Where is Loulan? Has it been excavated? What is its history?

Loulan is the name of an ancient country in the Western Regions. Loulan is an ancient small country in western China, with the capital Loulan City (the site is located on the northwest coast of Lop Nur, Xinjiang, China). It leads to Qiemo, Jingjue, Kumi, and Khotan in the southwest, to Cheshi in the north, to Yanqi in the northwest, to Bailongdui in the east, to Dunhuang, and is the hub of the Silk Road. The Chinese are of Indo-European race. When Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty first entered the Western Regions, all his envoys passed through Loulan. Loulan served as the Xiongnu's eyes and ears many times, and attacked and robbed the Western Han envoys.

The name of Loulan first appeared in "Historical Records". In 176 BC, the Xiongnu Maodun Shanyu wrote a letter to Han Wen Emperor Liu Heng. Loulan belonged to the Xiongnu. In 60 BC, it belonged to the Western Regions Protectorate of the Han Dynasty.

Loulan is a dominant small country on the Silk Road in the easternmost part of the Western Regions. Han and Hungarians both wanted to control Loulan in order to compete for the Western Regions. Loulan was "not affiliated with the two countries and could not be at ease" between Han and Hungarians. In 77 BC, Fu Jiezi, a warrior and famous diplomat of the Western Han Dynasty, killed the King of Loulan and changed the name of his country to Shanshan. At Shanshan's request, the Han Dynasty sent troops to farm in Yixun City within its territory.

After the Eastern Han Dynasty, due to the diversion of the Zhubin River in the middle reaches of the Tarim River, Loulan was seriously short of water. Soller of Dunhuang led 1,000 troops to Loulan City, and summoned 3,000 soldiers from Shanshan, Yanqi, and Qiuci. They crossed the river and diverted water into Loulan City day and night to alleviate Loulan's water shortage problem.

After that, despite the maximum efforts and attempts of the Loulan people to dredge the river, Loulan City was eventually abandoned due to water shortages, and the people moved southward. Loulan City eventually became the ruins it is today. Extended information

The ancient city of Loulan now covers an area of ​​120,000 square meters and is nearly square with a side length of about 330 meters. The entire site is scattered among the Yadan landforms on the west bank of Lop Nur. Loulan ancient city ruins are 350 kilometers away from Korla City in the northwest and 330 kilometers away from Ruoqiang County in the southwest. Almost all of it was buried by quicksand. The city walls are built alternately with clay and red wicker.

There is an ancient canal running diagonally through the city from northwest to southeast. There is an octagonal domed adobe pagoda in the northeast of the canal. On the earthen platform in the south of the tower, there is a group of tall wooden building ruins. Documents and slips in Chinese and Qilin scripts, five-baht coins, silk and woolen fabrics, daily utensils, etc. have been unearthed.

In the middle of the southwest part of the canal, there are three large wooden adobe houses. A large number of Chinese documents, wooden slips and early Sogdian and Khalur script documents have been unearthed in and around the houses, which are estimated to be the remains of the government office. . A group of courtyards to the west may be official residences, and short residential buildings are scattered to the south. Various documents and slips unearthed in the city are called Lop Nur documents.

Reference: Baidu Encyclopedia - Loulan