Korla
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For the Animorphs species, see Korla.
Korla (simplified Chinese: 库尔勒; traditional Chinese: 庫爾勒;pinyin: Kù'ěrlè) is a city south of Karashahr (Yanqi), and is the capital of the Bayin'gholin Mongol Autonomous Prefecture, the largest prefecture in China. The city () had 200,374 inhabitants in 1999, of whom the majority were Han Chinese, with a large minority of Uyghurs and smaller numbers of Mongols and Tibetans.
It is about 47 km southwest from Karashahr (Yanqi) to Korla. Korla has long been the biggest centre in the region after Karashahr itself, having abundant water and extensive farmlands, as well as controlling the main routes to the south and west of Karashahr. Due to the discovery of oil in the Taklamakan Desert, Korla is now both more populous and far more developed than Karashar.
The Iron Gate Pass (Tiemenguan) leading to Karashahr is about 7 km (4 miles) north of the city and, as it was easily defended, played an important part in protecting the ancient Silk Roads from raiding nomads from the north.
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[edit] History
Korla was known as Weili during the Han Dynasty. Weili is said in the Hanshu or 'History of the Former Han' (covering the period 125 BCE to 23 CE), to have had 1,200 households, 9,600 individuals and 2,000 people able to bear arms. It also mentions that it adjoined Shanshan and Qiemo (Charchan) to the south.[1]
In 61 CE, the Xiongnu led some 30,000 troops from 15 kingdoms including Korla, Karashahr, and Kucha in a successful attack on Khotan.
In 94 CE, the Chinese general Ban Chao sent soldiers to punish the kingdoms of Yanqi (Karashahr), Weixu (Hoxud), Weili (Korla), and Shanguo (in the western Kuruk mountains).
- "He then sent the heads of the two kings of Yanqi (Karashahr) and Weili (Korla) to the capital where they were hung in front of the residences of the Man and Yi princes in the capital (Luoyang). (Ban) Chao then appointed Yuan Meng, who was the Yanqi (Karashahr) Marquis of the Left, king (of Kashgar). The kings of Weili (Korla), Weixu (Hoxud), and Shanguo (in the western Kuruk mountains) were all replaced."
After the rebellion of the "Western Regions" (106-125 CE), only the kings of Korla and Hoxud refused to submit to the Chinese. Ban Yong, the son of Ban Chao, along with the Governor of Dunhuang attacked and defeated them.[2]
The 3rd century Weilue records that Korla, Hoxud and Shanwang (= Shanguo) were all dependencies of Karashahr. [3]
In May, 1877 Yakub Beg, the Muslim ruler of Kashgaria, died here, prompting the reconquest of Eastern Turkestan by the Manchu dynasty.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Hulsewe, A. F. P. and Loewe, M. A. N. 1979. China in Central Asia: The Early Stage 125 BC – AD 23: an annotated translation of chapters 61 and 96 of the History of the Former Han Dynasty, p. 177. E. J. Brill, Leiden.
- ^ Hill, John E. 2004. The Western Regions according to the Hou Hanshu. Draft annotated English translation.[1]
- ^ Hill, John E. 2004. The Peoples of the West from the Weilue 魏略 by Yu Huan 魚豢: A Third Century Chinese Account Composed between 239 and 265 CE. Draft annotated English translation. [2]
- Mallory, J. P. and Mair, Victor H. 2000. The Tarim Mummies: Ancient China and the Mystery of the Earliest Peoples from the West. Thames & Hudson, London.
- Stein, Aurel M. 1921. Serindia: Detailed report of explorations in Central Asia and westernmost China, 5 vols. London & Oxford. Clarendon Press. Reprint: Delhi. Motilal Banarsidass. 1980.[3]
- Stein Aurel M. 1928. Innermost Asia: Detailed report of explorations in Central Asia, Kan-su and Eastern Iran, 5 vols. Clarendon Press. Reprint: New Delhi. Cosmo Publications. 1981.
- von Le Coq, Albert. 1928. Buried Treasures of Turkestan. Reprint with Introduction by Peter Hopkirk, Oxford University Press. 1985.
