The discovery of bamboo slips dating from the Qin Dynasty
(221-206BC) in Liye, Hunan Province, continues to create surprises.
Archaeologists recently claimed that the unearthing of Liye ancient
town and Qin bamboo slips provide evidence that the
Tujia
ethnic group originated from a more northerly location than
previously believed.
Experts in ethnic group sources believed that the Tujia minority
group in Wuling and Xiangxi (western Hunan) might have come from
Sichuan or Jiangxi province.
Liye ancient town is believed to be a frontier military and
political center expanding from the administrative power in the
north, which belonged to the Qin State. That's why most bamboo
slips recorded information about "Dongting Prefecture," a border
area within Qin's power sphere. The present Hunan and Hubei
provinces were then divided from Dongting Prefecture. However, the
"Qianzhong (literally meaning central Sichuan) Prefecture" was not
under Qin rule, but another military and political center set up
later to exert influence in the barbarous wilderness in the south.
So, the Sichuan origin saying seems unreliable now.
The bamboo slips show that Qianling was in Longshan in ancient
times, but now it is a town in Baojing County of Xiangxi Autonomous
Prefecture, which is farther south than Longshan. Experts say this
was the result of Qin conquering Chu, which signified the ancient
powerful state pushing southward.
The military functions of Liye ancient town went through two great
political turbulences. One was in the 7th century BC, when Qin, Chu
and Ba states formed an alliance to destroy Yong. Liye had not
taken shape at that time, but it must have been a forward post for
Yong troops. The other was in the 3rd century BC, when Qin united
the whole China. Generally speaking, battles in the plains were
easily settled. But in mountainous and riverside areas,
geographical conditions became complicated and protracted warfare
occurred. The construction of Liye emerged from Qin's political
need to rule the border people in Wuling Mountain.
The southward migration of Yong people was not a trivial thing in
Chinese history, which is related to the structure of Tujia ethnic
group. The excavation this time is a key part in understanding
Tujia's source.
(China.org.cn by Li Jinhui, August 12, 2002)