What does Tongguan fortune telling mean?

What does Tongguan fortune telling mean?

Tongguan is the east gate of Guanzhong Plain where Chang 'an is located. In ancient times, it was called "a hundred puns", which means that two people guarding this place can stop the attack of hundreds of people outside the customs. The risk of Tongguan is comparable to that of Shanhaiguan, and it is known as "the first pass in the world".

Let's see where Tongguan is first.

The Yellow River runs from north to south in Tuoketuo, Inner Mongolia, and becomes the dividing line between Shanxi and Shaanxi provinces. This section of the Yellow River suddenly changes from west to east at the junction of Shaanxi, Shanxi and Henan provinces, and Tongguan is located at this sharp turn of the Yellow River.

Standing in front of the ancient Tongguan Gate, Chang 'an lies to the west along the Weihe River, Henan, the hinterland of the Central Plains, to the east along the main stream of the Yellow River, and fenglingdu, Shanxi, which is known as the "Three Provinces of Jiming" to the north.

In addition, Tongguan's terrain is also very special. To the west is the Weihe Plain in Ma Pingchuan, and the fertile plain between Chang 'an and Tongguan has been unguarded since ancient times. In other words, once Tongguan is broken, Chang 'an will be difficult to hold.

The name of Tongguan first appeared in the late Eastern Han Dynasty. Before that, Tongguan was usually called Taolinsai.

During the Warring States Period, the State of Qin, which occupied Guanzhong, actively went east to compete for the Central Plains. At that time, Hanguguan was located in the northeast of lingbao city. Qin adhered to the natural barrier of Hangu Pass, repelled the attacks of six countries many times, and laughed till the end.

After the establishment of the Han Dynasty, Hanguguan gradually moved eastward to the east of Xin 'an in Luoyang, Henan. After the capital of Luoyang was established in the Eastern Han Dynasty, Hangu Pass was too close to Luoyang. Once the enemy came from the west, Hangu Pass was breached without a buffer.

At the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, the world was constantly being conquered. During the Jian 'an period of Emperor Xian of Han Dynasty, Tongguan was formally established and built in Yangjiazhuang and Chengbei Village, the port town of Tongguan County, and the name of Tongguan began.

According to the Water Classic Note, the river flows south in Guannei, stirring Guanshan, so it is called Tongguan.

Open the map and you will know how dangerous Tongguan is.

Tongguan, originally built on Linzhi Plain, starts from Yuanwanggou in the east and reaches Jingou in the west. There are ditches in the east and west, the rolling Yellow River in the north and the towering Qinling Mountains in the south, and the Jintong River intersects with the Twelve Liancheng.

Tongguan City, which was built in danger, has formed an extremely solid defense system with the natural barrier with the Yellow River in the north and the Qinling Mountains in the south, guarding the transportation hub between Guanzhong and the Central Plains.

Although there are other ways to go, it is not only long but also difficult to cross the Yellow River from the north of Shanxi Province or Wuguan from Nanyang Basin. To enter Guanzhong on a large scale, Tongguan can't be bypassed.

Cao Cao knew Tongguan was difficult to attack, but he took a chance.

In the 16th year of Emperor Xian of Han Dynasty, Ma Chao stationed 100,000 troops in Tongguan, hoping to keep the whole Guanzhong.

Just before Liu Bei tried his best to seize Yizhou, Cao Cao led an army to compete for Tongguan, but then there happened a famous scene in The Romance of the Three Kingdoms, namely, "Ma Mengqi took revenge and Cao Aman cut his beard and abandoned his robe".

Outside Tongguan is the Central Plains, and Ma Chao is stationed in Tongguan, which also means that Tongguan strives for the world. The core of Cao Cao's rule is in the Central Plains, and Luoyang and Xudu are not far from Tongguan. Once the Kansai soldiers left Tongguan, Cao couldn't stand it.

Although the story in the romance is somewhat exaggerated, it is basically a fact. Zhuge Liang also mentioned that Cao Cao narrowly died in Tongguan in the later case. Even if he takes such a risk, Cao Cao will fight for it. The significance of Tongguan can be imagined.

The natural barrier in Tongguan consists of Huangxiangban, Jingou, Qinling and Yellow River.

Huangxiangban: Huangxiangban, located in the east of Tongguan, is five miles long. It is the only way from Hanguguan to the east, with the steep Qinling Mountains in the south and the Yellow River in the north. This isolated road is the first natural barrier in eastern Tongguan.

Forbidden ditch: There is a forbidden ditch in the south of Tongguan, which goes directly to Qinling and connects with Wuguan. There are several deep ditches with a depth of tens of meters and hundreds of meters, all of which are vertical to the north and south, forming a north-south line with Tongguan City and becoming another barrier of Tongguan.

Yellow River: The Yellow River turns eastward here, where Luoshui and Weishui meet to form the Yellow River. The Yellow River also flows closely through Tongguan City, so there is no way to form a natural barrier and cut off the road in the north.

Qinling Mountains: There are many natural fortresses in the Qinling Mountains south of Tongguan, such as Dongyukou, Shancheyukou and Taiyukou. The terrain is dangerous and the roads are complicated.

In addition to natural barriers, there are many man-made Guancheng.

In order to prevent people from crossing the Qinling Mountains, there are a series of checkpoints at the foot of the North Qinling Mountains, such as Xiyuguan, Shancheguan, Taiyuguan and Shuimen Pass, which are connected with Tongguan from east to west.

In order to defend the forbidden ditch, twelve Liancheng buildings have been set up around the forbidden ditch since ancient times, which can not only fortify the east and west sides of the forbidden ditch, but also fortify the passage from South Qinling to the forbidden ditch. These defense agencies have garrisons.

The main body of Guancheng is built in a deep ditch, which provides a barrier for the city and guards the narrow valley between Qinling and Yellow River. The south wall can resist the attack in the direction of Qinling, the north wall can resist the water army in the direction of the Yellow River, and it can also guard the riverside avenue.

The overall construction of Tongguan can be said to be "building a pass by the mountain and building a city by the water", coupled with the assistance of many towers and sluices, which met the defense needs at that time to the greatest extent.

Tongguan is as famous as Shanhaiguan, but it has a longer history.

In the Qing Dynasty, Emperor Kangxi and Emperor Qianlong called Tongguan "the first city in the world" and "the first pass".

According to Records of Shanhaiguan, Tongguan and Shanhaiguan are the only dangerous passes in Guinea.

In other words, Tongguan's position in ancient times was comparable to that of Shanhaiguan, the "first pass in the world", and Tongguan far surpassed Shanhaiguan in historical details.

For any ancient dynasty with Guanzhong and Zhongyuan as its capital, the importance of Tongguan is self-evident. The poem "The peaks are like a cluster, the waves are like anger, and the mountains and rivers are like Tongguan Road" is not just for expressing feelings. The importance of Tongguan can be seen.

In the past two thousand years, there have been countless wars around Tongguan, but there are few examples of really storming Tongguan. As long as it is not a completely hopeless dynasty, it is not difficult to defeat the invasion. Tongguan, as the "first pass", deserves its name.