Journal paper

Issue No.	No. 72
Title	The Lesser Yuezhi among the Qiang-Hu Peoples in the Hexi Region during the Han and Jin Dynasties
Author	Chien-wen Chen
Page	1-74
Abstract	After being defeated by the Xiongnu in the early Western Han period, the Yuezhi were forced to migrate westward to Central Asia. From that point onward, those who migrated were known as the Greater Yuezhi, while those who remained in the Hexi Corridor were called the Lesser Yuezhi. Traditional historical records regarding the Lesser Yuezhi are scattered and fragmented, resulting in an unclear picture of their presence during the Han and Jin periods. Historians have noted that during these periods, the Yuezhi people often adopted the surname Zhi. This article first traces the recorded activities of the Lesser Yuezhi from Han and Jin historical texts and then estimates their population during the Han dynasty. By analyzing their demographic significance, the article highlights the ethnic status of the Lesser Yuezhi in the Hexi region during the Han and Jin periods. Finally, this study explores the Inner Asian customs associated with the Lesser Yuezhi, as documented in historical sources. The findings suggest that the Lesser Yuezhi retained a population of at least 30,000 to 50,000 in the Hexi and Liangzhou regions during the Han period, constituting about one-tenth of the local Han population and representing a significant ethnic group in the area. Furthermore, in the socalled Qiang and Hu forces of the Hexi region during the late Eastern Han period, the Lesser Yuezhi were likely a key component of the Hu groups. Dong Zhuo leveraged this force to gain power and control at the end of the Han period. Despite coexisting with the local Han people for over 200 years, the Lesser Yuezhi preserved certain customs of the Inner Asian nomadic Hu peoples, which may have been crucial for maintaining their ethnic identity. Thus, tracing the activities of the Lesser Yuezhi during this period offers insights into the historical context that later enabled the Five Hu to contend for dominance in northern China during the Western Jin dynasty.
Keyword	Lesser Yuezhi ;Auxiliary of Loyal Barbarians ;Hexi Region ;Qiang-Hu ;Inner Eurasian Customs
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