Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty intends to unite the Yue family who was defeated by Xiongnu and forced to migrate (Yue family was divided into large and small Yue families after being defeated by Xiongnu and moved westward) to attack Xiongnu. There is also a deep-seated reason. Based on China's traditional imperial strategy of governing the country, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty hoped to find a sustainable external development path for this country. Based on various comprehensive factors, in 139 BC, Zhang Qian was ordered by Emperor Wu of Han Dynasty, led by Hungan's father (also known as Tang Yi's father), and left Chang 'an for the Western Regions.
Although the expedition did not achieve the military purpose of attacking the Huns, its actual influence and historical role were indeed enormous. After Zhang Qian came back, he collected information about the geographical conditions, mountains and rivers, humanities and military intelligence of countries along the route. Sima Qian quoted Zhang Qian's materials when he wrote historical records. And summed up Zhang Qian's achievements with the word "hollowing out". Because the nodes of this Silk Road are all on the edge of the desert, there are water, grass and lakes, which can be used for rest and replenishment, so it is called "Silk Road in Desert Oasis".
2. The Battle of Hexi-the prosperity of the Silk Road
In BC 124, after the war in Monan (south of Mongolian desert), Xiongnu Khan moved to Mobei, and the Xiongnu in Hexi Corridor was the biggest threat to the Han Dynasty south of the desert. So Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty took Hexi Corridor as his next goal. In order to cut off the Xiongnu's right arm, cut off its contact with the western regions and the western Qiang ministries, and defend the Silk Road.
In the spring of 12 1 year BC, Huo Qubing led ten thousand cavalry to attack the Huns in the Hexi Corridor. This is the first battle in Hexi. After this war, the Han army hit the Xiongnu elite hard. In the summer of the same year, Huo Qubing led the army to attack Hexi for the second time, and went deep into the territory of Xiongnu for more than 2,000 miles. The Han army won a decisive victory. That autumn, Emperor Wu ordered Huo Qubing to surrender with ten thousand cavalry. King Hugh Tu suddenly changed his mind and refused to surrender to Korea. The evil king of Xiongnu attacked and killed the king of Xiutu and incorporated his soldiers. Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty named the evil king Xiongnu as the Hou of Luoyang, and deployed on the borders of Longxi, Beidi, Shang Jun, Shuofang and Yunzhong County (now Shaanxi, Gansu and Ningxia). In order to cut off the connection between Xiongnu and Qiang people, the Han Dynasty set up four counties in Hexi area, namely Wuwei, Jiuquan, Zhangye and Dunhuang, and moved a large number of them from the mainland to defend the border and produce here.
The two battles in Hexi were defeated in just one year, which made the Han Dynasty completely occupy the Hexi Corridor, opened the road to the western regions, cut off the contact between the Xiongnu and the Qiang people, and completely eliminated the hidden dangers on the Silk Road. Since then, the Han Dynasty set up a post station on the Silk Road to protect business travel.
In 1 19 BC, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty sent Zhang Qian to Wusun, Dawan, Kangju, Da Yue and Daxia again, which lasted for four years. It further expanded the influence of the Han Dynasty, deepened exchanges with these countries, and marked the formal establishment of the Silk Road connecting Eastern China and the Western Roman Empire.
Since Zhang Qian, the envoys of the Han Dynasty have traveled to and from western countries for more than ten times every year, ranging from five to six times. In 60 BC, the Han Dynasty formally established the post of "the capital of the western regions", which was in charge of the affairs of the western regions and protected business travel, and also marked that the western regions were officially under the rule of the central government of the Han Dynasty. This is also the first climax of the Silk Road.
3. The Battle of Gao Xianzhi in Tang Dynasty-the decline of the Silk Road.
The rise of Arabia in Central Asia, especially after World War I in Gao Xianzhi, the management of the Silk Road was abandoned in the Tang Dynasty, and Central Asia fell into the hands of Islam, and the Silk Road gradually declined.