Wulei

Wulei, 烏壘, was a small state east of Kucha on the northern road of the Tarim Basin.^[1] It had 110 households, 1,200 people and 300 men under arms.^[1] A city commandant and an interpreter held office there, and the Han Protector shared the seat.^[1]

The seat of the Protector

When the Rizhu King went over to the Han in 60 BC, Zheng Ji became the first Protector-General. The Protector’s seat was Wulei, 2,738 li from the Yang Pass.^[1] The Han Shu gives the reason for the choice. Wulei lay close to the Han field officers at Quli. The land was fertile, and it stood at the middle of the Western Regions.^[1] Quli lay 330 li to the south, and Kucha 350 li to the west.^[1]

The seat was therefore placed beside the Han farms, on ground that could feed the Protector’s men. The Xiongnu office that it replaced had sat between Yanqi, Weixu and Yuli, 300 to 500 li away.^[1]

The site

The distances of the Han Shu place Wulei at Chadir, some fifty kilometres east of Bugur.^[2] One study equates Wulei with Bugur itself but gives no reason for the choice.^[2]