The Historical Map of Beiten in Gansu Province of the Yuan Dynasty
Map Introduction
I. Hami: The Strategic Gateway on the Silk Road
Hami (modern Hami region) during the Yuan Dynasty was the appanage of the Prince of Weiwu, Nahuli. Its geographical position was extremely vital, historically described as the "Key to the Western Regions and a Bulwark for China." As a crucial passage on the Silk Road, Hami served as a pivotal hub connecting Central China with the Western Regions during the Yuan period. Starting from the Yuan era, Hami became famous for its Hami melons; the Venetian merchant Marco Polo praised "the melons of Camul," spreading its renown. During the Hongwu reign of the Ming Dynasty, the Hami ruler Angke Temür submitted to the Ming, becoming one of the "Seven Guards beyond Jiayu Pass." Although Hami was not established as a separate Branch Secretariat under the Yuan, its administration was directly overseen by the central government as a significant appanage and communication node.
II. Beiting: The Military-Political Center on the Northern Slopes of the Tianshan Mountains
In 1295, the Beiting Regional Military Command was established at Beiting (modern Jimsar), with the Pingzhang Zhengshi Hebo appointed as Regional Military Commander. As the political, military, and cultural center of the northern Silk Road route from the Tang to the Yuan period, the Beiting ancient city ruins are the most completely preserved ancient urban site on the northern foothills of the Tianshan Mountains. Its strategic location, backed by the Tianshan Mountains to the south and facing the vast desert to the north, made it a forward outpost for the Yuan defense against incursions from the Chagatai Khanate. The Yuan stationed substantial forces here, commanding three armies with a total strength of 20,000 troops, underscoring its core strategic role within the Western Regions defense system.
III. Kara-Khoja: The Administrative Hub of the Uighur Region
Kara-Khoja (modern Turpan) during the Yuan Dynasty fell under the jurisdiction of the Beshbalik and Hezhou Pacification Commission and Regional Military Command. The fall of the Kara-Khoja city in 1277 and the subsequent eastward migration of the Uighur Idiqut Khochqar and his people to Yongchang marked a significant event of ethnic migration during the Yuan era. The Yuan established a Pacification Commission here to manage Uighur household registration and taxes and to coordinate relations between the locality and the central government. Economically based on agriculture, Kara-Khoja was a crucial nexus linking Central Asia with Central China during the Yuan, and its status as the military-administrative center for the Uighur region reflected the dynasty's emphasis on the Central Asian communication routes.
IV. The Relationship between the Three Sites within the Yuan Dynasty's Western Regions Governance System
The Yuan implemented an integrated military-civil administration in the Western Regions. In 1283, Pacification Commissions were established in Beshbalik, Kara-Khoja, and Khotan to oversee military and civil affairs north and south of the Tianshan Mountains. The three sites had distinct, complementary functions:
- Hami: As an appanage, it handled frontier defense and served as a trade hub.
- Beiting: A key military stronghold, housing the Regional Military Command responsible for the defense system.
- Kara-Khoja: An administrative center, managing civil affairs for the Uighur region.
The Yuan connected these three sites via a courier station network, creating an efficient communication system. This arrangement exemplified the Yuan's multifaceted strategy of "adapting governance to local customs" in the Western Regions. This governance system not only maintained direct central control over the frontier but also promoted the prosperity and smooth operation of the Silk Road.
Summary
Hami, Beiting, and Kara-Khoja served as key nodes in the Yuan Dynasty's Western Regions governance system, undertaking respective roles in appanage management, military defense, and administrative jurisdiction. Linked closely through the Yuan's Branch Secretariat system and courier network, they collectively constituted an effective governance framework for the regions north and south of the Tianshan Mountains. This system not only safeguarded the Silk Road's viability but also provided a significant model for later frontier administration.