Yanmen Pass

Last updated

Yanmen Pass
Yanmenguan3.JPG
The Great Wall of China at Yanmen Pass, overlooked by a pagoda
Location Shanxi, China
Coordinates 39°11′13″N112°51′48″E / 39.18694°N 112.86333°E / 39.18694; 112.86333
China edcp relief location map.jpg
Red pog.svg
Yanmen Pass
Yanmenguan.jpg

The Battle of Yanmen Pass is an important moment in the Chinese legends, folktales, and plays collectively known as The Generals of the Yang Family . Likewise, because of its strategic importance to ancient and medieval China, Yanmen Pass and its fortifications feature prominently in some Chinese historical fiction novels, including Louis Cha's Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils , and films, including Daniel Lee's 14 Blades .

Related Research Articles

This article concerns the period 129 BC – 120 BC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Emperor Wu of Han</span> Emperor of China (156–87 BC)

Emperor Wu of Han, formally enshrined as Emperor Wu the Filial, born Liu Che (劉徹) and courtesy name Tong (通), was the seventh emperor of the Han dynasty of ancient China, ruling from 141 to 87 BC. His reign lasted 54 years – a record not broken until the reign of the Kangxi Emperor more than 1,800 years later — and remains the record for Han Chinese emperors. His reign resulted in a vast expansion of geopolitical influence for the Chinese civilization, and the development of a strong centralized state via governmental policies, economical reorganization and promotion of a hybrid Legalist–Confucian doctrine. In the field of historical social and cultural studies, Emperor Wu is known for his religious innovations and patronage of the poetic and musical arts, including development of the Imperial Music Bureau into a prestigious entity. It was also during his reign that cultural contact with western Eurasia was greatly increased, directly and indirectly.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ban Gu</span> Chinese historian, politician and poet (AD 32–92)

Ban Gu was a Chinese historian, politician, and poet best known for his part in compiling the Book of Han, the second of China's 24 dynastic histories. He also wrote a number of fu, a major literary form, part prose and part poetry, which is particularly associated with the Han era. A number of Ban's fu were collected by Xiao Tong in the Wen Xuan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northern Qi</span> Historical Chinese imperial dynasty

Qi, known as the Northern Qi, Later Qi (後齊) or Gao Qi (高齊) in historiography, was a Chinese imperial dynasty and one of the Northern dynasties during the Northern and Southern dynasties era. It ruled the eastern part of northern China from 550 to 577. The dynasty was founded by Gao Yang, and was eventually conquered by the Xianbei-led Northern Zhou dynasty in 577.

Wei Qing, courtesy name Zhongqing, born Zheng Qing in Linfen, Shanxi, was a Chinese military general and politician of the Western Han dynasty who was acclaimed for his campaigns against the Xiongnu, and his rags to riches life. He was a consort kin of Emperor Wu of Han as the younger half-brother of Emperor Wu's wife Empress Wei Zifu, and later the third husband of Emperor Wu's older sister Eldest Princess Yangxin. He was also the maternal uncle of Huo Qubing, another decorated Han general who participated in the war against the Xiongnu.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northern Zhou</span> Xianbei-led dynasty of China

Zhou, known in historiography as the Northern Zhou, was a Xianbei-led dynasty of China that lasted from 557 to 581. One of the Northern dynasties of China's Northern and Southern dynasties period, it succeeded the Western Wei dynasty and was eventually overthrown by the Sui dynasty.

Shibi Khagan succeeded Yami Qaghan as the second khagan of the Eastern Turkic Khaganate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yang Ye</span> General served under Northern Han

Yang Ye (楊業) or Yang Jiye (楊繼業), named Liu Jiye (劉繼業) before 979 and Yang Chonggui (楊重貴) in his youth, was a Chinese military general of the Northern Han and the Northern Song dynasties.

Pei Ju (547-627), birth name Pei Shiju, courtesy name Hongda, formally Duke Jing of Anyi, was a Chinese cartographer, diplomat, politician, and writer who lived in the Sui and Tang dynasties, briefly serving as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Gaozu of Tang. He was praised by traditional Chinese historians for his ability and lack of corruption, but blamed for flattering Emperor Yang of Sui and practically directly contributing to Sui's downfall by encouraging many external military campaigns that drained Sui's resources. Modern historians have questioned these assessments: Arthur F. Wright labelled the latter judgement in the Zizhi tongjian a "particularly blatant piece of editorializing" and "absurd ... beyond doubt".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Li Mu</span> Chinese general (d. 229 BCE)

Li Mu, personal name Zuo (繓), courtesy name Mu (牧), was a Chinese military General of the State of Zhao during the Warring States period. He is regarded by Chinese folklore as one of the four Greatest Generals of the Late Warring States period, along with Bai Qi, Wang Jian, and Lian Po. He's widely considered as one of the best defensive tacticians commanders of ancient warfare.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dai County</span> County in Shanxi, Peoples Republic of China

Dai County, also known by its Chinese name Daixian, is a county in Xinzhou, Shanxi Province, China. Its county seat at Shangguan is also known as Daixian. The county has an area of 1,729 km2 (668 sq mi) and had a population of 178,870 at the time of the 2020 census. The county is the home of the AAAAA-rated Yanmen Pass Scenic Area along the Great Wall, as well as the Bianjing Drum Tower, the Ayuwang Pagoda, and the Zhao Gao Forest Park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of the Han dynasty</span> Aspect of Chinese history

The Han dynasty was the second imperial dynasty of China. It followed the Qin dynasty, which had unified the Warring States of China by conquest. It was founded by Liu Bang. The dynasty is divided into two periods: the Western Han and the Eastern Han, interrupted briefly by the Xin dynasty of Wang Mang. These appellations are derived from the locations of the capital cities Chang'an and Luoyang, respectively. The third and final capital of the dynasty was Xuchang, where the court moved in 196 CE during a period of political turmoil and civil war.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Loufan County</span> County in Shanxi, Peoples Republic of China

Loufan County is a county of Shanxi Province, North China, it is under the administration of the prefecture-level city of Taiyuan, the capital of the province. It is the westernmost county-level division of Taiyuan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dai (Spring and Autumn period)</span> Ancient Chinese state

Dai was a state which existed in northern Hebei during the Spring and Autumn Period of Chinese history. Its eponymous capital was located north of the Zhou Kingdom in what is now Yu County. It was apparently established by the people known to the ancient Chinese as the Baidi or "White Barbarians". They traded livestock and other goods between Central Asia and the Zhou states prior to their conquest by the Zhao clan of Jin.

Liu Xi, better known by his courtesy name Liu Zhong, was an elder brother of Emperor Gaozu, founder of China's Han dynasty. He served as marquess of Hexin, king or prince of Dai, and marquess of Heyang.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of the Great Wall of China</span> Aspect of Chinese military history

The history of the Great Wall of China began when fortifications built by various states during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods were connected by the first emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang, to protect his newly founded Qin dynasty against incursions by nomads from Inner Asia. The walls were built of rammed earth, constructed using forced labour, and by 212 BC ran from Gansu to the coast of southern Manchuria.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Song conquest of Northern Han</span>

The Song conquest of Northern Han occurred in 979, when Northern Song forces captured the Northern Han capital of Taiyuan in present-day Shanxi Province after a two-month siege. A relief attempt by forces of the Liao dynasty, which was allied to the Northern Han, was easily defeated by the Northern Song. Yelü Dilie, a cousin of the Emperor Jingzong of Liao, was killed along with Yelü Sha's son Yelü Deli (耶律德裏).

Yanmen Commandery was an administrative subdivision (jùn) of the state of Zhao established c. 300 BC and of northern imperial Chinese dynasties until AD 758. It occupied lands in what is now Shanxi and Inner Mongolia. Its first seat was at Shanwu ; its later seats moved southeast to the more defensible sites at Yinguan and Guangwu.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dai Commandery</span> Historical region of China

Dai Commandery was a commandery (jùn) of the state of Zhao established c. 300 BC and of northern imperial Chinese dynasties until the time of the Emperor Wen of the Sui dynasty. It occupied lands in what is now Hebei, Shanxi, and Inner Mongolia. Its seat was usually at Dai or Daixian, although it was moved to Gaoliu during the Eastern Han.

Chen Xi was a Chinese rebel leader against the first Han emperor Liu Bang.

References

Citations

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 CIIC (2015).
  2. 1 2 Evans (2006) , p.  183
  3. Wen (2003), p.  16.
  4. Stanford (1917), p.  15.
  5. Hing Ming (2011), p.  197.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 Lu (2017).
  7. 1 2 3 Sun & al. (2016).
  8. 1 2 Di Cosmo (2002) , p.  143
  9. Yü (1990) , p.  118
  10. Jing (2015), pp.  34–5.
  11. Di Cosmo (2002), p.  147.
  12. Loewe (2000).
  13. 1 2 Yü (1967), p. 8.
  14. Clark (2008), p.  229.
  15. 1 2 3 4 Yü (1986) , p.  390
  16. 1 2 Whiting (2002), p. 147.
  17. 1 2 Whiting (2002), p. 148.
  18. Knechtges (2010), p. 119.
  19. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Pletcher (2010) , p.  94
  20. 1 2 Xu Zizhi Tongjian Changbian , ch. 21
  21. 1 2 Evans (2006) , p.  194
  22. Yang (2018).
  23. 1 2 3 Wortzel (1999) , s.v. " Yanmen Guan Ambush "
  24. Hunan (2017).
  25. "代县行政区划", 《行政区划网》, 21 October 2016. (in Chinese)
  26. 1 2 3 4 5 6 TCG.

Bibliography