The Western Regions and the Xiongnu

Arranged chronologically, this book draws on more than a hundred historical stories about the Western Regions and the Xiongnu, taking readers into an age of spreading warfare and burning passion. The Western Regions mainly refers to what is now China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, though its boundaries varied across dynasties. For example, the Protectorate of the Western Regions was established in 60 BC during the Han dynasty, governing the Tarim Basin and areas east of the Pamirs. During the Tang dynasty, the Protectorates of Anxi and Beiting expanded Chinese control further. Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and other countries also had close historical ties to the Western Regions; Iran is sometimes considered part of its modern geographical scope as well. The Xiongnu were mainly active on the Mongolian Plateau, but through warfare and alliances their influence gradually expanded into the Western Regions.