Slipping into history: A set of "complaint" documents that record a trade dispute involving the Kangju mission

This is a wooden slip from Xuanquanzhi Relay Station in Dunhuang, dated to the 5th year of the Yongguang reign of the Han Dynasty, or 39 BC. It records what we might call a “diplomatic complaint.”

After a series of improper actions by the Jiuquan authorities, the envoys of the King of Kangju formally lodged their grievance with the Han court and asked for its intervention. The Han court responded swiftly, taking the concerns of these envoys from the Western Regions seriously.

This vividly reflects the Han Dynasty’s sense of responsibility as a major power of the Central Plains and a guardian of the Silk Road. Treating every envoy who had traveled from afar with sincerity and fairness was not only the hospitality expected of a great nation, but also an essential part of building bridges between Chinese and Western civilizations.