Record of the Yushu Investigation
Record of the Yushu Investigation (Chinese: 玉树调查记), originally titled Record of the Yushu Tusi Investigation (Chinese: 玉树土司调查记), is a local history and investigation report by Republic of China geographer Zhou Xiwu on the Qinghai Yushu region and Chuanbian.
Formation
[edit]In November 1913, during the Simla Conference, the British representative Henry McMahon proposed the division of Inner Tibet and Outer Tibet. The Republic of China's representative, Chen Yifan, under pressure, signed the draft agreement but refused to sign the final treaty. Yin Changheng, the Chuanbian Envoy, took this opportunity to cross the border and plunder, claiming that the Longqing area of Yushu in Qinghai (present-day Nangqian) was "beyond the law" and ordered the Northern Expeditionary Forces to "forcefully demand supplies in the Longqing area, which were barely met by the local tribes," while also reporting to the Beiyang Government that "the twenty-five tribes of Longqing pledged allegiance and were willing to be governed by Sichuan." The Beiyang Government, unaware of the area's dual names, erroneously declared "Longqing belongs to Sichuan, Yushu belongs to Gansu," leading to a border dispute between Sichuan and Gansu.
Officials from various Sichuan counties echoed this and strongly advocated for expanding the Chuanbian territory. As soon as the issue arose, it was met with strong opposition from Ma Qi, the General of Xining, leading to a prolonged border dispute and ethnic conflict. The acting governor of Gansu, Zhang Binghua, supported Chuanbian, further complicating the dispute.[1]
In response, the Beiyang Government appointed Zhou Wuxue, the Border Defense Commissioner of Gansu, and others, including Zhou Xiwu, Principal of Gansu Fourth Middle School, Liang Yaozong, Head of the Suzhou Tax Office, Wang Zhizhong, Clerk at the Border Defense Office, and surveyor Niu Zaikun as members of the investigation team.[2][3] In August 1914, they set off from Lanzhou to Yushu via Xining. Upon reaching Jiegu in November, they began an intense investigation. Niu Zaikun, despite the cold and snow, traveled extensively among various tribes to map the area, while Zhou Xiwu interviewed elders and referenced maps and records. Zhou Wuxue submitted the "Report on the Yushu Boundary Survey" along with a list of the twenty-five tribes of Yushu to the Beiyang Government.
On May 9, 1915, based on the team's report, the Beiyang Government corrected its previous mistake and decided that Yushu would remain under Gansu's jurisdiction.[1][4]
Afterwards, Zhou Xiwu compiled all the investigation reports and wrote Record of the Yushu Investigation, including Travel Notes of Ninghai which describes his observations and historical geography along the way.[5] The book was published in 1920 by the Commercial Press in Shanghai.[6]
Content
[edit]In this work, Zhou Xiwu stated: "It is the first step in the management of Qinghai and serves as a reference for those who are concerned about border affairs." This book, the first of its kind, is richly illustrated and provides valuable reference material for the study of Tibetan history in Qinghai.[5] The book also provides detailed records of the source and surrounding water conditions of the Lancang River, noting "The Lancang River has two sources: the northern Zaqu River and the southern Yemuchu River," leaving precious information for future generations.[7]
In addition to local records, this book also explains the origins, nature, and consequences of the Sichuan-Gansu dispute, comprehensively describing the misconduct of Sichuan troops and the Yushu people's reluctance to be governed by Sichuan,[8][9][10][11] which played a significant role in helping the Beiyang Government reassess and make correct decisions regarding this dispute.[1]
Evaluation
[edit]- Zhang Qiyun: "A very valuable ethnic history and geography record[5]."
- Lin Chuanjia: "Truly a model for the geographic records of Qinghai in the Greater China[5]."
- Satō Nagamichi's book The Road Between Qinghai and Lhasa in the Qing Dynasty frequently cites Zhou Xiwu's records, highly praising them.[5]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Sangding Cairen: "The Dispute between Sichuan and Gansu Provinces over the Longqing (Nangqian) Issue in the Early Republic of China", China Tibetology, 2007, Issue 1[permanent dead link]
- ^ Ma Zhong: "Li Dan and Qinghai", Qinghai Channel, 2009-11-13Archived 2013-11-01 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Wang Wenyuan (2011-05-20). "A Significant Yushu Journey in 1914" (in Chinese (China)). Lanzhou Morning News. pp. C07. Retrieved 2024-06-18.[permanent dead link]
- ^ Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture Local Chronicles Compilation Committee. Yushu Prefecture Chronicles (in Simplified Chinese). China: Sanqin Publishing House. ISBN 7-80628-921-6.
- ^ a b c d e Zhou Yikui: "A Devoted Scholar from Longnan", Qinghai Channel, 2009-11-13Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Record of the Yushu Investigation - Chinese Digital Local Chronicles[permanent dead link]
- ^ ""Lancang River's Source?" China National Geography, 2006, Issue 3, 2006-03-15". Archived from the original on 2013-11-09. Retrieved 2024-06-27.
- ^ Record of the Yushu Investigation: "Nangqian, also known as Angqian, Nancheng, and Longqing, are all variants of the same name, which Sichuan calls the twenty-five tribes of Longqing."
- ^ Record of the Yushu Investigation: "After crossing Bayankala Mountain, the local Tibetan leaders I met along the way all tearfully complained about the harsh demands of the Sichuan troops. When I reached Jiegu, I met with the local leaders who again painfully described the unbearable burdens."
- ^ Record of the Yushu Investigation: "Moreover, there is limited harassment by soldiers, but many idle and jobless people posing as soldiers oppress the Tibetans everywhere. The Tibetans now hate the Sichuan troops deeply, and it has become an irreconcilable situation. Recently, many local leaders have secretly reported their willingness to be governed by Gansu and threatened to submit to Tibet if not accepted."
- ^ Record of the Yushu Investigation: "Now, the Tibetans refuse Sichuan's rule, but Sichuan insists on managing them, fearing it may lead to unexpected changes and further complicate national concerns in the west."