Historical Studies (Chinese Edition)

No.4, 2014

 

The Path of the Liao Dynasty East-West Transportation Route: Research on the Geographical Location of the Qatun Tomb

(Abstract)

 

Zhong Han

 

The Qatun Tomb (可敦墓) on the border of the Khitan and the Xixia is mentioned in the Compendium of the Turkic Dialects (突厥语大词典), completed in the second half of the 11th century, and other Muslim historical materials. It can be assumed that it is not located north of the Hexi Corridor or at the Kedun City in the Mobei Grasslands, but rather in Qingzhong (青冢), traditionally said to be Wang Zhaojun’s Tomb. This could indicate nearby Fengzhou Prefecture, which was administered by the Southwestern Commissioner in the Liao Dynasty. On this basis, in conjunction with the records in the Marvazī, we are able to re-map an East-West transportation route that began from the Kara-Khanid Khanate in the Western Region and led via Shazhou Prefecture and Fengzhou Prefecture to the Liao capital. Fengzhou Prefecture maintained its important transport role for a long time through the Liao, Jin and Yuan Dynasties. Among inland cities with long service as a transport hub on the Northern Silk Road, Fengzhou was second only to the role of Lingzhou Prefecture during the mid-Tang and early Song Dynasty. This contributes to further understanding of the changes in the route of the Northern Silk Road after the Tang Dynasty and the history of communications on the Silk Road at that time.