Decoding the Han-Era "Pacification" Seal
Han Seal Found in Xinjiang Shows Imperial Authority
In 1953, archaeologists discovered the "Han Guiyi Qiang Zhang Yin" at the ruins of Yushigeti in Xinjiang. This bronze seal, inscribed with five characters and topped by a sculpted sheep, was issued by the Han central government to a local tribal leader. As tangible evidence of the prefecture system and the use of seals in governance, it demonstrates the effective incorporation of Xinjiang into China's unified multi-ethnic state and the enduring bonds between its diverse communities.
In traditional Chinese culture, seals served as physical embodiment of authority and credit, with origins tracing back to at least the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods (770–221 BC). They were broadly classified into official and private seals. After the Qin Dynasty (221–207 BC) unified the six states, it established a relatively comprehensive system of official seals. Whether under unified rule or regional regimes during periods of division, the use of official seals remained an enduring tradition.
In 1953, a bronze seal was unearthed at the ancient city of Yushigeti in Shaya county, Aksu prefecture, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. The seal is square, measuring 3.5cm in height with sides of 2.3cm. Its knob is shaped as a vividly crafted recumbent sheep, with a small hole between the knob and the base for attaching a silk ribbon. The seal face bears five characters in intaglio seal script— “汉归义羌长” (Han Guiyi Qiang Zhang)—written in a dignified, elegant style with classic restraint. The first column reads “汉” (Han), the second “归义” (Guiyi), and the third “羌长” (Qiang Zhang). Literally known as the “Seal of the Qiang Chieftain Who Submitted to Han Rule,” this renowned artifact is designated as a National First-Class Cultural Relic and is housed in the National Museum of China.
The character “Han” signifies the dynasty under which the seal was issued—the Han Dynasty. In 60 BC, the Western Han central government established the Protectorate of the Western Regions, formally integrating Xinjiang into Chinese territory and making it an inseparable part of the unified, multi-ethnic Chinese nation. Historical records indicate that local rulers in the Western Regions accepted titles conferred by the Han court, and more than 370 officials bore the “seal and ribbon” (yinshou)—an official seal with an attached silk cord indicating rank. The ribbon’s color denoted the official’s rank, and all such appointments were administered by the Protectorate. This system shows that these local leaders were formally incorporated into the Han bureaucracy, exercising regional administrative authority on behalf of the central government, with the seal and ribbon serving as official proof of their legitimate power.
“Guiyi” meaning “submitting out of admiration for righteousness,” was an official title conferred by the Han central government upon tribal leaders who pledged allegiance to the dynasty. This designation not only represented formal recognition by the Han court but also symbolized the chieftain’s voluntary political alignment with the Han empire. By accepting the title, these leaders publicly affirmed their loyalty to the central authority.
“Qiang” denoted an ancient ethnic group collectively referred to by the Central Plains peoples as nomadic tribes inhabiting western China. Their heartlands lay along the Yellow, Huangshui, Taohe, and Datong rivers in what are now Gansu and Qinghai provinces, as well as the upper Minjiang River region in Sichuan. Over time, some Qiang communities migrated eastward and integrated into Huaxia society (an ancient name for China), while others remained in their ancestral territories or moved southward into present-day Xizang and surrounding areas. Historical records document numerous Qiang tribes scattered from Ruoqiang in the Western Regions to the Pamir Plateau between the Qin–Han era and the Three Kingdoms period. “Qiang Zhang” thus clearly identifies the seal’s owner as a chieftain of a Qiang tribe from southern Xinjiang.
Read together, the five characters leave no doubt: this was an official seal issued by the Han central government to a Qiang tribal leader in southern Xinjiang. It politically legitimized the leader’s local authority, positioning him as a key intermediary between the central administration and the frontier, thereby strengthening their bond. Furthermore, the inscription reflects the promotion of the Chinese language and script following the Western Han’s consolidation of the Western Regions, with Classical Chinese becoming one of the standard languages for official documentation in regional administration.
Turning to the seal’s design, a sheep is depicted meekly crouching atop the bronze seal, gazing forward. Sheep were essential companions in the nomadic life of the ancient Qiang people—indeed, the character “羌” (Qiang) itself evolved from a pictograph of a sheep. By ingeniously blending elements of Western Regions culture with the official seal system of the Central Plains, this artifact reflects the central government’s respect for and empowerment of ethnic minority leaders. It stands as a vivid example of the Han Dynasty’s policy of “adapting governance to local customs.”
The “Seal of the Qiang Chieftain Who Submitted to Han Rule” not only confirms the historical presence of the Qiang people around the Tarim Basin but also provides material evidence of the Han court’s extension of its official seal system to the Western Regions, underscoring its effective administration there.
Small as it is, this seal bridges millennia, offering silent testimony to history. Other examples uncovered in Xinjiang—such as the “Seal of Li Chong,” which attests to Han authority over the Western Regions; the “Seal of the Bureau of Agriculture” (司禾府印), which illustrates the military-farming policy; and the “Seal of Pulei Prefecture” (蒲类州之印), which certified the exercise of power by a local administrative agency—collectively recount the formative and development history of a unified, multi-ethnic China. Together, they offer compelling proof that Xinjiang has been an undeniable part of China since ancient times and that its multi-ethnic communities have always been kindred members of the Chinese nation.
The views don’t necessarily reflect those of DeepChina.
Editor/ Han Junli
Translator/ Li Li
Related articles
About DeepChina
DeepChina is an elite academic initiative that offers objective and rational analyses on a broad spectrum of topics related to China, encompassing politics, economics, culture, human rights, diplomacy, and geopolitics.