Region: China · Coordinates: 40.140, 94.660 · 12 events
| Year | Source | Account |
|---|---|---|
| 111 BC | Book of Han (Hanshu), Imperial Annals | The lands of Wuwei and Jiuquan were divided to establish Zhangye and Dunhuang commanderies, and people were relocated to fill them. |
| AD 276 | Book of Jin (Jinshu), Imperial Annals | Liangzhou Governor Yang Xin beheaded Linghu Hong, who had seized the post of Dunhuang Governor, and sent the head to Luoyang. |
| AD 400 | Faxian, A Record of Buddhist Kingdoms | After a month at Dunhuang, Faxian and four others leave first with an envoy's party, briefly separating from Baoyun's group; the governor Li Hao supplies goods for the desert crossing |
| AD 420 | Zizhi Tongjian (Comprehensive Mirror) | Li Xun, at Dunhuang, styled himself Governor of Liangzhou and set the reign title Yongjian; Mengxun sent his heir Juqu Zhengde to attack, and Li Xun closed the city and did not fight. |
| AD 421 | Zizhi Tongjian (Comprehensive Mirror) | Mengxun built an embankment and diverted water to flood Dunhuang; Li Xun killed himself, the city was massacred, and the Western Regions kingdoms paid tribute. |
| AD 546 | Zizhi Tongjian (Comprehensive Mirror) | Dugu Xin attacks at dawn, captures Yuwen Zhonghe, and pacifies Guazhou (May). |
| AD 723 | Zizhi Tongjian (Comprehensive Mirror) | In September 723 (Renshen day), the Tuyuhun, fearing Tubo's strength, submit for several years; then, leading their people, they come to Shazhou and surrender, and Hexi jiedushi Zhang Jingzhong accepts them. |
| AD 851 | Old Book of Tang (Jiu Tangshu), Annals | Zhang Yichao sent his elder brother to present the registers of eleven prefectures, including Gua, Sha, Yi and Su. He and Long had fallen to Tibet over a hundred years earlier, and Longyou was recovered. |
| AD 851 | New Book of Tang (Xin Tangshu), Annals | Zhang Yichao, a native of Shazhou, presented eleven prefectures including Guazhou and Shazhou to the court. |
| AD 851 | Zizhi Tongjian (Comprehensive Mirror) | Zhang Yichao, prefect of Shazhou, sends envoys and submits to the court. |
| AD 1271 | Marco Polo, The Travels (Yule translation) | Sachiu, in the land of the Tangut, is reached after thirty days across the desert; it belongs to the Great Khan, and most of its people are idol-worshippers. |
| AD 1372 | History of Ming (Mingshi), Annals | Feng Sheng took Gansu and pursued and routed the Yuan army at Guazhou and Shazhou prefectures. |