Iran's Yuan Dynasty parchment letter, research shocked Persia may have been a Chinese province
China now has a territory of about 9.6 million square kilometers, compared to more than 13 million square kilometers before the invasion of foreign powers, making it the largest country in the world by territorial area. 3.4 million square kilometers of land have been lost, and most of our past belongings have been lost. In the last century, scientists found parchment letters from the Yuan Dynasty in Iran, which were printed"Guofu An**"They were shocked that Iranian territory may have once been a province of China.
From the Yuan dynasty to the tenth year of the Yuan dynasty (1350), the Islamic elders of Tehran, Iran, gathered in a mosque to develop a plan against Mongol rule. Allah willing, we will regain the independence of Persia! "Muhammad clenched his fists with joy. Just then, a messenger burst into the house and handed them a piece of parchment with a letter asking for help written in Persian and an unusual square seal in Chinese characters. The people did not understand what this meant, but they did not have time to think about it, and started hoping to repel the Mongols with the help of France.
Its fate has been unknown over time, but it was finally discovered by Iranian archaeologists in the last century. Baoren Fuguo"Several Chinese characters on the seal caused a great shock among scholars, who speculated that the Persian region might have been a province of the Yuan Dynasty. For a time, the origins of China and Persia became a hot topic of debate in the historiography.
New archaeological discoveries often reveal historical mysteries, and the answers are often even more surprising. How can Iran be so close to China? Where do the seals come from? Scholarly debate over the little-known history of the Yuan Dynasty.
Iran has a long history of exchanges with China.
Persia, the ancient name of Iran. In the early Han Dynasty, when Zhang Qian went to the Western Regions, he had contact with Persia. After the opening of the Silk Road, Persia became the main passage from China to Europe, and China and Poland had frequent exchanges. Relations between the two countries grew increasingly friendly, and Persian envoys often came to the court with treasures and curiosities.
According to records, the first visit of a Persian envoy to China was during the reign of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty. The emissaries brought local specialties such as lions and elephants, and also performed dances. Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty was full of praise for these rare gifts and exotic beasts from the far west, and he was also very friendly to the envoys. He also returned Chinese silk and other fine fabrics to the Persian king. Since then, the envoys of the two countries have had frequent exchanges and friendly exchanges.
During the Tang Dynasty, Persian territory included all of present-day Iran and as far as Turkey. Tang Gaozong sent troops to support Persia against the invasion of the Arabs. At that time, the Sassanid Empire of Persia was being encroached upon by the Arab Empire, and its national power was declining. The Persian ruler appealed to the Tang Dynasty for help, and the Tang emperor sent a large army to support Persia, and the two sides joined forces against the Arab army. While neither side succeeded in reversing the collapse of Persia, the situation demonstrated the deep political and military alliance between the two countries.
Culturally, many Persian monks came to China to spread Buddhism, such as the Sinhalese envoy and the Persian monk Puguang. Xuanzang also learned Sanskrit from Puguang before taking the scriptures. There were also many marriages between the Tang royal family and the Persian princes. All this has facilitated cultural and religious exchanges between China and Iran.
During the Song and Yuan dynasties, the Mongol Empire defeated the Persian Khwarazmian dynasty during Genghis Khan's conquest of the Western Regions. The countries of the Western Regions were subjugated to the Mongols. Exchanges between China and Persia became more frequent. Archaeological excavations in China have unearthed large quantities of Persian silver coins and porcelain. There are also records that Mongol troops entered Iran and brought back large quantities of Persian, spices, and other products. There are various indications that Persia gradually became an important sphere of influence of the Yuan Dynasty.
Auxiliary Seal Bearer - Ilhan - Xula Yudu.
Genghis Khan founded the Mongol Empire in the early 13th century and divided it into four khanates. Founded by Xu Liwu, the sixth son of his son Tulei, the Ilkhanate covered the riverbanks of Central Asia and was the most powerful of the four khanates.
In 1251, the Mongol Khan Guiyou died of illness, leaving behind two sons, Kublai Khan and Ali Buge. A fierce struggle for the throne broke out between them. Other Great Khans also joined the war. Of the four khanates, Ali Buge was supported by the Chagatai Khanate, the Golden Horde, and the Fuhutai Khanate. Xu Liwu of the Ilkhanate supported Kublai Khan and became his confidant.
Xu Liewu has his own reasons. Kublai Khan and Xu Liewu have always had a good personal relationship and a deep friendship. Xu Liewu also realized that if Ali Bhutto prevailed, his khanate could be isolated by the other three khanates. By taking refuge in Kublai Khan, he could strengthen his position. In addition, he was a calculating man who did not want to show too much ambition, and his clear actions eventually set him on the right path.
In order to show his attitude, Xu Liehou sent an envoy to visit the two men, clearly pointed out the mistake of Ali Patuti and declared his support for Kublai Khan. Kublai Khan admired him and decided to treat him kindly, appointing him ruler of most of Persia. Xu Liguo was also loyal to the reward and never rebelled. The two forged a deep friendship, and Ilhanat became the most powerful supporter of the Yuan dynasty in the Western Regions.
In 1271, Kublai Khan established the Yuan Dynasty and proclaimed himself emperor. He decided to canonize Xu Liewu again and officially appointed him king of Persia and king of other large territories as a thank you for his support in the war of the Khanate. The Yuan court also sent a prime minister to stay in Persia to monitor the situation and strengthen management. During Xu Liewu's reign in Iran, he passed Han laws and appointed Han people, and the relationship between the two countries became increasingly close.
Kublai Khan is still there"Treasure of governing the country and the people"He was given a gold seal to Xu Leiwu in recognition of his outstanding achievements in the Yuan Dynasty. This seal has appeared many times as Xu Leiwu's seal in important documents. The discovery of this seal also confirms speculation that the Persian region of the Ilkhanid dynasty may have been Chinese territory.
Mongol-Han fusion in the Ilkhanate style.
According to historical records of the Yuan Dynasty, Xu Liewu greatly admired Han culture and actively allowed Chinese elements to enter Iran, so the Chinese style can be seen everywhere inside and outside the Ilkhan's palace.
The architectural style of the palace borrowed from the cornices and corners and carved beams and paintings of the Yuan capital. These Han buildings are very different from Islamic architectural styles, indicating the depth of Xu Liguo's desire for sinicization, and this transformation emphasizes the integration of the Yili dynasty with the Yuan dynasty. The palace garden is also similar to the private garden in the south of the Yangtze River, with small bridges and flowing water, pavilions and pavilions, showing the elegance of Chinese gardens. This extensive transformation of the Chinese style made it possible to find little trace of traditional Islamic architectural styles in the Ilkhanate.
In addition, ancient Persia was known for its intricate carpet-making techniques, which were loved by the Arab aristocracy. However, the Chinese elements in the Persian carpets of the Yuan Dynasty greatly increased, and traditional Chinese auspicious patterns such as Fu Lu Shou, Pan Tao, and Ruyi Yun appeared. These Chinese-style carpets were popular and favored by the European upper class. The use of Chinese motifs undoubtedly indicates that Xu Liewu formally incorporated Persia into the Yuan dynasty and recognized the imperial power of the Yuan dynasty.
In terms of ** and dance, the Persian court was also sinicized to a large extent. In addition to the traditional Persian percussion instruments, Chinese instruments such as pipes and flutes were added. The dance is no longer limited to the whirling Sufi dance, but has added elements of Chinese drama such as the Han flower drum. Chinese acrobatics are often performed at banquets. Chinese dishes have also been added to the menu. This shows that Xu Liehou is trying to promote"Mongol-Han fusion", absorbing Persian culture.
Chinese dialects were also widely spoken in everyday life in the Ilkhanate. Most of the upper-class princes and nobles knew Chinese, could write Chinese characters, and often used Chinese characters in speech. The Chinese also participated in the compilation of the official history books of the Ilkhanate. All this shows that the upper strata of Persian society were almost completely sinicized.
This is confirmed by the authenticity of the Han seal on the parchment letter found here. Under the Mongol-Han integration policy led by Xu Liewu, the Ilkhanate became an integral part of Han territory, and it was logical to use the Han seal.
The close relationship between the Yuan dynasty and Iran is little known in history. The Ilkhanid ruler Xu Lewu vigorously promoted Chinese culture, while Iran was almost completely sinicized during the Yuan Dynasty, becoming a province of the Yuan Dynasty. Although this period of history has been interrupted by the changes of the times, the profound spirit of collision and integration between the East and the West contained in it has given us valuable inspiration.
When we search for the lost items of our hometown, we discover the other side of history and feel a spiritual connection to a distant time and space. All these discoveries will make our historical picture more full and three-dimensional. We look forward to more amazing discoveries in history and archaeology!