Blog Entry 2: New encounters and Changing Opinions

I encountered a rather particular event today. Posted at the gates of Dunhuang as usual, I witnessed a group of people from Tien-Chu (India) claiming to be missionaries and pilgrims to spread the word of the ‘Buddha.’¹ I have heard slightly about this place and their beliefs, but it was my first time encountering it. They were 12 people, including a guide from Dunhuang whom I did not recognize, but was probably returning back from a trip.² I proceeded with the regular procedures concerning the entry of foreigners, making sure they had the proper identification and were not bringing in anything illegal.³ They all had their travel passes, and indeed seemed intent on diffusing their beliefs. Upon inspection of their goods, I saw many manuscripts written in a language I did not understand, but interestingly, some of them had books with basic Han writing.⁴ There were also several charms and statuettes of a figure I assume was the “Buddha,” as well as some silks and coins. They appeared to be honest men, and I let them through. I don’t know if I was careless in this decision, but I could not think straight because another matter has been distracting my thoughts…

I have been thinking a lot about the Xiongnu. It’s my fifth year here in the garrisons of Dunhuang. The Xiongnu attacks have yet to cease. But I am beginning to question the actual ‘barbarity’ of our neighbors. How is the more powerful and greater Han having such a difficult time against a supposedly uncivilized nation? I think we misunderstood the Xiongnu. Their customs and lifestyle are fit for their environment. I have complained before of the arid and desolate landscape of Dunhuang compared to Chang’an. It is clear that cultivating the land here does not reap as much food. Why, then, the emphasis of agriculture in the northern borders when it is largely inefficient? Our steppe neighbors, understand their environment, and thus rely instead on hunting, raiding and our gifts. They use every part of their herd for food and clothing, and have thus adopted nomadism to adapt to their greatest asset: their animals. While many criticize the young eating first in Xiongnu culture, is not the Han doing the same thing by taking the produce from elderly farmers and sending it here to feed the younger troops? The Xiongnu simply have a more direct way of handling their administration, compared to our tedious bureaucracy.⁵

            However, I cannot admit this in public, as I fear my head will be brought to the emperor, which is why I am writing these thoughts in my diary. There is always the possibility of defecting, like many have already done, but I cannot put at risk my wife and children. I only hope that soon the emperor understands the harsh environment of the northern border lands, and the necessity to adapt to it.

¹ According to the silkroadfoundation.org, missionaries and pilgrims may have reached china as early as the 2^nd century bc. Moreover, the knowledge of India and Buddhism became more widely known upon Zhang Qian’s return from his travels to Daxia (Ferghana) in 125BC, where he learned of a country called Tien-Chu (India) and their Buddhist teaching. This would have given roughly a decade's worth of time for this information to spread, making it plausible for my character to have heard of India and Buddhism.
http://silkroadfoundation.org/toc/index.html

² Hansen explains that guides were very often used when travelling along the silk roads, as there was no clear path.
Valerie Hansen, “The Silk Road – A New History,” (New York: Oxford University Press), p.8.

³ Hansen explains how travellers needed travel passes (guosuo) to travel into and out of China.
Valerie Hansen, “The Silk Road – A New History,” (New York: Oxford University Press), p.17.

⁴ Hansen explains that Buddhists were very avid learners of language in order to spread their religion, hence the notebooks found upon our hero’s inspecting which contained basic Chinese characters.
Valerie Hansen, “The Silk Road – A New History,” (New York: Oxford University Press), p.56

⁵ This paragraph is inspired, again, by Shi Ji 110, however emphasizing the thoughts of Zhonghang Yue, who sympathized with the Xiongnu, seeing their culture as well-adapted to their environment, and less corrupted than Han’s bureaucracy.
Suma Qian. Shi Ji 110 – The account of the Xiongnu from “Records of the Grand Historian of China.”

Note on Sources

Based on our readings, the predominance of Buddhism in China comes much later in time, namely when Kumarajiva begins his project of translation. It was during the 4^th century onwards when landscape of china really started to change, with temples, cave temples, Buddhist statues, etc. But during the time period of my character (2^nd Century BC), Buddhism only just began to be introduced in China. Silkroadfoundation.org explains that by the 2^nd C BC, there were Buddhist missionaries coming into China, and that is what I base this episode from. In my first paragraph, I try to envision what may have happened when these first missionaries and pilgrims first came into china, and how a soldier would have dealt with them. 

Moreover, in this first chapter, I also try to use as much elements from Hansen’s text to depict such an interaction. Therefore, I made mention of the travel documents, the use of guides, and the fact that Buddhists were some of the most important translators on the silk road.

Lastly, I re-use Sima Qian’s Shi Ji 110 - Account of the Xiongnu, because I wanted to show a different opinion about them. This served as a source to reflect my character’s evolving judgements about the Xiongnu.