Loulan, the once prosperous ancient country of the Western Regions, has repeatedly appeared in the long river of history, but it has been repeatedly brushed aside.
And the saying of "chopping Loulan" has made people have a strong interest in this mysterious ancient country.
So, what did Loulan do, and why is there a saying of "cutting Loulan"?
First of all, we need to understand the historical background of Loulan, one of the 36 countries in the Western Regions, located in the ancient kingdom of Loulan in the Tarim Basin of present-day Xinjiang.
The country already existed during the Han Dynasty and had close ties with the Central Plains Dynasty.
Historically, Loulan was once an important transportation hub on the Silk Road, controlling the main transportation routes to the Western Regions.
However, during the Northern and Southern Dynasties, Loulan gradually declined.
And the saying of "cutting Loulan" first appeared in a poem by the Tang Dynasty poet Li Bai: "Cutting Loulan, capturing Dragon City, and Hu people dare not do it in the middle of the night." ”
This poem describes the heroic image of the Tang Dynasty army, in which the "beheading of Loulan" refers to the Tang Dynasty army's attack on Loulan and its victory.
However, why is there a saying about "cutting Loulan"?
There is a theory that Loulan once joined forces with the Xiongnu to attack the Han Dynasty, so it was regarded as an enemy by the Han Dynasty.
During the Tang Dynasty, in order to maintain the smooth flow of the Silk Road and combat the power of the Xiongnu, the Tang Dynasty attacked Loulan.
Another theory is that Loulan once violated the territory of the Tang Dynasty, so the Tang Dynasty sent troops to attack Loulan.
Either way, it can be seen that Loulan's status and role in history.
As one of the important countries in the Western Regions, the existence of Loulan was of great significance to the Central Plains Dynasty.
The saying of "cutting Loulan" also reflects the control and influence of the Central Plains Dynasty over the countries of the Western Regions.
In addition to historical reasons, there are also legends and stories related to Loulan. One of the most famous is the story of the beauty of Loulan.
Legend has it that Loulan Beauty is a beautiful woman, and her face is overwhelming.
However, because the king of Loulan coveted her beauty and sacrificed her to the Xiongnu Shan Yu, she was regarded as a sacrifice by the people.
This story has also become one of the other reasons for the "Chopping Loulan" statement.
As mentioned above, the saying of "cutting Loulan" originates from history and legends, and as one of the important countries in the Western Regions, Loulan's existence and role are of great significance to the Central Plains Dynasty.
Although we no longer know what Loulan really did, through the records of history and legends, we can feel the charm and influence of this mysterious ancient country.
Why did the ancient kingdom of Loulan disappear overnight?