, great Eastern Han Dynasty general
Bān Yǒng班勇Youngest Son of Ban Chao
Cháng’ān长安Present day Xian, in Shaanxi province. Capital of the Western Han, the Tang and a few other dynasties
Dà Táng Xīyù Jì大唐西域记“The Great Tang Records on the Western Regions.”
One of the Five Barbarian tribes of the Northern Eurasian Steppe.
Dōng Tūjúe东突厥The Eastern Turks
Dūnhuáng敦煌City in western Gansu famous for the Mogao Grottos and the treasures carted away by Air Aurel Stein and others
Emperor Yìwǔ懿武帝Founder of the Later Liáng 后凉 Dynasty 386-403
Former Qín前秦朝351-394, One of the Sixteen Kingdom, and a Buddhist loving one at that
Fóguó Jì佛国记“A Record of Buddhist Kingdoms.”
Fǎxiǎn法显Lived 337-402, famous for his pilgrimage to the west between 399 and 412 where he sought out Buddhist scriptures that he might study and bring back to China
Gānsù Province甘肃省Province of Western China. Capital is Lanzhou
Gāochāng高昌Also called Karakhoja, the "Chinese colony" setup where the Jushi Kingdom used to be. Later the site of a Chinese Commandery (郡)
Gūzāng姑臧Capital of the Later Liang Dynasty in Gansu, present day Wuwei
Heavenly King Yáo Xìng天王姚兴Later Qin ruler who reigned 394-416. He preferred to be titled Heavenly King instead of emperor
Huò Qùbìng霍去病140-117 BCE, Great Han general known for his battles and victories in the west of China
Huǒyàn Shān火焰山Flaming Mountains just to the east of Turpan
Héxī Corridor河西走廊Also known as the Gansu Corridor, the main road from westernmost China to the easternmost Tarim Basin where the northern route of the Silk Road began
Jiànkāng建康Capital of several ancient dynasties, located in and around present day Nanjing
Jiūmóluóshí鸠摩罗什Kumārajīva, lived from 344-413
Jūshī车师Located in present day Turpan, once a great and ancient kingdom. Also known as Gūshī 姑師. Will be discussed next episode
Later Liáng Dynasty后凉386-403, One of the Sixteen Kingdoms, founded by Lü Guāng
Later Qín Dynasty后秦384-417, one of the Sixteen Kingdoms, one that particularly embraced Buddhism
Línfén, Shānxī山西临汾Capital of the Legendary Emperor Yao, located in Shanxi province
Lóulán楼兰Known also as Krorän, an ancient kingdom on the north shores of Lop Nor. Loulan was later renamed Shanshan after China took it over
Lǐ Shìmín李世民Along with his father Li Yuan, this great warrior was also known as Emperor Taizong
Lǐ Yuān李渊Founder of the Tang Dynasty, known also as Emperor Taizu
Lǚ Guāng吕光337-400, also known as Emperor Yiwu of Later Liang. Before that he was a general in the Former Qin Army
Northern Wèi北魏386-534, also known as the Tuoba Wei because of the founding Tuoba Clan.
Qiūcí龟兹City in Xinjiang where the Kingdom of Kucha was located
Qín Dynasty秦朝221-206 BCE, China's first imperial dynasty
Qín Shǐhuáng秦始皇259-210 BCE, Founder of the Qin Dynasty
Róurán柔然A Donghu 东胡) Xianbei 鲜卑) tribal confederation whose Khaganate lasted from 330 to 555 CE
Sūn Wùkōng孫悟空The Monkey King character from Journey to the West
Tang Dynasty唐朝One of China's greatest dynasties. Lasted 618-907
Tūjúe突厥The Turks (or Türks)
Tǔlǔfān吐鲁番Turpan (or Turfan)
Wèi Qīng卫青Died in 106 BCE, another great Han general known for his battles and victories in the west of China with Huo Qubing
Wǔhú五胡"The Five Barbarians", name applied to northern steppe nomads who stressed out China from time immemorial
Wǔwēi武威Ancient and historic city in Gansu Province
Xiōngnú匈奴A once powerful confederation of tribes whose empire once stretched from the eastern reaches of the Mongol homeland and into East Central Asia
Xuánzàng玄奘602-664. Seventh century Buddhist pilgrim and adventurer who traveled to India and back
Xī Tūjúe西突厥The Western Turks
Xī Yóu Jì西游记Journey to the West, one of the four great classical novels of China
Xīnjiāng新疆The area that is now contained in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in China. Also known by many names prior to 1884
Xīnjiāng Wéiwú'ěr Zìzhìqū新疆维吾尔自治区Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region
Yáng Jiān杨坚Founder of the Sui Dynasty.
Yèhù叶护Yabgu, a vassal of the Eastern Turkic Khaganate but for all intents and purposes, the Yabgu was the "Khan" of the Western Khaganate
Yīlì Kèhán伊利可汗Bumin Khagan, founder of the Turkic Khaganate
Zhāng Qiān张骞The great Han adventurer who journeyed to the West between 138-126 BCE and whose story is immortalized in ancient Chinese texts

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Ep. 249 | The History of Xinjiang (Part 6)

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Ep. 247 | The History of Xinjiang (Part 4)