Fu Country, situated over two thousand li northwest of Shu County, is the land of the southwestern tribes during the Han Dynasty. There is a tribe called Jialiang Yi to the east of Fu Country. They independently govern their own tribes, with customs similar to those of Fu Country, but their languages vary slightly and lack a common standard. They do not use surnames. The king of Fu Country is called Yi Zeng. Their country is eight hundred li long from north to south and fifteen hundred li long from southeast to northwest, with no city walls, situated near river valleys, and bordered by mountains and cliffs. They have a strong sense of vengeance, so they construct "stone nests" from large stones to hide from their enemies. Some of these "stone nests" reach heights of over ten zhang, while others are around five or six zhang, with each layer approximately one zhang high and divided by wooden beams. The base is about three to four steps wide, and the upper part of the "stone nest" narrows to about two to three steps wide, resembling a pagoda. There is a small door on the ground floor that must be locked at night to deter thieves. The country comprises over twenty thousand households, all subject to the king's authority. The chieftain issues the laws for the Jialiang Yi, and serious crimes are punishable by death, while minor offenses incur a fine of a cow. They are agile and skilled swordsmen. They use lacquered leather for armor, with a bow six feet long and a bowstring made of bamboo. They marry multiple wives and sisters-in-law, and if a brother dies, the elder brother will also marry the younger sister-in-law. They enjoy singing and dancing, accompanied by drums, reed instruments, and flutes. When someone dies, there is no tradition of mourning attire. The body is laid on a high bed, cleaned, dressed in fine garments, covered with lacquered armor, and then with animal hides. Descendants do not weep; instead, they don armor and dance with swords, shouting, "My father was taken by ghosts, I will avenge and kill the ghosts!" Other relatives may cry three times before stopping. Women are required to cover their faces with their hands when they cry. The family of the deceased slaughters cattle, and relatives exchange pork and wine to comfort one another, drinking and eating together before burial. A grand funeral is conducted ten years later, inviting many relatives and friends, often involving the sacrifice of dozens of horses. They establish ancestral shrines for veneration. They commonly wear leather hats, round like bowls, some adorned with face masks. Most of their clothing consists of fur and leather, with boots crafted from whole cowhide. They adorn themselves with iron chains around their necks and iron bracelets on their wrists. The king and chieftains don gold jewelry, featuring a gold flower about three inches in diameter hanging from their chests. The terrain is elevated, featuring a cool climate that is windy and relatively dry. The land is well-suited for cultivating wheat and barley. The mountains are rich in gold and silver mines and home to many white pheasants. The river hosts a variety of good fish, reaching lengths of four feet, with very fine scales.
In the year 608 AD, the king sent eight men, led by Sufu, to the court to pay tribute. The next year, he sent his student Yilin along with sixty members of the Jialiang Yi tribe to present tribute. They wanted to offer good horses, but because the road was too dangerous and steep, they were unable to make the journey, so they requested that a mountain road be opened for easier access to pay tribute. Emperor Yang of Sui found it too troublesome and declined their request.
The territory of the Jialiang Yi tribe featured a river that was sixty to seventy yards wide; on the side of the neighboring country, there was another river, over a hundred yards wide, both flowing south, where they used animal skins to craft boats for crossing. To the south of the neighboring country lay a tribe known as Boyuan Yi, which had similar customs. To the west of the neighboring country was a matriarchal society. To the northeast of the neighboring country was a continuous mountain range stretching for thousands of miles all the way to the Dangxiang area. The mountains were home to numerous Qiang tribes: Daxiaozu, Xiyi, Geyan, Baigou, Xiangren, Wangzu, Lintai, Chunsang, Lidou, Misang, Biyao, Dahua, Bailan, Chilimotu, Nao, Dangmi, Qubu, Sangwu, Qiandiao. These tribes resided in deep mountain valleys and lacked a central leader. Their customs were similar to the Dangxiang people; some were affiliated with Tuyuhun, while others were aligned with the neighboring country. Throughout Emperor Yang's reign, these tribes presented tribute at the court. The court appointed several generals along the southwestern border to oversee the remote management of these tribes.
Historical records indicate that, since ancient times, developing remote areas and establishing connections with border regions requires an ambitious emperor and proactive ministers. Zhang Qian had previously blazed a trail to the Western Regions, and later, Ban Chao also took up arms to continue the mission to the Western Regions. Whether forging alliances with valuable gifts or intimidating foes with swords, they risked their lives for fleeting achievements, all because the emperor valued the development of the border and the ministers were willing to sacrifice for the country. This illustrates that whatever the emperor favors, those beneath him will likely go to great lengths to please.
Emperor Yang of Sui engaged in extravagant and wasteful practices on a scale greater than that of the Qin and Han dynasties. Pei Ju offered the "Record of the Western Regions" to align with his ambitions, so Emperor Yang of Sui personally went to Yumen Pass, establishing territories in Yiwu, Qiemo, and other areas, extending all the way to the sandy desert region, leading to widespread suffering among the populace. Even if there were no wars with the northern nomadic tribes, reports of victories also arrived from the Eastern tribes; Emperor Yang of Sui would still build military camps at Luntai, construct cities at Wulei, seek the bright pearls of Daqin, and bring back the eggs of the Tiaozhi birds. How could the people endure such back-and-forth transportation? Ancient wise emperors maintained control over territories within a radius of five thousand li, focusing on stabilizing the Central Plains region without bothering with remote and desolate areas. Was it because their prestige was not strong enough, or their virtue not sufficiently acknowledged? No, they simply did not squander resources on trivial matters that detract from essential concerns. Therefore, the Qin Dynasty guarded the Five Ridges, and the Han Dynasty governed the three borders, resulting in either mountains of soldiers' corpses or a drastic population decline. The Sui Dynasty, relying on its strength, found itself in a dire situation in Qinghai. These were all because the rulers lost their direction, leading to the suffering of the populace. If Emperor Yang of Sui had taken the time to truly understand the significance of "pacifying the borders," turned down the governors' requests, withdrew his forces by a thousand miles, and not demanded tribute from the White Wolf, then the Seven Rong and Nine Yi would pay their tribute punctually, and even without a victory in Liaodong, how could the tragedy of Jiangdu have unfolded?
