Ep. 252 | The History of Xinjiang (Part 9)
In this episode, we’ll look at the 13th to 17th centuries, Yuan to Qing. After the final end of the Chagatai Khanate, it’s going to be non-stop wars, alliances, and betrayals in this portion of Central Asia. The Zunghars will emerge as a new power in Xinjiang that posed a threat to the new Qing Dynasty.
That will lead to all kinds of trouble that we’ll look at next episode.
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Terms in Episode
| Pinyin/Term | Chinese | English/Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Gānsù Corridor | 河西 / 甘肃走廊 | Also known as the Gansu Corridor, the main road from westernmost China to the easternmost Tarim Basin where the northern route of the Silk Road began |
| Khotan | 和田 | Ancient Iranic kingdom located in the southwest of the Tarim Basin. Also known as Hotan and by many other names |
| Kāngxī | 康熙 | Longest reigning emperor in Chinese history racking up 61 years on the dragon throne. 1661 to 1722. |
| Later Jīn Dynasty | 后金朝 | Manchu Dynasty that lasted 1616 to 1636. Founded by Nurhacu and Hong Taiji. Preceded the Qing |
| Míng Dynasty | 明朝 | Second to the last dynasty of Imperial China, lasting from 1368 to 1644 |
| Mòdú Chányú | 魔都禅语 | Great Xiongnu leader who founded the Xiongnu Empire. Lived from c. 234 to 174 BCE |
| Qara-Khitai | 喀喇契丹 | Successor state to conquered Liao Dynasty, also called the Western Liao. Ran from 1124-1218 |
| Qiánlóng | 乾隆 | Another long reigning champ, occupying the throne from 1733 to 1796 |
| Qīng Dynasty | 清朝 | Last dynasty of Imperial China, ruled by Manchu's, lasted 1644-1911 |
| Shùnzhì | 顺治 | Third Qing Dynasty Emperor and first one to rule over China after 1644. Reigned 1643-1661. |
| Tiānshān | 天山 | The Heavenly Mountains that separates the Turpan and Tarim Basins |
| Western Liáo | 西辽 | See above |
| Xīnjiāng | 新疆 | The area that is now contained in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in China. Also known by many names prior to 1884 |
| Yīlí | 伊犁 | Name of major river and basin that flows from the Tianshan in Xinjiang to Lake Balkhash in Kazakhstan |
| Yōngzhèng | 雍正 | Qing emperor who reigned 1709-1722 |
| Yǐ Yí Zhì Yí | 以夷制夷 | A system used by China from time immemorial of using "barbarians" to control "barbarians" |
| Zhū Yuánzhāng | 朱元璋 | Also known as the founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty (the Hongwu Emperor). Reigned 1368 to 1398 |
| Zunghars (Zhǔngá'ěr) | 准噶尔 | A major tribe of Oirat Mongols who built a khanate that Xinjiang was part of from 1634-1755 |
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This is an old topic I thought I'd present now to coincide with the recent release of the interview with the curators of "Clockwork Treasures From China's Forbidden City.