Minister Luo of the Qin Court: Military & Trade Partners with China. Part II
The Yuezhi involvement in trade deepens, and also lengthens. The jade trade has been mentioned previously, but an exact date was never given. Xinru Liu supplies additional information, "The minister and economist Guanzi (died c. 645 BC) in his treatise on economics of the Qi state argued that jade supplied by the Yuezhi should be the most highly valued currency (over gold and copper)." (see The Silk Road in World History, Liu, p. 3)
How incredibly early! At this date, Aristeas may have been still alive, about 150 years before Herodotus was born; and it shows how old the Yuezhi confederation was. So far, we have found information on Yuezhi interaction with the Warring States of Zhao, Yan, and Qi. All total, there were 7 states.
The 7 Warring States, with Yuezhi territory to the north and west.
A typical Warring States chariot, drawn by 4 ordinary steppe horses.
In 221 BC, Qin general Shihuangdi vanquished the other 6 states and formed China's first Empire. During the Warring States period, most states relied on chariots, fielding a limited cavalry. Shihuangdi also used chariots, but he created China's first effective cavalry. To accomplish this, he used "bigger, better" horses... maybe something like an Ahkal teke.
An Ahkal teke type horse, as sold to Emperor Shihuangdi. Notice his mane with 3 crenellations.
And this brings us to our good man, Luo. "The Yuezhi had been middlemen between China and Central Asia in ancient times. During the Warring States period, when the northern Chinese desperately needed good horses to supply their cavalries, they naturally turned to the Yuezhi... One chief of the Yuezhi, whose surname was Luo, made a fortune selling good horses to the Chinese. The horses of the Tianshan foothills were taller and stronger than those of the Xiongnu, and Luo sold many of them to Shihuangdi for silks, which he then sold to other chiefs on the steppe." (Liu, p. 4)
Reconstructive painting of a Qin cavalryman upon a Yuezhi horse.
Apparently Luo made a fortune. The Shiji tells us he profited by making, "ten times his original investment with their livestock (acquired from the other chiefs in trade for silk clothing)." Basically, Luo was trading silk at retail in exchange for horses at a jobber price. Fairly, cagy! He became Shihuangdi's trusted confidant; "The first emperor of the Qin showed his appreciation by granting Luo a position of the same rank as the highest ministers in court." (Shiji, 129) So, we have a Yuezhi overlord who could attend Qin court proceedings.
It would seem Luo held this position until Shihuangdi's death, or possibly until the end of the Qin Dynasty, 207 BC. According to Xiang Wan, his full name was "Wushi Luo," corresponding with "Luo the Yuezhi" and described as "an affluent merchant," a horse breeder, and treated as "an important subject" by the Emperor. (see Wan, The Horse in Pre-Imperial China, p. 157)
Emperor Shihuangdi with an early version of the "Type I Sarmatian sword."
The Yuezhi involvement in trade deepens, and also lengthens. The jade trade has been mentioned previously, but an exact date was never given. Xinru Liu supplies additional information, "The minister and economist Guanzi (died c. 645 BC) in his treatise on economics of the Qi state argued that jade supplied by the Yuezhi should be the most highly valued currency (over gold and copper)." (see The Silk Road in World History, Liu, p. 3)
How incredibly early! At this date, Aristeas may have been still alive, about 150 years before Herodotus was born; and it shows how old the Yuezhi confederation was. So far, we have found information on Yuezhi interaction with the Warring States of Zhao, Yan, and Qi. All total, there were 7 states.
The 7 Warring States, with Yuezhi territory to the north and west.
A typical Warring States chariot, drawn by 4 ordinary steppe horses.
In 221 BC, Qin general Shihuangdi vanquished the other 6 states and formed China's first Empire. During the Warring States period, most states relied on chariots, fielding a limited cavalry. Shihuangdi also used chariots, but he created China's first effective cavalry. To accomplish this, he used "bigger, better" horses... maybe something like an Ahkal teke.
An Ahkal teke type horse, as sold to Emperor Shihuangdi. Notice his mane with 3 crenellations.
And this brings us to our good man, Luo. "The Yuezhi had been middlemen between China and Central Asia in ancient times. During the Warring States period, when the northern Chinese desperately needed good horses to supply their cavalries, they naturally turned to the Yuezhi... One chief of the Yuezhi, whose surname was Luo, made a fortune selling good horses to the Chinese. The horses of the Tianshan foothills were taller and stronger than those of the Xiongnu, and Luo sold many of them to Shihuangdi for silks, which he then sold to other chiefs on the steppe." (Liu, p. 4)
Reconstructive painting of a Qin cavalryman upon a Yuezhi horse.
Apparently Luo made a fortune. The Shiji tells us he profited by making, "ten times his original investment with their livestock (acquired from the other chiefs in trade for silk clothing)." Basically, Luo was trading silk at retail in exchange for horses at a jobber price. Fairly, cagy! He became Shihuangdi's trusted confidant; "The first emperor of the Qin showed his appreciation by granting Luo a position of the same rank as the highest ministers in court." (Shiji, 129) So, we have a Yuezhi overlord who could attend Qin court proceedings.
It would seem Luo held this position until Shihuangdi's death, or possibly until the end of the Qin Dynasty, 207 BC. According to Xiang Wan, his full name was "Wushi Luo," corresponding with "Luo the Yuezhi" and described as "an affluent merchant," a horse breeder, and treated as "an important subject" by the Emperor. (see Wan, The Horse in Pre-Imperial China, p. 157)
Emperor Shihuangdi with an early version of the "Type I Sarmatian sword."
Alan J. Campbell
member of Legio III Cyrenaica and the Uncouth Barbarians
Author of:
The Demon's Door Bolt (2011)
Forging the Blade (2012)
"It's good to be king. Even when you're dead!"
Old Yuezhi/Pazyrk proverb
member of Legio III Cyrenaica and the Uncouth Barbarians
Author of:
The Demon's Door Bolt (2011)
Forging the Blade (2012)
"It's good to be king. Even when you're dead!"
Old Yuezhi/Pazyrk proverb
