Wang Zhaojun\'s Chusai (An imperial concubine went out of border to marry Huhanye for the peaceful coexistence of two nations)

　　1.The Background of Wang Zhaojun’s Chusai

　　Hun in the north of China was one of the ancient unions of tribes. When the Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty (156 B.C. to 87 B.C.) was enthroned, the economic basis of the Han Dynasty was very firm. In 129 B.C. Hun, invading from Shanggu (today’s Huailai County in Hebei Province) robbed and killed many people, so Emperor Wu sent four troops respectively commanded by two great generals Wei Qing and Li Guang to counterattack Hun. Wei Qing commanding his troops even marched to the City of Tinglongcheng where the chief of Hun lived. Wars after that frequently occurred between them, but they are not as intense and influential as before.

　　The long-term expedition of the Han Dynasty not just improved its national prestige but consolidated its frontier defense. It at the same time, however, consumed a lot of manpower, materials, resulting in the empty of the national treasury. And the wars between Hun and the Han Dynasty added heavy burden to the serious situation, which in turn caused severer turbulence. Thus Hun realized the importance of peace with the Han Dynasty because of the long-term see-saw battle, and growing number of internal strife.

　　In the fifth year of Jianzhao of Emperor Yuan (34 B.C.), Chanyu (chief of Hun) Zhizhi was killed. Chanyu Huhanxie was both happy and afraid after he heard the news. So he submitted a written statement to the court of the Han Dynasty, willing to meet with the emperor. The Emperor Yuan was very happy. In 33B.C. Chanyu Huhanxie went to Chang’an City again to meet with the emperor. The etiquette was as the same as before, but the reward he got from the court was much more. Chanyu Huhanxie offered to be the son-in-law of Han court, and the Emperor Yuan accepted his offer. Wan Qiang (Qiang is her given name and Zhaojun is her courtesy name), an imperial concubine volunteered to marry Chanyu Huhanxie. Chanyu Huhanxie liked her so much and gave her the name Ninghu Yanzhi. Ninghu means peace in the frontier and Yanzhi means Queen. Since that the relation between the Han Nationality and Hun went to a new era.

　　2.The Motivation of Wang Zhaojun’s Chusai

　　There are different opinions on Wang Zhaojun’s motivation. And the main opinions are listed as below:

　　A. To resist against the court. Wang Zhaojun was not content with the emperor and the life in imperial harem, because she couldn’t even meet the emperor. So her action can be viewed as the resistance against the court. This opinion was seldom mentioned before 20th century, but it was accepted by a lot of scholars. Guo Moruo’s Wang Zhaojun provides the earliest and detailed explanations to this opinion.

　　B. To express her sorrows and complainings. Wang Zhaojun lived in imperial harem for more than five years. She complained that her most beautiful years passed away like flowing water, and was tired of the lonely and monotonous life. So she regarded Chusai as a means to pursue her hope and happiness.

　　C. To serve the country (she is regarded as the heroine). To help the country to get over the difficulty and for the interests of the Han Dynasty, she volunteered to sacrifice her happiness. This opinion appeared in the Tang Dynasty (618-907) and was generally accepted by most of the scholar-bureaucrats in the Song Dynasty (970-1279).

　　D. For the relationship between the Han Dynasty and Hun. She was willing to shoulder the political responsibility as a peace emissary to make contribution to the development of relation between the Han Dynasty and Hun. This revealed to us that she paid much attention to the development of friendly relation between the two nations, and this should be one of her motivations.

　　3.The Significance of Wang Zhaojun’s Chusai

　　Wang Zhaojun has always been viewed as a symbol of peace. In 1954, archaeologists dug up some eaves tiles and bricks in Zhaowan, Baotou City, Inner Mongolia. There are propitious Chinese characters such as Chanyu Heqin, Qianqiu Wansui, and Changle Weiyang on the surface of these eaves tiles and bricks. These relics could be dated back to the Western the Han Dynasty (207-25 B.C.). And Heqin between Han Nationality and Hun only occurred once during the Western Han Dynasty, namely Wang Zhaojun’s Chusai. So these relics should be made at that time by Hun to celebrate Wang Zhaojun’s Chusai.

　　Wang Zhaojun played a very important role in promoting the friendly relations between the Western Han Dynasty and Hun. And the peaceful environment resulted in frequent exchanges.