Te Tutian System and the Construction of the Great Wall

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Tuntian，the measure that the government recruited soldiers or peasants to cultivate the land in a garrison area，was an important part in the policy of promoting production and preparing for the war，thus was also closely related to the construction of the Great Wall.In fact Emperor Qin Shihuang had already initiated this system when he ordered to build the Great Wall，setting up the prefectures and moving people to the border area.The Han dynasty（206 BC-220 AD）inherited the system of the Qin dynasty（221 BC-206 BC）.Especially during the reign of Emperor Wu，Emperor Zhao and Emperor Xuan，the rulers adopted the advice of Sang Hongyang，Chao Cuo and Zhao Chongguo etc，further developed the system of moving people to the border area，which was initiated by Emperor Qin Shihuang，and extensively implemented the measure of developing agricultural production in the garrison area. In the garrison areas along the Great Wall, forts and obscure areas, defending troops and migrant people cultivated the land together and constructed the irrigation systems to prepare for the war.

Zhao Chongguo,a great general who drove the Xiongnu people far north for several times during Emperor Wu’s reign, intensely advocated building walls and developing agricultural production in the garrison areas. Emperor Wu adopted his advice for twice. And Emperor Zhao further realized the suggestion by Sang Hongyang of building walls and developing”agricultural colonies”measure.

In the first half year when he was enthroned,”in the winter of the second year of Houyuan reign, Xiongnu entered Shuofang, killing the officials and civilian people”, there-fore the government set up a prefecture and “mobilized the soldiers to station in Hexi area and developed agricultural production there”.

During Emperor Xuan’s reign, the government developed the agricultural colonies in Western Region whichwas started by Emperor Wu, and in the 3rd year of Shenjue reign(in 59 BC) set the protector-general of Western Region(the Protectorate was in Wulei Town, whose site is in Luntai County in Xinjiang today) in the central area ofthe dependent states in Western Region to do the administrative work and governing the agricultural colonies of the 50 dependent states then, thus the agricultural productionin the garrison area of Western Region was greatly developed.Besides the main areas such as Shanshan，Cheshi，Luntai and Quli etc，the Chigu City in Wusun was also an important agricultural colony.Before setting protector-general，Emperor Wu had set emissary commander here，and the defending officers of the forts，the beacon towers etc.as well.One slip among the bamboo slips（“book”in ancient China）of the Han dynasty（206 BC- 220AD）which were unearthed in Juyan proves this.

Cultivating the land The agricultural production in the garrison area in the Qin dynasty（221 BC-206 BC）and the Han dynasty（206 BC-220 AD）provided materials for fighting with Xiongnu and consolidating the defense work，and in the later dynasties there were not only agricultural colonies of defending troops but also of peasants.This measure played an important role in developing the uninhabited area and production，but when tracing its origin we would find that in fact it was closely related to the construction of the Great Wall.