Most people's impressions of the Han Dynasty are either focused on the struggle between Chu and Han before the founding of the People's Republic of China, or that Lv Hou became the first woman in China's feudal history, and the struggle between the Three Kingdoms at the end of the Han Dynasty. So is the Han Dynasty really so much worse than other unified dynasties in ancient times? No, it can even be said that it was the Han Dynasty that made the world realize the power of ancient China.
Although the Qin Dynasty was the first unified country in China, it lasted for a short time, and its territory was much less than that of the later Han Dynasty. After Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty ascended the throne, he reaped the fruits left by the rule of Wenjing, and began to show the world his powerful military value, chasing the Huns to recover Hexi and opening up the Silk Road, which is the best proof of the strength of the Han Dynasty.
After Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty drove the Huns back to Mobei grassland, he shocked other neighboring countries with his strength. Ancient Japan, facing each other across the sea, began to yearn for the powerful Han Dynasty. Small countries in the western regions paid tribute to the powerful empire in the East through the Silk Road, hoping that the Han Dynasty would send more businessmen to trade and that the Han Dynasty would shelter them.
Speaking of tributes, we all know that in addition to some local specialties, exotic creatures are also the highlight of tributes. For example, Kirin, an ancient Swiss beast, was once paid tribute to the Ming Dynasty by overseas countries through Zheng He in the Ming Dynasty, and now there are still "portraits of Kirin" in many museums. Why do you quote the word Kirin here? Because when you look at those portraits and records, you will find that the so-called unicorn is just a giraffe, which is somewhat ironic.
During the period of Emperor Wu of Han Dynasty, the Hu people in the north of Dawan country once paid tribute to Emperor Wu of Han Dynasty through the Silk Road, and one of them was called "beast". However, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty despises this "beast" and thinks that "this little thing can be settled. What is a beast? " (from ten countries in the sea).
Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty sneered and threw the so-called beast directly into the tiger cage, thinking that the tiger would tear it up at once. Unexpectedly, the tiger in the cage was timid: "It turned out that the tiger heard the beast coming, but it curled up like a dead tiger." When the beast entered the garden, it climbed on the tiger's head and drowned in the tiger's mouth. After ten steps, he came to look after the tiger, but the tiger didn't need to close his eyes. As soon as the tiger saw the beast, he immediately squatted down and pretended to be dead. Even if the beast peed on his head, the tiger didn't dare to move.
There is also a record in the Natural History Book of the Western Jin Dynasty, which is also the same story: "When Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, the Hu people in the north of Dawan were big dogs, but the sound energy was amazing, and both chickens and dogs heard it, so they were called beasts." When the emperor saw it, he scolded it for being too small ... When the tiger saw the beast, it lowered its head and fell to the ground ... The beast was very happy to see the tiger, licked its lips, wagged its tail and went straight to the tiger's head. "
Whether it is "Ten Countries in the Sea" or "Natural History", it is written that this beast is only as big as a dog, but its voice is amazing. What beast is this? Looking through many ancient books, the author thinks that only another kind of god beast "ghost" in ancient legends of China can conform to its image.
As for some people who say that this beast is a lion, it is completely nonsense. Although the lion is brave, it will not make the tiger at the same level so afraid, even to the point of pretending to be dead; Not to mention the size of the lion, everyone is not ignorant. Isn't it forced nonsense to stand on the tiger's head?
"Ji Yun" has a cloud: "Hou, the name of an animal, looks like a dog and eats people." The record in Tan Yan Exposure is even more exaggerated: "Although small, you can fight dragons and eat after winning." You can not only kill dragons, but also eat them! However, the rate of species extinction is very fast, and then there is no record of it gradually, probably because this animal has been completely extinct.