One of the larger tribes in the southwest of Han Dynasty, or Nanyi.
The original residence is in western Guizhou, northern Guizhou, northeastern Yunnan and parts of southern Sichuan.
In Qin and early Han dynasties, Yelang had entered a settled agricultural society.
The land is rainy, there are few livestock, and silkworms are not raised. It has economic ties with Pakistan, Shu, Chu and South Vietnam.
Sichuan gouache and other local products are often transported to South Vietnam by Yelang.
At the beginning of the Western Han Dynasty, most bamboo kings rose in Chishui (now Beipanjiang, Guizhou) and stood on their own feet.
In the sixth year of Jianyuan (before 135), Liang Wudi sent Tang Meng to Yelang to win over Duotong, and in the fourth to fifth year of Yuanguang (before 13 1 ~ before 130), several counties were set up in his place, and he was a captain in the south.
That's when Han's governance of Southwest Yi began.
In the sixth year of Yuanguang, Bill Han had convenient transportation and set up a post station in the southwest Yi area. In the same year, Sima Xiangru, etc.
In the fifth year of Ding Yuan (before 1 12), Liang Wudi marched into South Vietnam. However, Yelang and others did not listen to the command. The following year, they sent troops to pacify most of the barbarians in southwest China, and set up more than ten counties such as Zhang Sijun (now in Guanling, Guizhou) and Yelang on their own land. At the same time, they temporarily stored the name of Yelang Kingdom and awarded Yelang King a royal title, which was for all tribes.
At the end of the Western Han Dynasty, Yelang Wang Xing, Hook Town Yu Wang and Louwo Hou Yu fought in successive years.
In the second year of peace (the first 27 years), Chen Li, the first prefect, killed Yelang Wang Xing, and Yelang Kingdom was destroyed.
Yelang founded the country for three or four hundred years.
There are different opinions about the clans of the people who founded Yelang State, including the ancestors of Yi, Miao, Gelao and Buyi.
Yi Descent, a classic of Guizhou ancient Yi language passed down from generation to generation, records that "Yi people have children, and most of them have been brought up together", "Most of them have the same rights, and most of them have the same heavenly palace masters", and "Mangosteen is the ancestor". Legend has it that Duotong is also called Jin Zhu Gong, which shows that the Yi people regard Duotong as their ancestors.
It is also reported that there are more than 40 kinds of carving symbols on Han Dynasty pottery unearthed in Weining County, of which 28 kinds are usually considered as ancient Yi language. Sure enough, the ancestors of the Yi people lived in western Guizhou in the Han Dynasty, with a high culture, and Yelang State was founded by the Yi people.
Yi Yelang and its surrounding tribes have traded with Qin, Chu and South Vietnam since the Warring States Period. After the Western Han Dynasty became a Han county, they were more and more influenced by China culture. Iron and steel products, handicrafts, production tools and irrigation technology in the Central Plains were soon introduced into Yelang area. Many remains of Han tombs excavated by archaeologists in this area in recent years are sufficient proof.
However, these relics also prove that some indigenous customs and cultural relics have also been left behind.
Bronze spear of Yelang people unearthed from Jielongba, Qingzhen, Guizhou
Mystery of Yelang Kingdom
In BC 122, the envoy of the Western Han Dynasty went to Yunnan (now Yunnan Province), and the king of Yunnan asked the envoy of the Han Dynasty, "Which is bigger?" .
At that time, all the southwest countries were called Yelang in the Han Dynasty, so Yelang was named "Yelang Arrogance".
Since then, "arrogance" has become synonymous with self-righteousness and arrogance.
This is an eternal injustice.
There is no record in the history books of where Yelang actually refers to.
Where does Yelang mean in the poem "I only go to Yelang West with you" by the great poet Li Bai?
According to "Historical Records", "Yelang people are close to the river, and Jiang Guang has sailed more than a hundred paces".
Experts pointed out that Yelang has no fixed position and is constantly changing.
So where is Yelang, and where is the civilization center of Yelang ancient country? ...
Exploring Ancient Civilization: Where is Yelang Kingdom?
In history, Yelang Wang said, "Who is older, Han or me?" Let the world laugh for a thousand years.
As an arrogant allusion, "Yelang is arrogant" has almost become synonymous with Guizhou people.
With the continuous discovery of archaeology, Yelang, as an ancient civilization and a part of the splendid culture of the Chinese nation, is being valued by the world.
For some time, Hunan, Yunnan, Guizhou, Sichuan and other places have been grabbing "Yelang".
Where on earth is Yelang Kingdom?
Coca-Cola, forever secret
The history of Yelang Kingdom began in the Warring States Period, and it lasted for about 300 years from the Western Han Dynasty to the Emperor of Peace.
Then the ancient Yelang Kingdom mysteriously disappeared.
This ancient civilization has left a fog in historical records.
The archaeological excavation of Hezhang Coke's "Southwest Yi" tomb opened a brilliant corner for the mysterious Yelang culture.
China culture is a synthesis of multi-cultures.
When Han culture rose in the Central Plains, multi-ethnic cultures appeared in the border areas, and "Southwest Yi" was one of them.
In Sima Qian's Historical Records of Southwest Yi, it is recorded: "How long is Southwest Yi, and Yelang is the biggest." In history, the Yi nationality in Southwest China refers to the ancient nationalities in Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau and western Sichuan, and Yelang culture is the representative of the ancient national culture in Southwest China.
According to Liang Taihe, a researcher in charge of the archaeological excavation of Leke Tomb in Guizhou Province, since the first batch of unearthed cultural relics was discovered in Leke Ethnic Township in Hezhang County in 1958, the archaeological department has carried out nine excavations successively, but the archaeological excavation in 2000 once again attracted the attention of the state and the archaeological community.
There are several aspects worthy of attention in this excavation and investigation over the years. First, coke tombs are widely distributed, covering an area of more than 3.5 square kilometers; Second, the tombs are densely concentrated. Within 300 square meters, more than 80 tombs have been excavated, among which tombs of different periods are stacked together, which is rare for archaeology in the province; Third, the era of continuation is long.
A large number of cultural relics appeared in the Warring States, Western Han and Eastern Han Dynasties. Fourth, it embodies rich cultural heritage.
A large number of unearthed cultural relics reflect the unique Yelang national culture from Warring States to Qin and Han Dynasties, and the characteristics of the integration of Chinese culture and Yelang national culture in Qin and Han Dynasties.
"Cola" won one of the "Top Ten New Archaeological Discoveries in China" in 200 1 year because of its unique and rich regional cultural attributes. Leke site and ancient tombs are listed as national key cultural relics protection units.
Based on historical records and archaeological achievements, Yelang country has become an indisputable historical fact in Guizhou, but where is the capital of Yelang country? Liang Taihe said that further archaeological excavations are needed, and the excavation of Leke's "Southwest Yi" tombs provides an important basis for exploring the ancient Yelang clan and regional culture.
Mysterious Clothom
Coke, an ancient book in Yi language, was called "Coke Wood" in ancient times, which means "Central City". It was recorded as "Leke" in local chronicles and later evolved into "Coke".
Today, among the Yi, Miao, Buyi and other ethnic minorities living in Coke, Yi is the largest.
The local people said that the Yi people first entered Coke, and they called these tombs of the Southwest Yi people "human graves" or "human caves".
People who have been living in "Cromu" never imagined that the bricks they picked up to build pigsty and toilet were actually Qin bricks and Han tiles; Those pots and pans dug out of "human caves (graves)" are actually priceless national treasures because they are considered evil and thrown away casually.
Today, people are full of surprises and sighs. Guizhou, which has always been regarded as a land of barbarians, has actually precipitated a heavy ancient civilization.
According to the ancient Yi literature, there are famous cities in southwest China, such as Chengdu (Hume in Ancient Music), Chongqing (Hume in Chuqi) and Kunming (Hume in Laibo), which are as famous as Guizhou Coke at that time.
Researcher Song Shikun, an archaeologist in Guizhou, concluded through historical excavation and literature comparison that Leke area was probably an important "town set" or "nearby town" in Yelang country from the Warring States Period to the Qin and Han Dynasties.
Song Shikun said that Coca-Cola is located at the border between Yunnan and Guizhou, with developed transportation.
According to documents, it was once one of the political, economic and cultural centers of Mobu (the ancestor of the Yi people in northwest Guizhou) who entered Guizhou.
Where is Yelang in Guizhou?
How big is the territory of Yelang Kingdom? Some experts have analyzed that Yelang has reached its peak when he built the city coke.
In order to expand the region, Yelang Wang successively built cities in Yunnan, Sichuan, Guizhou and other regions. Because the Yelang king lived in these cities for a short time, it became the reason for future generations to compete for the ancient Yelang country.
Liang Taihe said that judging from the tomb of Coke "Southwest Yi", it can only show the prosperity of Coke at that time, where is Yelang's capital and how big its territory is, and the excavation has just begun.
At present, in addition to the coke ruins, a number of important cultural relics of Yelang period with local characteristics have been unearthed in the sites excavated in the surrounding areas.
Liang Taihe said with emotion that Yelang culture has its own unique regional cultural characteristics compared with the mature Bashu, Yunnan, Chu and South Vietnam cultures excavated around it.
However, due to the shortage of funds and talents, the excavation and research of ancient Yelang culture have made slow progress.
Therefore, archaeologists and historical and cultural researchers in Guizhou implore all levels to pay attention to the excavation of Yelang's history and culture, which is not only of great historical significance to the development of Guizhou's cultural economy, but more importantly, fills the integrity of China's culture.
Yelang ancient country sleeps in Yuanling
Recently, an expert group composed of Changsha Institute of Land Structure of China Academy of Sciences and Hunan Institute of Archaeology conducted an investigation and test on the geological features of Yaotou Village in Yuanling County, Hunan Province, and initially confirmed that the ancient site of Yaotou Village in the south of Yuanling County was the site of the ancient city in Qianzhong County in Qin Dynasty.
Among more than 40 large ancient tombs, the size of the grand tomb is 40m× 40m, which is generally about 20m× 15m, far exceeding the size of the Mawangdui Han Tomb in Changsha, which shocked the world at that time.
Some experts believe that Yaotou Village is the county seat of ancient Guizhou before the ancient tomb is opened.
However, the records of ancient books show that this area is indeed the center of the middle county of ancient Guizhou.
Yuanling County, formerly known as Chenzhou Prefecture, is located in the northwest of Hunan Province, with Youshui River in the west, which runs through the whole territory, forming more than 965,438+00 complex tributary water systems.
Historically, this is a place of cultural prosperity.
During the hundreds of years from the Warring States to the Han Dynasty, there was an ancient Yelang country dominated by the "Wuximan" Miao nationality in history, and the jurisdiction of the local indigenous forces also roughly coincided with that of the ancient Qianzhong County.
This discovery is expected to unveil the mystery of Yelang Civilization Center.
Xia, an archaeologist in Yuanling, told reporters that Qianzhong County has jurisdiction over Lishui and Lishui basins in western Hunan, Qingjiang basin in western Hubei, Qianjiang basin in Sichuan and northeastern Guizhou.
Yuanling and Guizhou have a certain historical origin, and Shui Yuan is the only way for the southwest to reach the Yangtze River, which is a battleground for military strategists.
Traditionally, Gu Yelang was mainly located in Guizhou, but according to historical records, there were 65,438+10,000 elite soldiers at that time, and such a huge team needed vast fields to support it. This possibility is not ruled out.
At the same time, he pointed out that Yelang County was once called here in the Tang Dynasty.
According to textual research, the position of Yelang in the poem "Follow the King until Yelang West" by the great poet Li Bai is in Yuanling.
Can "Worship Bamboo" tell the story of Yelang's ancient civilization center?
Director Xiong Zongren told the reporter that according to the Records of the Later Han Dynasty, "there was a bamboo king who was eager to get out of the water, and a woman was rushing in the water. Three big bamboos flowed into the woman's feet and refused to leave.
When you hear a child's voice, take it back, break it, and you get a man.
Long-term cultivation of talents and martial arts, so male Yi Long Di, Zhu as the surname. "This is a folklore, which vividly reflects the founding of Yelang.
Yelang gradually established political power in the late Western Han Dynasty.
And "bamboo worship" has become a symbol of Yelang.
Yelang Civilization Center, of course, is closely related to "bamboo worship".
The statement that "Guang Shun Town, Changshun County, Guizhou Province" is the center of ancient Yelang civilization is based on this.
Guang Shun is located under the tianmashan, with Meili Mountain on the left and Langshan and Yehe Mountain on the right.
Jinzhu Yelang Palace in Jinzhu Yelang period is located in the arms of Langshan Mountain, Yehe Mountain, Jiechu Mountain and Jinzhupo.
Locals call the ancient city pool Yelang Palace, Old Palace, Bamboo Palace and Golden Palace.
Professor Wesley Wang from guizhou minzu university told reporters that you can also see the ruins of broken walls.
The ancient city pool is 2 square kilometers, which is the largest Jin family relic found so far.
Surrounded by mountains, there are only four exits.
There are two walls inside, which are divided into inner wall and outer wall. They are made of mud and stone, and the Jin people have lived there for a long time.
There are mass graves of all ethnic groups killed by officers and men at the foot of Langshan Mountain, and there are arrow factories and camps in Nanhu Lake in the east.
After liberation, the villagers witnessed Jin Jian, Fang Yin, copper spoon and other cultural relics dug up by ordinary people in the farmland, and there were also many tombs of Gu Yelang dug up when Dufu Lake was built as its capital, which were well preserved and were historical witnesses.
Yelang family (Jin family) has a complete genealogy since Yelang Wang, the ancestor of Han Dynasty.
In addition to the Jin family who lived in Zhenning a few years ago, they got a continuation genealogy, and now there is the Jin genealogy.
Yelang's surname is Jin, because Yelang Hou used bamboo as his surname, so most of Yelang's descendants are surnamed Jin.
According to historical records, after the death of Dezhu, the sixth chieftain in the 11th year of Yongle, the eldest son Jin Yong went to Beijing to inherit the post of peace envoy, the second son Jin Jian attacked the Hou Yuan chieftain (now Zhu Jin Town, Guiyang), the third son Jin Duo attacked the bronze chieftain (now Luodian) and the fourth son Jin Jun attacked Yang Yisi (now Fuquan).
At that time, the eldest son was supposed to be in charge of the central ruling area, and other descendants attacked other frontier areas, which showed that Guang Shun was in the political center at that time.
Mo Youzhi, a famous scholar, told the reporter that Yelang County was under the jurisdiction of the current government according to Zhengzhen, a famous historian in Qing Dynasty.
A large number of ancient tombs are also buried in Jiugui Gorge Beach, east of the ancient capital 1 km.
Experts believe that the layout and setting of the entire ancient capital city are very consistent with those recorded in historical books.
But whether it is the only capital of Gu Yelang remains to be further studied.
Is the starting point of Yelang water transport the first city in Yelang Kingdom?
Xiong Zongren said that Suijiang, Guizhou Province, was praised by Chinese and foreign experts as "the hometown of Yelang capital", and Langdai ancient town in Mucheng was praised as "the front palace of Yelang capital", and many scholars considered it the first city of Yelang country.
Qujiang district Laowangshan, formerly known as Wolf Mountain, was named after the crescent-shaped moon cave on the cliff and the burial of Yelang Laowang and Princess.
The origin of Maokou nine-story mountain is related to the Songhu capital where Yelang appeared.
According to legend, Yelang Wang hopes to choose a place with 100 peaks to build its capital. Because he saw the overlapping peaks in Tietieguan area of Zhangyuhe River, the clouds covered the fog, just like the waves of the sea, which was very imposing, so Yelang Wang stood on the central hill and counted only 99 peaks, but he didn't know that there was still a loophole under his feet.
From the special geographical location in this area, as well as the strange and mysterious Zhangjiang, Dapu Wangzhai, ancient post road, ancient post station, the female totem of ancient Zhang Si, the huge prince's tomb by the Zhang Si River, the ancient beacon tower and the ancient stone tablet of "officials dismounted here", all show the momentum and momentum of the Yelang princes.
In addition, the bronze wine glasses, bronze bracelets, silver sewing boxes found by people in Maokou area during the Western Han Dynasty, the remains of Yelang king and princess unearthed in Yuedong and the pottery pots buried with them all prove that Maokou is the center of Yelang ancient civilization.
When people in Maokou ancient town were repairing houses and digging the foundation of houses, they dug out the big blue bricks paving the road.
It is not difficult to imagine that if Maokou was not Yelang's political, economic, cultural and diplomatic center, it would never have been paved with high-grade and luxurious Qing bricks.
Mr. He told reporters that the first city of Yelang Kingdom can also be compared with waterways.
According to the Records of Anshun Prefecture, the Moon River is twenty miles north of the city (now six branches) and flows to Annan (now Qinglong), belonging to Maokou River.
Langdai, Zhenning and Guihua (now Ziyun) belong to Yelang in the northwest.
It can be concluded that Langdai is Gulangshan, hence the name Yelang.
From this point of view, the first city of Yelang Kingdom is in the Moon River Basin of Liuzhi Special Zone, and according to the literature of Yelang Linyuhe, Maokou is the starting point of Yelang's water transportation.
You can identify the descendants of Yelang royal family by their faces.
According to Xiong Zongren, there are descendants of Yelang royal family in Hetangcheng village of Maokou.
Mucheng Village is located between the waters of XiongShan Qi, adjacent to Laowangshan on the right, Songyu River on the left, and surrounded by mountains and waters.
There are more than 100 families in this village. There is a Millennium banyan tree at the entrance of the village, and its root length is 8.5 meters on the ground.
The folk customs here are simple and hospitable, especially the young girls and daughters-in-law, who are dignified and elegant.
What is even more surprising is that Zoujiang area belongs to subtropical climate, with low altitude and strong sunshine. People in this area have dark skin, only the girl in Mucheng Village has good facial features, pink face and peach cheeks, beautiful figure and looks very beautiful.
Especially the girl's eyebrows and almond eyes are watery and moving. Teeth as white as jade and red lips like a peach with shallow dimples make them smile and show the legacy of the royal family.
Wang Chaoyang, an expert in tourism development, thinks that it is surrounded by mountains on three sides, but the terrain is steep.
Fujiang solved the ancient water transportation and production and living water. The land on both sides of the river is fertile, rich in sugarcane, fruits, vegetables and peanuts. It is really a good place to use natural disasters to station troops and build the capital.
According to Sima Qian's "Historical Records", "Yelang people are close to the river, and Jiang Guang has sailed for more than a hundred steps."
Suijiang River is the Moon River with six tributaries. From all aspects, this area has the conditions to establish a capital city.
Besides, the girls here are different from people in other parts of the river in appearance and temperament, which may be formed by genetics and palace legacy.
People here may be descended from Yelang royal family.
The ancient capital of Yelang has been changing.
Professor Wesley Wang from Guizhou University for Nationalities told reporters that from the research, Yelang Kingdom seems to be everywhere. Besides Yuanling, Guang Shun and Maokou, there are Anshun, Zhenning, Guanling, Zhenfeng, Tongzi, Guiyang, Shiqian, Ping Huang, Tongren, Xuanwei, Zhanyi and Qujing in Yunnan, and Mayang in Hunan.
So some scholars have found another way, pointing out that since there are related cultural relics everywhere, it is proved that this place is the ancient capital of Yelang. Does this mean that Yelang is in a constantly changing process and has no fixed place?
Professor Wang believes that Yelang country is frequently in war and its territory is constantly changing, so its capital cannot be fixed in one place for a long time, but should be constantly changing and changing.
Background information:
The Lost Civilization —— Yelang
The Yelang we refer to now usually has two meanings: one refers to Yelang in the Warring States, Qin and Han Dynasties; Second, it refers to the coca related to it, which extended to the Han and Jin dynasties after Yelang destroyed the country until today.
Yelang is a national or tribal alliance established by ethnic minorities in southwest China during the Qin and Han Dynasties.
Before the Western Han Dynasty, Yelang's name was unknown.
The name Yelang first appeared, probably during the Warring States Period. King Xiang of Chu (298 BC-262 BC) sent "General Zhuang Yue sank back and took Lan (now Fuhe County, Guizhou Province) to defeat Yelang King", "Lan was both gram and Yelang fell again.
(Chang Qiong's "Huayang Guozhi Nanzhongzhi")
Only then did people know that there was a Yelang country in the southwest.
The upper limit of its existence seems to be difficult to determine, while the lower limit is considered to be in the Pingnian period of Emperor Cheng of Han Dynasty (about 27 BC).
This year, Yelang Wang Xingtong threatened the surrounding 22 cities to rebel against the Han Dynasty, and was killed by the Han envoy Chen Li, and Yelang was also destroyed.
Although this wonderful flower of ancient civilization withered prematurely, its influence is enduring.
Yelang people are almost all Dong people, but in the last generation they were mistaken for some reason, and almost all of them became Han people.