User:Pieceofmetalwork/Qinzhidao
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The Qin Direct Road was an ancient road built during the reign of Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor of China. The road started from Ganquan Palace in Chunhua County, Shaanxi and ended in Machi, present day Baotou, in Inner Mongolia, a distance of ca. 750 km (470 mi).[2][3]
As described in Sima Qian's Shiji, construction of the road was ordered by the Qin emperor, with Meng Tian and the emperor's oldest son Fusu being responsible for the construction. In 212 BC workers started clearing forests. Construction was completed over two years later in 210 BC. The road was built from rammed earth.[2][4]
Archeologists have described the road as "generally straight, with only broad curves; averaging 20–30 m wide; and either flat or with a gentle grade of at most 10%." Along steep sections the road was flanked by gutters to prevent erosion.[5]
Construction of the road consumed a great amount of manpower and resources, with 300,000 workers being put on the project,[6] affecting the Qin empire's finances and causing dissatisfaction among citizens.[7]
Use
[edit]Although the use of the road is not recorded, historians believe its purpose was military, connecting the capital to the border regions. Cavalry troops would be able to reach the border at Jiuyuan from the capital Xianyang (and later Chang'an) in three days of non-stop travel.[2] The road also integrated defensive structures.[1]
During later dynasties, merchants and other civilians also used the road.[4]
Diplomat Zhang Qian used the road to travel to Central Asia.[2]
During the Tang dynasty the road gradually became abandoned as the political and cultural center of the empire shifted eastward.[8] Parts of the road remained in use until the Qing dynasty.[2]
Of the Inner Mongolia section, around 200 km of roadbed has been found by archeologists. Another 90 km section has been identified in Xunyi County.[5]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b Li, Zehao; Bevan, Andrew (2024-02). "A spatial interaction model of Qin-Han Dynasty organisation on the northern frontier and the location of the Zhidao highway (China)". Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports. 53: 104407. doi:10.1016/j.jasrep.2024.104407.
{{cite journal}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ a b c d e "Qin Dynasty's ancient highway". SHINE. Retrieved 2024-12-28.
- ^ 陕西省文物局 (2020-05-01). 华夏宝库 耀世华章——陕西历史博物馆（走进博物馆系列） (in Chinese). 西安地图出版社/聲朗文化股份有限公司. ISBN 978-7-5556-0622-2.
- ^ a b "Qinzhi Ancient Road, the world's first expressway". 2020-07-16.
- ^ a b Sanft, Charles (2011). "Debating the Route of the Qin Direct Road (Zhidao): Text and Excavation". Frontiers of History in China. 6 (3): 323–346. doi:10.1007/s11462-011-0132-1. ISSN 1673-3401.
- ^ "Qin Dynasty: Achievements, Facts & Time Period". HISTORY. 2023-06-16. Retrieved 2024-12-28.
- ^ 鍾華; 陳艷芳 (2015-07-06). 香港高中生必讀古詩文（下冊） (in Chinese). 三聯書店(香港)有限公司. ISBN 978-962-04-3796-0.
- ^ 水淼主編 (2013-01-01). 天天向上——年輕人要熟知的2000個文化常識 (in Chinese). 清華大學出版社. ISBN 978-7-302-34038-6.