DOCSLIB.ORG

Rethinking China's Frontier: Archaeological Finds Show the Hexi Corridor's Rapid Emergence As a Regional Power

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Rethinking China's Frontier: Archaeological Finds Show the Hexi Corridor's Rapid Emergence As a Regional Power humanities Article Rethinking China’s Frontier: Archaeological Finds Show the Hexi Corridor’s Rapid Emergence as a Regional Power Heather Clydesdale Department of Art and Art History, Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, CA 95053, USA; [email protected] Received: 7 May 2018; Accepted: 22 June 2018; Published: 23 June 2018 Abstract: The Chinese government’s expansion of infrastructure in Gansu province has led to the discovery of a number of important ancient tombs in the Hexi Corridor, a thousand kilometer stretch of the Silk Roads linking China to Central Asia. This study investigates recent finds in the context of older excavations to draw a more cohesive picture of the dramatic cultural and political changes on China’s western frontier in the Wei-Jin period (220–317 CE). A survey of archaeological reports and an analysis of tomb distribution along with structural and decorative complexity indicate that after the fall of the Han dynasty (206 BCE–220 CE), the nexus of regional power shifted from the eastern Hexi Corridor to Jiuquan and Dunhuang in the west. This phenomenon was related in the rise of magnate families, who emerged from Han dynasty soldier-farmer colonies and helped catalyze the region’s transformation from a military outpost to a semi-autonomous, prosperous haven that absorbed cultural influences from multiple directions. This dynamism, in turn, set the stage for the Hexi Corridor’s ascent as a center of Buddhist art in the fifth and sixth centuries. Keywords: Silk Roads; Hexi Corridor; Dunhuang; Jiuquan; Han dynasty; Wei-Jin period; Northern Dynasties; tomb; art; China 1. Piecing Together a Regional Picture of the Past At the turn of the millennium, the Chinese government launched its Great Western Development Strategy to spearhead economic development and lift living standards in the western part of the country. In Gansu 甘肃 province, this initiative spurred the construction of high-speed railways, freeways, airports, and gas pipelines and, as this infrastructure has expanded across deserts and mountains, archaeological sites have been unearthed at an unprecedented pace along the Silk Roads thoroughfare known as the Hexi Corridor (Hexi Zoulang ³西pÊ). This rush to the future, in fact, has revitalized the commitment to exploring the past as the central government along with provincial and local cultural bureaus support research and display artifacts in palatial museums. Even while new excavations have been studied in isolation or small groups, the work of integrating them with older excavations to form a regional picture of the Hexi Corridor remains incomplete. This study investigates recent finds in the context of older excavations to better understand the Hexi Corridor’s sudden transformation from a frontier outpost in the Han I dynasty (206 BCE–220 CE) to a prosperous and largely autonomous region in the tumultuous Wei-Jin OK period (220–317 CE), when northern China was subject first to the kingdom of Wei O (220–66) and then to the Western Jin K dynasty (266–317). A survey of archaeological reports and an analysis of tomb distribution along with structural and decorative complexity indicate that dramatic social and political changes coincided with the shift of regional power from the eastern Hexi Corridor to Jiuquan and Dunhuang in the west. In these two locations, vibrant artistic centers materialized and these were pivotal to the region’s ascent as a Humanities 2018, 7, 63; doi:10.3390/h7030063 www.mdpi.com/journal/humanities Humanities 2018, 7, x FOR PEER REVIEW 2 of 11 pivotal to the region’s ascent as a center of Buddhist art in subsequent centuries during the Sixteen StatesHumanities (Shiliu 2018Guo, 7 ,十六国 63 304–439) and Northern Dynasties (Bei Chao 北朝 386–581) periods.2 of 11 2. Readingcenter ofthe Buddhist Archaeological art in subsequent Record centuries in the duringHexi Corridor the Sixteen States (Shiliu Guo Am国 304–439) and Northern Dynasties (Bei Chao 北朝 386–581) periods. The Hexi Corridor is a natural bridge connecting the Chinese heartland (zhongyuan 中原)1 (Dien 2007, 2.p. Reading 80) to the both Archaeological Central Asia Record and in thethe Hexi eastern Corridor Eurasian Steppe. Its topography forced the convergenceThe of Hexi a network Corridor of is atrade natural routes bridge today connecting referred the to Chinese as the heartland Silk Roads. (zhongyuan Stretching-原 )nearly1 one thousand(Dien kilometers 2007, p. 80) from to both Wuwei Central 武威 Asia in and the the southeast, eastern Eurasian through Steppe. Zhangye Its topography 张掖 and forced Jiuquan 酒泉 to Dunhuangthe convergence 敦煌 ofat athe network far northwest of trade routes end, todaythe Hexi referred Corridor to as the is pressed Silk Roads. between Stretching the nearly harsh climates of theone Qinghai thousand-Tibet kilometers Plateau from (Qingzang Wuwei f 威Gaoyuanin the southeast, 青藏高原 through) to the Zhangye southwest 掖 and and Jiuquan the GobiR泉 Desert to fL the northeastto Dunhuang (Figure 1).at the A farrain northwest shadow end, cast the by Hexi the CorridorHimalayas is pressed on the between southern the harshedge climates of the plateau is of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (Qingzang Gaoyuan RÏ高原) to the southwest and the Gobi Desert to responsiblethe northeast for the (Figure arid 1climate). A rain of shadow the Gobi cast Desert, by the Himalayas which extends on the southern across the edge northern of the plateau border is of China. The Hexiresponsible Corridor, for the however, arid climate was of theinviting Gobi Desert, to settlers which and extends wayfarers across the in northern part because border of the China. runoff from the escThearpment Hexi Corridor, of the however,Qinghai was-Tibet inviting Plateau to settlers irrigates and wayfarers a string inof part oases. because Since the the runoff Han from dynasty, the these were escarpmentconnected ofalong the Qinghai-Tibet the path of Plateaumilitary irrigates expansion, a string settlement, of oases. Since and the trade. Han dynasty, these were connected along the path of military expansion, settlement, and trade. Figure 1. Oasis cities of the Hexi Corridor in Gansu province.2 Figure 1. Oasis cities of the Hexi Corridor in Gansu province.2 The dry climate and, until recently, lack of industrial development has left the archeological Therecord dry in theclimate Hexi Corridor and, until remarkably recently, intact, lack providing of industrial a breadth development of data difficult tohas match left elsewherethe archeological recordin in China. the Hexi It allows Corridor for close remarkably inspection of intact, the placement providing and designa breadth of graveyards, of data asdifficult well as to match elsewherethe relationship in China. betweenIt allows aboveground for close inspection and subterranean of the placement plans. This enablesand design broad of comparisons graveyards, as well as theto relationship be made and between conclusions aboveground about historical and patterns subterranean to be drawn. plans Relying. This onenables the archaeological broad comparisons record, however, has some inherent limitations. First, the excavations to date are not a representative to be samplingmade and of theconclusions vast pool of about sites. Eachhistorical was usually patterns identified to be by drawn. chance, commonlyRelying on in thethe coursearchaeological recordof, however, building (though has some at least inherent one tomb limitations. was discovered First, after the localexcavations police arrested to date modern-day are not a representative tomb sampling of the vast pool of sites. Each was usually identified by chance, commonly in the course of building (though at least one tomb was discovered after local police arrested modern-day tomb raiders1 attemptingDefined as the middle to sell Yellow its Riverpainted Basin and bricks neighboring on the areas. black market) (Shi 1997, p. 44). Often, a cursory 2 Maps, drawings, and photographs by H. Clydesdale. examination of a large number of tomb mounds determines which ones will be subject to thorough excavations. This means that, while the archaeological record does not reflect a scientific sampling, it is not entirely random. 1 Defined as the middle Yellow River Basin and neighboring areas. 2 Maps, drawings, and photographs by H. Clydesdale. Humanities 2018, 7, 63 3 of 11 Humanitiesraiders attempting 2018, 7, x FOR to PEER sell REVIEW its painted bricks on the black market) (Shi 1997, p. 44). Often, a cursory3 of 11 examination of a large number of tomb mounds determines which ones will be subject to thorough excavations.Of the excavated This means sites, that, many while have the detailed archaeological reports that record measure, does not describe, reflect catalog, a scientific and sampling, diagram architecture,it is not entirely decoration, random. and burial goods. Over the last decade, archaeologists have been increasinglyOf the excavated diligent sites,in describing many have aboveground detailed reports features that measure, and formations describe, catalog,of tombs, and but diagram this informationarchitecture, in decoration, earlier reports andburial is inconsistent. goods. Over Since the burials last decade, are vulnerable archaeologists to vandalism, have been theft, increasingly and the elements,diligent in and describing because aboveground of the ongoi featuresng expansion and formations of residential, of tombs, commercial, but this information agricultural, in earlier and industrialreports is zones, inconsistent. the archaeological Since burials report are isvulnerable often the
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Out of the Ord Ary Tours for Everyone
    Explore Asia 2017 - 2018 Out of the ordary Tours for everyone Great Outdoors · Local Customs · Charming Hospitality · Traditional Cooking · Stimulating Art · Intriguing Architecture 2 map asia & content Beijing 1 The Bayan Atu Eco Trail >> pages 4–5 Zhangye 6 CHINA 2 The Colours of Mekong Culture Mekong (Lancang) River >> pages 6–7 3 The Banyuwangi Explorer >> pages 8–9 MYANMAR 4 The Magic of Southern Laos Bagan philippine sea >> pages 10–11 LAOS 8 5 LuangPrabang Hanoi 5 Community-Based Tourism at Loei 2 Tamarind Lake Village Yangon 4 >> pages 12–13 THAILAND Pakse 7 vietnam Bangkok 6 The Brilliance of Danxia Siem Reap south Geographic Park china CAMBODIA sea >> pages 14–15 Ho Chi Minh City 7 Glamping in the Lost City of Mahendraparvata >> pages 16–17 MALAYSIA Kuala Lumpur MALAYSIA 8 The Secrets of Ha Giang Kuching 1 >> page 18–19 indian ocean INDONESIA INDONESIA Jakarta 3 Banyuwangi introduction 3 OUT OF THE OR DINA RY TOURS FOR EV ERYONE Our programmes take individuals and small groups in an exciting new travel direction and provide unique, out of the ordinary experiences. Our guests can achieve a truly authentic and sustainable travel experience in the great, wide outdoors. We cater for those with a passion for indigenous customs and culture; charming hospitality; flavoursome and traditional cooking; stimulating ethnic art; and intriguing architecture. come explore with us. 4 malaysia • 2017 - 2018 The Bayan Atu Eco Trail Highlights › Set foot into unchartered rainforest territory within easy distance of Kuching › Hike to amazing waterfalls through lush jungles directed by expert local guides › Kayak to hidden off-the-beaten track beauty spots Hidden deep in the Malaysian state day 1, Kuching – Bengoh Dam dip in one of these pools.
    [Show full text]
  • 2.20 Gansu Province
    2.20 Gansu Province Gansu Provincial Prison Enterprise Group, affiliated with Gansu Provincial Prison Administration Bureau,1 has 18 prison enterprises Legal representative of the prison company: Liu Yan, general manager of Gansu Prison Enterprise Group2 His official positions in the prison system: Deputy director of Gansu Provincial Prison Administration Bureau No. Company Name of the Legal Person Legal Registered Business Scope Company Notes on the Prison Name Prison, to which and representative/ Title Capital Address the Company Shareholder(s) Belongs 1 Gansu Gansu Provincial Gansu Liu Yan 803 million Wholesale and retail of machinery 222 Jingning The Gansu Provincial Prison Provincial Prison Provincial Deputy director of yuan and equipment (excluding sedans), Road, Administration Bureau is Gansu Province’s Prison Administration Prison Gansu Provincial building materials, chemical Chengguan functional department that manages the Enterprise Bureau Administration Prison products, agricultural and sideline District, prisons in the entire province. It is in charge Group Bureau Administration products (excluding grain Lanzhou City of the works of these prisons. It is at the Bureau; general wholesale); wholesale and retail of deputy department level, and is managed by manager of Gansu daily necessities the Justice Department of Gansu Province.4 Prison Enterprise Group3 2 Gansu Dingxi Prison of Gansu Qiao Zhanying 16 million Manufacturing and sale of high-rise 1 Jiaoyu Dingxi Prison of Gansu Province6 was Dingqi Gansu Province Provincial Member of the yuan and long-span buildings, bridges, Avenue, established in May 1952. Its original name Steel Prison Communist Party marine engineering steel structures, An’ding was the Gansu Provincial Fourth Labor Structure Enterprise Committee and large boiler steel frames, District, Dingxi Reform Detachment.
    [Show full text]
  • Mammalia: Bovidae) from the Late Miocene Qingyang Area, Gansu, China
    Palaeontologia Electronica palaeo-electronica.org “Gazella” (Mammalia: Bovidae) from the late Miocene Qingyang area, Gansu, China Yikun Li, Qinqin Shi, Shaokun Chen, and Tao Deng ABSTRACT The rich collection from the late Miocene sediments from the Qingyang area, Gansu, China was discovered by E. Licent in the 1920s, and previous studies focused on the equids and hyaenids whereas little attention was given to the accompanying bovid material. The collection of Bovidae dug up from the Qingyang area and pre- served at Musée Hoangho Paiho, Tianjin, China, is dominated by “Gazella”. We describe and identify two species: “Gazella” paotehensis and “G.” dorcadoides. The nomenclatural issues surrounding those two species of gazelles are reviewed in this paper, and although the questionable mandible illustrated by Teilhard de Chardin and Young in 1931 may be excluded from “G.” paotehensis metrically and morphologically, the species is still considered valid. The subcomplete cranium M 3956, kept at Uppsala Universitet Evolutionsmuseet and studied by B. Bohlin, is selected here as the neotype of “G.” paotehensis, and emended diagnoses are given. Based on previous studies and insights from new material from the Qingyang area, we provide a table summarizing diagnostic morphological characters of “G.” paotehensis and “G.” dorcadoides. Yikun Li. Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100044, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Berlin 10115, Germany. [email protected] Qinqin Shi. Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100044, China.
    [Show full text]
  • World Bank Document
    Gansu Revitalization and Innovation Project: Procurement Plan Annex: Procurement Plan Procurement Plan of Gansu Revitalization and Innovation Project April 24, 2019 Public Disclosure Authorized Project information: Country: The People’s Republic of China Borrower: The People’s Republic of China Project Name: Gansu Revitalization and Innovation Project Loan/Credit No: Project ID: P158215 Project Implementation Agency (PIA): Gansu Financial Holding Group Co. Ltd (line of credit PPMO) will be responsible for microcredit management under Component 1. Gansu Provincial Culture and Tourism Department (culture and tourism PPMO) will be responsible for Component 2 and 3. The culture and Public Disclosure Authorized tourism PPMO will be centrally responsible for overseeing, coordinating, and training its cascaded PIUs at lower levels for subproject management. Both PPMOs will be responsible for liaison with the provincial PLG, municipal PLGs, and the World Bank on all aspects of project management, fiduciary, safeguards, and all other areas. The project will be implemented by eight project implementation units (PIUs) in the respective cities/districts/counties under the four prefecture municipalities. They are: Qin’an County Culture and Tourism Bureau, Maiji District Culture and Tourism Bureau, Wushan County Culture and Tourism Bureau, Lintao County Culture and Tourism Bureau, Tongwei County Culture and Tourism Bureau, Ganzhou District Culture and Tourism Bureau, Jiuquan City Culture and Tourism Bureau and Dunhuang City Culture and Tourism Bureau. Name of Components PIUs Gansu Financial Holding Group Co. Ltd (line of credit Public Disclosure Authorized PPMO). GFHG is designated as the wholesaler FI to handle Component 1. Under the direct oversight and Component 1: Increased Access to Financial management of the line of credit PPMO (GFHG), Bank Services for MSEs of Gansu is designated as the 1st participating financial institution (PFI) to handle micro- and small credit transactions.
    [Show full text]
  • Analysis of the Hydrological System of Hexi Corridor, Gansu Province
    The Hydrological Basis for Water Resources Management (Proceedings of the Beijing Symposium, October 1990). IAHS Publ. no. 197,1990. Analysis of the hydrological system of Hexi Corridor, Gansu Province CHEN MENGXIONG Ministry of Geology and Mineral Resources, Beijing 100812, China Abstract There are three major drainage systems in the Hexi Corridor, known as the Shiyangho, the Heiho and the Suleho, running from east to west, respectively. Each drainage system usually involves two or three basins connected with each other from the upper reach to the lower reach, to form a complete hydrological system. This paper gives a detailed analysis of the configuration of the hydrological system, dealing particularly with the relationships between the surface water system, the groundwater system, the water balance and the variation of the groundwater regime, as well as with the interaction of surface water and groundwater in water resources exploitation. Analyses du système hydrologique du Corridor de Hexi, Gansu Résumé Dans le Corridor de Hexi existent respectivement, de l'est à l'ouest, trois systèmes importants de drainage nommés Shiyangho, Heiho et Suleho. Chacun de ces trois systèmes com­ porte généralement deux ou trois bassins interconnectés l'un à l'autre et de l'amont à l'aval pour former un système hydrologique complet. Cet article présente des analyses détaillées sur la con­ figuration du système hydrologique, en particulier, sur les relations entre le système d'eau de surface et celui des eaux souterraines, le bilan hydrologique, les variations de régime de l'eau souterraine, ainsi que l'interaction des eaux de surface et des eaux souterraines dans l'exploitation des ressources en eau.
    [Show full text]
  • Issues and Potential Solutions to the Clean Heating Project in Rural Gansu
    sustainability Article Issues and Potential Solutions to the Clean Heating Project in Rural Gansu Dehu Qv 1,* , Xiangjie Duan 1, Jijin Wang 2, Caiqin Hou 1, Gang Wang 1, Fengxi Zhou 1,* and Shaoyong Li 1,* 1 Department of Building Environment and Energy Application Engineering, School of Civil Engineering, Lanzhou University of Technology, Lanzhou 730050, China; [email protected] (X.D.); [email protected] (C.H.); [email protected] (G.W.) 2 School of Architecture, Harbin Institute of Technology, Key Laboratory of Cold Region Urban and Rural Human Settlement Environment Science and Technology, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Harbin 150090, China; [email protected] * Correspondence: [email protected] (D.Q.); [email protected] (F.Z.); [email protected] (S.L.); Tel.: +86-931-2973715 (D.Q.) Abstract: Rural clean heating project (RCHP) in China aims to increase flexibility in the rural energy system, enhance the integration of renewable energy and distributed generation, and reduce environmental impact. While RCHP-enabling routes have been studied from a technical perspective, the economic, ecological, regulatory, and policy dimensions of RCHP are yet to be analysed in depth, especially in the underdeveloped areas in China. This paper discusses RCHP in rural Gansu using a multi-dimensional approach. We first focus on the current issues and challenges of RCHP in rural Gansu. Then the RCHP-enabling areas are briefly zoned into six typical regions based on the resource distribution in Gansu Province, and a matching framework of RCHP is recommended. Then we focus on the economics and sustainability of RCHP-enabling technologies. Based on the medium-term assessment of RCHP in the demonstration provinces, various technical schemes and routes are analysed and compared in order to determine which should be adopted in rural Gansu.
    [Show full text]
  • Religion in China BKGA 85 Religion Inchina and Bernhard Scheid Edited by Max Deeg Major Concepts and Minority Positions MAX DEEG, BERNHARD SCHEID (EDS.)
    Religions of foreign origin have shaped Chinese cultural history much stronger than generally assumed and continue to have impact on Chinese society in varying regional degrees. The essays collected in the present volume put a special emphasis on these “foreign” and less familiar aspects of Chinese religion. Apart from an introductory article on Daoism (the BKGA 85 BKGA Religion in China proto­typical autochthonous religion of China), the volume reflects China’s encounter with religions of the so-called Western Regions, starting from the adoption of Indian Buddhism to early settlements of religious minorities from the Near East (Islam, Christianity, and Judaism) and the early modern debates between Confucians and Christian missionaries. Contemporary Major Concepts and religious minorities, their specific social problems, and their regional diversities are discussed in the cases of Abrahamitic traditions in China. The volume therefore contributes to our understanding of most recent and Minority Positions potentially violent religio-political phenomena such as, for instance, Islamist movements in the People’s Republic of China. Religion in China Religion ∙ Max DEEG is Professor of Buddhist Studies at the University of Cardiff. His research interests include in particular Buddhist narratives and their roles for the construction of identity in premodern Buddhist communities. Bernhard SCHEID is a senior research fellow at the Austrian Academy of Sciences. His research focuses on the history of Japanese religions and the interaction of Buddhism with local religions, in particular with Japanese Shintō. Max Deeg, Bernhard Scheid (eds.) Deeg, Max Bernhard ISBN 978-3-7001-7759-3 Edited by Max Deeg and Bernhard Scheid Printed and bound in the EU SBph 862 MAX DEEG, BERNHARD SCHEID (EDS.) RELIGION IN CHINA: MAJOR CONCEPTS AND MINORITY POSITIONS ÖSTERREICHISCHE AKADEMIE DER WISSENSCHAFTEN PHILOSOPHISCH-HISTORISCHE KLASSE SITZUNGSBERICHTE, 862.
    [Show full text]
  • Mar 5 – Jun 12 2016
    MAR 5 – JUN 12 2016 PRESS Press Contact Rachel Eggers Manager of Public Relations [email protected] RELEASE 206.654.3151 FEBRUARY 25, 2016 JOURNEY TO DUNHUANG: BUDDHIST ART OF THE SILK ROAD CAVES OPENS AT ASIAN ART MUSEUM MAR 5 See the wonders of China’s Dunhuang Caves—a World Heritage site—through the eyes of photojournalists James and Lucy Lo March 5–June 12, 2016 SEATTLE, WA – The Asian Art Museum presents Journey to Dunhuang: Buddhist Art of the Silk Road Caves, an exhibition featuring photographs, ancient manuscripts, and artist renderings of the sacred temple caves of Dunhuang. Selected from the collection of photojournalists James and Lucy Lo, the works are a treasure trove of Buddhist art that reveal a long-lost world. Located at China’s western frontier, the ancient city of Dunhuang lay at the convergence of the northern and southern routes of the Silk Road—a crossroads of the civilizations of East Asia, Central Asia, and the Western world. From the late fourth century until the decline of the Silk Road in the fourteenth century, Dunhuang was a bustling desert oasis—a center of trade and pilgrimage. The original “melting pot” of China, it was a gateway for new forms of art, culture, and religions. The nearly 500 caves found there tell an almost seamless chronological tale of their history, preserving the stories of religious devotion throughout various dynasties. During the height of World War II in 1943, James C. M. Lo (1902–1987) and his wife, Lucy, arrived at Dunhuang by horse and donkey-drawn cart.
    [Show full text]
  • Gansu Cultural and Natural Heritage Protection
    PROJECT INFORMATION DOCUMENT (PID) APPRAISAL STAGE Report No.: AB3065 CN-Gansu Cultural and Natural Heritage Protection and Project Name Development Public Disclosure Authorized Region EAST ASIA AND PACIFIC Sector Other social services (57%); General transportation sector (30%); General water, sanitation and flood protection sector (10%); Solid waste management (3%) Project ID P091949 Borrower(s) PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA Implementing Agency Gansu Provincial Government Gansu Provincial Development and Reform Commission 319 Houlou, No. 1 Building Zhongyang Guangchang, Chengguan District Gansu Public Disclosure Authorized China 730030 Tel: +86 931 846 4760 Fax: +86 931 848 4190 [email protected] Environment Category [X] A [ ] B [ ] C [ ] FI [ ] TBD (to be determined) Date PID Prepared July 25, 2007 Date of Appraisal June 20, 2007 Authorization Date of Board Approval TBD 1. Country and Sector Background Public Disclosure Authorized 1. Gansu Province, with its capital of Lanzhou and a total population of 26 million, is located in northwestern China. The economy has traditionally been based on agricultural production, mining of the province’s abundant mineral reserves, and heavy industrial development. Poor infrastructure and Gansu’s distance from the coast, have largely kept it isolated from the rapid development experienced by other provinces in China over the last two decades. As a result, Gansu is the second poorest province in the country, measured by per- capita GDP. Moreover, the province contains some of the country’s poorest communities, as listed on the Government’s national poverty register. 2. A major element of Gansu’s poverty alleviation and economic restructuring strategy is the development of a sustainable tourism industry.
    [Show full text]
  • Transmission of Han Pictorial Motifs Into the Western Periphery: Fuxi and Nüwa in the Wei-Jin Mural Tombs in the Hexi Corridor*8
    DOI: 10.4312/as.2019.7.2.47-86 47 Transmission of Han Pictorial Motifs into the Western Periphery: Fuxi and Nüwa in the Wei-Jin Mural Tombs in the Hexi Corridor*8 ∗∗ Nataša VAMPELJ SUHADOLNIK 9 Abstract This paper examines the ways in which Fuxi and Nüwa were depicted inside the mu- ral tombs of the Wei-Jin dynasties along the Hexi Corridor as compared to their Han counterparts from the Central Plains. Pursuing typological, stylistic, and iconographic approaches, it investigates how the western periphery inherited the knowledge of the divine pair and further discusses the transition of the iconographic and stylistic design of both deities from the Han (206 BCE–220 CE) to the Wei and Western Jin dynasties (220–316). Furthermore, examining the origins of the migrants on the basis of historical records, it also attempts to discuss the possible regional connections and migration from different parts of the Chinese central territory to the western periphery. On the basis of these approaches, it reveals that the depiction of Fuxi and Nüwa in Gansu area was modelled on the Shandong regional pattern and further evolved into a unique pattern formed by an iconographic conglomeration of all attributes and other physical characteristics. Accordingly, the Shandong region style not only spread to surrounding areas in the central Chinese territory but even to the more remote border regions, where it became the model for funerary art motifs. Key Words: Fuxi, Nüwa, the sun, the moon, a try square, a pair of compasses, Han Dynasty, Wei-Jin period, Shandong, migration Prenos slikovnih motivov na zahodno periferijo: Fuxi in Nüwa v grobnicah s poslikavo iz obdobja Wei Jin na območju prehoda Hexi Izvleček Pričujoči prispevek v primerjalni perspektivi obravnava upodobitev Fuxija in Nüwe v grobnicah s poslikavo iz časa dinastij Wei in Zahodni Jin (220–316) iz province Gansu * The author acknowledges the financial support of the Slovenian Research Agency (ARRS) in the framework of the research core funding Asian languages and Cultures (P6-0243).
    [Show full text]
  • Climate-Driven Desertification and Its Implications for the Ancient Silk Road Trade
    Clim. Past, 17, 1395–1407, 2021 https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-17-1395-2021 © Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License. Climate-driven desertification and its implications for the ancient Silk Road trade Guanghui Dong1, Leibin Wang2, David Dian Zhang2, Fengwen Liu3, Yifu Cui4, Guoqiang Li1, Zhilin Shi5, and Fahu Chen6 1Key Laboratory of Western China’s Environmental Systems (Ministry of Education), College of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China 2Centre for Climate and Environmental Changes, School of Geographical Sciences, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China 3Institute for Ecological Research and Pollution Control of Plateau Lakes, School of Ecology and Environment Science, Yunnan University, Kunming 650504, China 4College of Tourism, Huaqiao University, Quanzhou 362021, China 5Institute of Dunhuang Studies, School of History & Culture, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 73000, China 6Group of Alpine Paleoecology and Human Adaptation (ALPHA), State Key Laboratory of Tibetan Plateau Earth System, Resources and Environment (TPESRE), Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China Correspondence: Leibin Wang ([email protected]) Received: 29 July 2020 – Discussion started: 7 August 2020 Revised: 15 May 2021 – Accepted: 24 May 2021 – Published: 29 June 2021 Abstract. The ancient Silk Road played a crucial role in cul- 1 Introduction tural exchange and commercial trade between western and eastern Eurasia during the historical period. However, the ex- The ancient Silk Road was the most important link between changes were interrupted in the early 16th century CE, during nations in Eurasia from the 2nd century BCE to the 16th cen- the Ming dynasty.
    [Show full text]
  • Gansu Airport Group Co., Ltd. Main Contractor Local Company Main Consultant －
    Ex-Post Monitoring of Completed ODA Loan Project The People’s Republic of China Lanzhou Zhongchuan Airport Expansion Project External Evaluators: Tomoko Matsushita and Masahiro Yoshizawa, INGEROSEC Corporation 1. Project Description Kazakhstan Mongolia Gansu Province Beijing City Project Site The People's Republic of China Nepal Bhutan India Myanmar Project Location Map Terminal building of Lanzhou Zhongchuan Airport 1.1 Project Objective The project’s objective was to newly construct a runway except for the existing runway and a passenger terminal building in the former runway area of Lanzhou Zhongchuan Airport situated 70km northwest of the urban district of Lanzhou, Gansu Province in order to cope with the predicted increase in the demand for air transport, thereby contributing to activating economic activities in the northwestern region. At the same time, the project aims to grade up the aforesaid airport serve as an emergency or alternative airport, thereby contributing to the improvement of aviation safety in the northwestern region. 1.2 Outline of the Loan Agreement Approved Amount / Disbursed Amount 6,338 million yen / 6,299 million yen Loan Agreement Signing Date / December, 1996 / June, 2002 Final Disbursement Date Ex-post Evaluation 2004 Executing Agency Gansu Airport Group Co., Ltd. Main Contractor Local company Main Consultant － 1.3 Background of Ex-post Monitoring Gansu Province, which located in Northeastern China near Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous 4-1 Region and Central Asia, plays an important role in terms of politics and economics. Since the surrounding areas including the Tarim Basin are abundant in oil reserves, transportation of materials in the province was expected to increase when the development of oil fields started on a large scale.
    [Show full text]