The idiom "Long Guan Shu" comes from a letter written by Liu Xiu, Guangwu Emperor of the Eastern Han Dynasty. Long refers to Longxi in the east of Gansu Province, and Shu refers to Bashu, Sichuan and Chongqing. These are two very important geographical plates in the history of China.
The war to pacify Longxi in the early years of the Eastern Han Dynasty was very difficult, and it met with the joint resistance of the separatist forces in Longxi and Bashu. Liu Xiu wrote a letter to General Cen Peng, which said, "If Xicheng is captured, you will see soldiers attacking Shu Lu in the south. People are not satisfied with their sufferings. Whether it's comfortable or not. Every time I send troops, my head is white. " Later, it evolved into the idiom "Looking at Shu in the Dragon".
The original intention of this letter is to spur and encourage Cen Peng. People are most afraid of complacency and lack of self-motivation. This is actually the same as Sun Yat-sen's "the revolution has not been successful, and comrades still need to work hard". Liu Xiu is called the master of ZTE, but he is actually starting a business. The hardships of starting a business made him feel that "every time he sent troops, his head turned white." It can be said that Liu Xiu completed his great cause of "Zhongxing" in the constant "Wang Longshu". However, later generations have turned this idiom into a derogatory term, meaning greed. History sometimes plays jokes on people in this way.
Liu Xiu is a God of War emperor with outstanding military talents. He is by no means an ordinary person. With his first-class strategic vision, he saw the importance of Longxi and Sichuan to the reunification of the country. Another meaning of this letter is actually Liu Xiu's strategic deployment. To level Gansu first and then cut Shu, we must win Gansu and Shu. This is the correct solution of the word "Wang Longshu". So let's talk about why Longxi is so important to Liu Xiu's Eastern Han regime today.
2. Longxi is an important place that runs through the northwest and the western regions.
Firstly, the important regional blocks in ancient northwest China are introduced: Hexi (western Gansu), Longxi (eastern Gansu), Hehuang (eastern Qinghai), Shuofang (Ningxia and Xihe Hetao) and Western Regions (Xinjiang and Central Asia).
If one of these important regional plates is in the center, it is Longxi. What is more special about Longxi is that Longxi can communicate not only with the northwest region, but also with important areas in China such as Guanzhong, Bashu and Qinghai-Tibet. It can be said that Longxi belongs to the chess eye level in the geographical position of China.
Liangzhou is the most popular place name in the history books of Northwest China, which is divided into Hexi and Longxi. Hexi is the northern part of Liangzhou, also called Xiliang. It is west of the Yellow River, east of Dunhuang, and further west is the Western Regions. Longxi is Nanliangzhou, east of the Yellow River and west of Longshan, also known as Longxi, and it is also the "dragon" in our theme "The Book of King Delong" today.
Longxi area is the east of Gansu province today, east of the Yellow River. It is a plateau area surrounded by Longshan, Qinling, the eastern edge of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and the Yellow River.
In the northwest regional block, Longxi is the hub, connecting Guanzhong in the east, Heshuo in the northeast, Hexi in the northwest, Hehuang and Qinghai-Tibet in the southwest, and Shudi in the southeast. It is not only closely connected with Guanzhong, the core area of China, but also the core plate of all areas in the northwest, so we must first win Longxi after crossing the northwest.
As a descendant of Liu Bang's royal family in the Han Dynasty, Liu Xiu naturally raised the banner of the Han Dynasty. The newly established Eastern Han Dynasty is in ruins. After gaining a firm foothold, it is natural to restore the glory of all ancestors and let the great men regain their glory. This is what Liu Xiu must do and what he must do. At one time, the military of the Western Han Dynasty was extremely powerful, and the Huns could not find the north, and they also controlled the western regions for more than one hundred years. Just because Wang Mang's New Deal was unpopular, the world was in chaos. After Liu Xiu reorganized the world, he was bound to make preparations for re-governing the Western Regions. We must have a solid rear when crossing the western regions, so this rear must be Hexi and Longxi.
At this time, there are still three major forces in the world that have not yet joined: Dou Rong in Hexi, Xiao Wei in Longxi and Gongsun Shu in Bashu. Dou Rong in Hexi, as a descendant of the Western Han Dynasty, has already joined, while the rest of Longxi and Bashu are, of course, more closely related to Guanzhong and the most urgent. If they don't win, Guanzhong will be uneasy.
Whether crossing the northwest, stabilizing the frontier, pacifying Bashu and unifying the whole country, we must first firmly grasp Longxi. With the strategic location of Longxi, we can advance and retreat, and we can master the strategic initiative and strategic flexibility.
Longxi is the intersection of northwest traffic arteries.
Of course, the most important traffic artery in ancient northwest China was the famous Silk Road. The Silk Road is in the western regions, starting from Dunhuang and along the edge of Taklimakan Desert, there are two routes. In the hinterland, starting from Longxi area, there are also two routes, the northern line is Hexi Road, taking Hexi Corridor, the southern line is Qinghai Road, taking Hehuang Valley, and the southern line and the northern line finally meet in Dunhuang. Both the well-known Hexi Road and the little-known Qinghai Road, including the ancient Tang-Fan Road and the Southwest Silk Road leading to Tubo, Nepal and India, need to pass through Longxi.
In terms of transportation, Longxi is simply the thoroughfare of nine provinces in the northwest, reaching all the southeast and northwest. The famous traffic arteries passing through Longxi in the past dynasties are:
Leading to Guanzhong: Guanlong Ancient Road (developed by Qin people in Zhou Dynasty and enduring for a long time)
Leading to the Western Regions: Silk Road-Hexi Road (developed in the Western Han Dynasty and enduring for a long time)
Leading to the Western Regions: the Silk Road-Qinghai Road (Tuguhun flourished in the Southern and Northern Dynasties, but flourished in the Northern Song Dynasty)
Leading to Tubo: the ancient road of Tangfan (developed in the Tang Dynasty and witnessed the vicissitudes of Princess Wencheng's entry into Tibet and Tangfan)
Leading to Shu: Yin Ping ancient road (the battle of Wei destroying Shu, the marching route of Wargo)
Leading to Hanzhong: Qishan Ancient Road (the main marching route of Zhuge Liang's Northern Expedition)
Guanlong Ancient Road: guanshan prairie, a gap in Longshan, naturally formed. Since ancient times, it has been the traffic avenue between Guanzhong Plain and Longxi area, the only way for Qin people to enter Guanzhong area from the birthplace of Longxi, and the only way for the Silk Road in past dynasties.
Hexi Road: During the reign of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, the champion and other Huo Qubing defeated the right king of Xiongnu. After conquering the Hexi Corridor, four counties of Wuwei, Zhangye, Jiuquan and Dunhuang were set up in Hexi, and the Great Wall was built to Yumenguan, and a post station was set up. After the defense system of Hexi hansel was completed, Hexi Corridor was tightly embedded in the northwest land, silently guarding the Chinese civilization for two thousand years, and witnessed many vicissitudes. Even the names of the four cities in Hexi haven't changed. The development of Hexi Road, the main artery of the Silk Road, has made Sino-Western trade endless, and made Chinese civilization go out of the Central Plains, to the western regions and to the world. It can be said that Hexi Corridor is a witness to the prosperity of Chinese civilization and the exchange and integration of Chinese and Western nationalities.
Qinghai Road: As the auxiliary line of Hexi Line, the main line of the Silk Road, it needs to pass through a large area of wasteland and no man's land, and the natural conditions are even worse. Only when the Hexi line is blocked will it be used on a large scale. The southern regime and Hexi in the Southern and Northern Dynasties and the Song Dynasty were occupied by local separatist regimes, so Qinghai Road was used to communicate the trade between the Central Plains and the Western Regions.
Tang-Fan Ancient Road: a very famous traffic avenue in China's ancient history, and it is also the only way for the Central Plains to lead to Qinghai, Tibet, Nepal, India and other countries since the Tang Dynasty. This ancient road witnessed Princess Wencheng's entry into Tibet, the friendly exchanges between the Central Plains and Tubo, and the war between the Tang Dynasty and Tubo.
Yin Ping Ancient Road: This is a mountain road from Longxi to Bashu. As a relatively unknown ancient road, it is well known by many people because of the Three Kingdoms. In the battle of Wei's destruction of Shu, Zhong Hui led the main force of Wei to be blocked by Jiang Wei in Jiange, and Wargo took a detour of more than a thousand miles from Longxi, entered Shu from Yin Ping Road, and went straight to the hinterland of Shu, thus destroying Shu in one fell swoop. Of course, the ancient road in Yin Ping is very steep. According to the records of the Three Kingdoms, pedestrians can't get through in some places. Wei Jun rolled down the thick felt, showing the sinister degree of this ancient road.
Qishan Ancient Road: This is a passage from Longxi to Hanzhong and then to Bashu. As the main channel of Zhuge Liang's northern expedition to Wei, it is famous all over the world because of The Romance of the Three Kingdoms, and almost everyone knows it. However, many people think that it should lead to Guanzhong Plain, but actually it leads to Longxi, including the loss of "Street Pavilion" caused by "Tearing Ma Su". In fact, it is also an important pass on the west side of Guanlong Ancient Road. Zhuge Liang is talented and proficient in geography. The purpose of the first Northern Expedition was actually to "close the ancient road of Gansu and occupy the west of Gansu". Unfortunately, at the same time, he met a god-like opponent and a pig-like teammate.
4. The steep geographical situation in west Gansu made Liu Xiuping's battle in Gansu very difficult.
In the Battle of Liu Xiuping, Gansu, Xiao Wei in Longxi was not a famous soldier. In the corner of Longxi, there are only two counties in Longxi and Tianshui, with a population of only 0.7% of the world. However, Liu Xiu, the God of War of the Eastern Han Dynasty, and his famous soldiers Han, Geng Yan, Feng Yi, Cen Peng, Gaiyan, Laihe, Ma Cheng and Shangliu were held hostage for four years.
Let's talk about the geographical advantages of Longxi.
From Guanzhong to Longxi, we need to pass through Longshan, which is the natural boundary mountain between Shaanxi Province and Gansu Province today. It is long and narrow in the north-south direction and high enough, just like a natural high wall. How high is Longshan Mountain? From the Guanzhong Plain with an average elevation of about 400 meters, it suddenly rose to a height of more than 2,000 meters. This is terrible in the age of cold weapons!
Longshan can be the best northwest barrier or the biggest threat in Guanzhong. Longxi Plateau and Longdong Plateau, collectively known as Longshang, are located on the plateau overlooking the Guanzhong Plain. If Gansu local forces attack Guanzhong Plain from top to bottom, it will be a great threat.
Therefore, Liu Xiu, who has conquered Guanzhong, wants to win Longshan as soon as possible to protect the safety of the northwest wing of Guanzhong. Liu Xiu is more worried that once Longxi Xiao Wei is divided, it will be difficult to win it.
During World War I in Ping Long, what Liu Xiu wanted was to take the only avenue between Guanlong by surprise: Guanlong Ancient Road.
"Six years, Geng Yan and Gaiyan were sent to cut Shu from Gansu Road. Xiao Wei was afraid, so he sent his troops to fight back and let Wang Yuan cut down trees to block the way. The generals killed each other and came back defeated. "
At first, Xiao Wei didn't completely fall out with Liu Xiu. In May of the sixth year of Jianwu, Liu Xiuqin went to Chang 'an and ordered the Han army in Guanzhong to forcibly cross the Guanlong ancient road, borrow Tianshui and cut Shu in the west. Xiao Wei was afraid that this was Liu Xiu's plan to cut off the enemy, so he ordered people to block Gansu, cut off Guanlong Avenue, the only passage between Guanzhong and Longxi, and cut off the supply line of the Han army. The Han army was caught off guard and unfamiliar with the terrain of Longshan, so it had to retreat hastily. Fortunately, the Han army is brave, otherwise it is likely to be wiped out.
This is how the first battle of Ping Long ended, ending in the defeat of the Han army.
Some people may wonder, don't Longhai Railway and Lianhuo Expressway all reach Tianshui from Baoji along the Weihe River? Why is the Guanlong ancient road in the north the only passage? This is a modern thing. The Tianbao section of Longhai Railway is the most difficult section. When completed, this 154 km tunnel alone accounts for one-seventh of the total number of tunnels in China. After liberation, it was renovated. Railway soldiers later concluded that the treasure antenna was cast with life and blood. Lianhuo Expressway was only built in the 1990s, and many modern equipments and technologies were used. In ancient times, it can be said that no army could reach Tianshui from Baoji along the Weihe River across Longshan.
The first time Ping Long failed, the whole army would fight again.
However, for the stability of the new dynasty, Liu Xiu didn't send troops to conquer Xiao Wei on a large scale, but just took an active defensive posture, so that Feng Yi led the army north to Beidi County, seized the military town with the fastest speed, made a surprise attack, successfully captured Beidi, and drove Xiao Wei back to Longxi County.
After the success of the military surprise attack, Liu Xiu launched a political offensive and sent envoys to persuade Hexi General Dou Rong to submit to the court.
In this case, in the second battle of Ping Long, we must avoid the dangerous area of Longshan, detour to the north, and join forces with the Hexi Army in Dou Rong. It also succeeded in cleverly attacking Lueyang in Longxi Highland, and then occupied the commanding heights, detouring from the gentle mountainous area in the north of Longshan and heading south along the wide Longshui Valley. All the way, like bamboo, was determined to be the most in Longxi in a blink of an eye, and the last stronghold was besieged: Xicheng (now Tianshui Xicheng, Gansu Province). At this time, it can be said that the situation was excellent, but even in this situation, it took about two years to pacify Longxi, and it ended in a broken victory. It can be seen that the geographical position of Longxi is strong, not only Longshan and Longxi cities, but also the Longxi army is brave and good at fighting.
5. Longxi was a natural fan screen in the West during the Zhou and Qin Dynasties.
Longdong Plateau (Zuo Long) is the birthplace of Zhou people, and Longxi Plateau (Longyou) is the birthplace of Qin people. The rites formulated by Duke Zhou laid the foundation of Chinese civilization. Qin people were at their peak in martial arts. For the first time in history, they unified the whole country by force and thoroughly implemented the county system, which opened the source of the two thousand-year dynasty system. These two dynasties laid a solid foundation for the development of Chinese civilization.
It can also be said that the whole Longshang area gave birth to the embryonic form of Chinese civilization.
Longshang region, especially Longxi, provided a solid natural barrier for the Central Plains region during the adolescence of Zhou and Qin Dynasties, and made great contributions to the development of Chinese civilization.
Longxi is the core area of northwest China, which was developed relatively late in ancient times. In the Western Zhou Dynasty, farming and nomadic peoples lived together. Longxi was relatively stable until Qin Mugong conquered Xirong.
I often think that the control area of Xia, Shang and Zhou dynasties can't surpass Longxi in the west direction, and the answer can naturally be analyzed by analyzing productivity conditions and geographical situation. However, why are there so many elements about Kunlun, Queen Mother of the West and Buzhou Mountain in ancient legends, which are unique to the western regions? Myth is generally the memory of national ancestors. After word of mouth, it has been passed down to this day. According to this line of thinking, the ancestors of the Chinese nation should have come from the west, advanced all the way eastward, thrived all the way, and finally nourished the splendid Chinese civilization. Some people are unwilling to leave their native land and change their original way of life, and still stay in the vast west, such as the Qiang people.
During the Western Han Dynasty, Zhang Qian went to the Western Regions and returned to his ancestral hometown. Although there is strangeness everywhere, he can still find some realistic correspondence from the clues in Shan Hai Jing, and he should have a familiar strangeness.
In this sense, 56 ethnic groups are a family, and the ancestors of 56 ethnic groups are connected by blood, which seems to be the result of a historical evolution.