Shanshan

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Shanshan (zh-cp|c=鄯善|p=Shànshàn) is the Chinese name for a kingdom that existed roughly from 200 BCE-1000 CE at the north-eastern end of the Taklamakan Desert including the great salt lake known as Lop Nur.

In 126 BCE, the Chinese envoy, Zhang Qian described Loulan as a fortified city near Lop Nur. [Watson, Burton, trans. (1993). "Records of the Grand Historian: Han Dynasty II - Revised Edition". Columbia University Press, New York. ISBN 0-231-08166-9 and ISBN 0-231-08167-7 (pbk)]

In 77 BCE the Chinese envoy Fu Jiezi stabbed Loulan's King, Chang Gui, to death. In 77 BCE the kingdom became a Chinese puppet state and renamed the kingdom Shanshan. [*Hulsewé, A. F. P. and Loewe, M. A. N. 1979. "China in Central Asia: The Early Stage 125 BC – AD 23: an annotated translation of chapters 61 and 96 of the History of the Former Han Dynasty". E. Brill, Leiden. ISBN 90-04-05884-2, p. 89.] . The capital was to south-west of Lop Nur near modern Ruoqiang (Charkhlik) on the Southern Silk Route between Dunhuang and Khotan.

Because of its strategic position on what became the main routes from China to the West, controlling both the Southern Route between Dunhuang and Khotan, and the main Silk Route from Dunhuang to Korla Kucha and Kashgar during the Former Han and Later Han. Control of the kingdom was regularly contested between the Chinese and the Xiongnu. The "Hanshu" informs us that: "it lay close to Han and confronted the White Dragon Mounds. The locality was short of water and pasture, and was regularly responsible for sending out guides, conveying water, bearing provisions and escorting or meeting Han envoys. In addition the state was frequently robbed, reprimanded or harmed by officials or conscripts and found it inexpedient to keep contact with the Han. Later the state again conducted espionage for the Hsiung-nu, often intercepting and killing Han envoys." [*Hulsewé, A. F. P. and Loewe, M. A. N. 1979. "China in Central Asia: The Early Stage 125 BC – AD 23: an annotated translation of chapters 61 and 96 of the History of the Former Han Dynasty". E. J. Brill, Leiden. ISBN 90-04-05884-2, p. 89.] The Xiongnu repeatedly contested the Han Chinese for control of the region until well into the 2nd century CE, [ [http://depts.washington.edu/silkroad/texts/hhshu/hou_han_shu.html] Draft annotated translation of the Chapter on the Western Regions from the "Hou Hanshu" by John Hill] and is recorded as a dependent kingdom of Shanshan in the 3rd century "Weilüe". [ [http://depts.washington.edu/silkroad/texts/weilue/weilue.html] Draft annotated translation of the "Weilüe" by John Hill]

A military colony of 1,000 men was established at Loulan in 260 CE by the Chinese General So Man. The site was abandoned in 330 CE due to lack of water when the Tarim River, which supported the settlement, changed course and the military garrison was moved 50 km south to Haitou. The fort of Yingpan to the northwest remained under Chinese control until the Tang Dynasty. [Baumer, Christoph. (2000). "Southern Silk Road: In the Footsteps of Sir Aurel Stein and Sven Hedin". Bangkok, White Orchid Books, 2000.]

The Chinese pilgrim monk, Faxian, stayed about a month in Shanshan after a 17 day journey from Dunhuang in 399 AD. He described the country as "rugged and hilly, with a thin and barren soil. The clothes of the common people are coarse, and like those worn in our land of Han, some wearing felt and others coarse serge or hair.... The king professed (our) Law, and there might be in the country more than four thousand monks, who were all students of the Hinayāna.... (The monks)...were all students of Indian books and the Indian language (Sanskrit)."

The town of Loulan, at the northwestern corner of the salt lake known as Lop Nor, and became an important staging point for caravans travelling from Dunhuang to Kucha on the "Central Route".

Towns

*Loulan
*Niya

Footnotes

References

* Brough, J. 1965. “Comments on third century Shan-shan and the history of Buddhism.” "Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies". XXVIII, 3, pp. 582-612.
* Brough, J. 1970. “Supplementary Notes on Third-Century Shan-Shan.” "Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies". XXXIII, pp. 39-45.
* Legge, James. Trans. and ed. 1886. A Record of Buddhistic Kingdoms: being an account by the Chinese monk Fâ-hsien of his travels in India and Ceylon (A.D. 399-414) in search of the Buddhist Books of Discipline. Reprint: Dover Publications, New York. 1965.
* Loewe, Michael 1969. “Chinese Relations with Central Asia.” "Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies", 32, pp. 91-103.
* Noble, Peter S. 1930-32 “A Kharoṣṭhī Inscription from Endere.” "Bulletin of the Society of Oriental Studies", VI, (1930-32), pp. 445-455.
* Stein, Aurel M. 1907. "Ancient Khotan: Detailed report of archaeological explorations in Chinese Turkestan", 2 vols. Clarendon Press. Oxford. [http://dsr.nii.ac.jp/toyobunko/index.html.en]
* Stein, Aurel M. 1921. "Serindia: Detailed report of explorations in Central Asia and westernmost China", 5 vols. London & Oxford. Clarendon Press. Reprint: Delhi. Motilal Banarsidass. 1980. [http://dsr.nii.ac.jp/toyobunko/index.html.en]
* Stein Aurel M. 1928. "Innermost Asia: Detailed report of explorations in Central Asia, Kan-su and Eastern Iran", 5 vols. Clarendon Press. Reprint: New Delhi. Cosmo Publications. 1981. [http://dsr.nii.ac.jp/toyobunko/index.html.en]
* Thomas, F. W. 1943-46. “Some Notes On Central-Asian Kharosthī Documents.” "Bulletin of the Society of Oriental Studies", 11, pp. 513-549.

External links

* [http://depts.washington.edu/uwch/silkroad/ Silk Road Seattle] (The Silk Road Seattle website contains many useful resources including a number of full-text historical works)
* [http://www.sgi-usa.org/buddhism/library/sgdb/lexicon.cgi?tid=2336 Soka Gakkai Dictionary of Buddhism: Lou-lan]

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