建國期 唐의 소그드인 군사 동원과 그 배경

초록

This study seeks to elucidate the characteristics of Sogdian generals during the establishment of the Tang dynasty and the process of China’s reunification, as well as to examine the strategic rationale behind the Tang court’s military mobilization of Sogdians. Sogdian generals can be broadly categorized into two groups: first, those who had undergone a process of Turkification under the influence of nomadic equestrian cultures, such as An Lushan and Shi Siming; and second, those who had settled in China since the Northern Dynasties through the establishment of Sogdian communities. While the former group resided within the Turkic domain in the form of hubu (胡部) before migrating to the Tang following the collapse of the Eastern Turkic Khaganate in 630, the latter—whose presence has been substantially illuminated over the past two decades through unearthed epigraphic materials—constitutes the primary focus of this study. Recent scholarship on Sogdian military officers during the late Sui and early Tang periods has demonstrated that from the Northern Dynasties to the Tang, the state incorporated Sogdian military capabilities through a system of military officers and local militia. These findings have significantly expanded the prevailing perception of Sogdians, who had previously been understood primarily as a mercantile people. However, existing studies have largely remained at the level of case studies focused on epigraphic sources from specific regions, often underemphasizing documentary evidence. More crucially, the broader strategic motivations behind the Tang dynasty’s active recruitment and military utilization of Sogdians remain an understudied topic. To address these gaps, this study reexamines Li Yuan’s military forces and the strategic value of Sogdian caravan merchants during the time of the Tang’s founding. When Li Yuan launched his rebellion, his forces numbered merely 30,000. In an effort to expand his army, he sought military assistance from the Eastern Turkic Khaganate, but he soon found himself entangled in the Turks’ strategy of “controlling China through the Chinese” (以華制夏). Amidst these circumstances, key figures who joined Li Yuan’s faction included He Panren and Shi Wanbao, leaders of Sogdian caravan merchants who had been residing in Chang’an since the Northern Dynasties. These Sogdian leaders played a pivotal role in securing a foothold for Li Yuan’s entry into Chang’an by subjugating the warlord factions. Given the nature of international trade, Sogdian caravan merchants were equipped with armed forces for self-defense. They also possessed substantial economic power accumulated through commerce, along with extensive intelligence networks developed through their trading activities. Owing to these strategic values, the Tang actively recruited Sogdians residing in China, thereby facilitating the successful establishment of the dynasty in Chang’an and the expansion of its authority into the Hexi region.

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