Xizhou (西州), formerly known as Gaochang located in the pivot of Silk Road (高昌), had a narrow and small territory. It had been deemed "the gateway to the West Region" since the Han dynasty. In 640 A.D. Emperor Taizong conquered Gaochang and established an outpost in Xizhou to control the West Region. After Gaochang Kingdom came to an end, the local people had been incorporated by Tang Empire, and they became the "Gaochang old people" as referred in Wenguancilin (文館詞林). These people mainly came from Hexi (河西) region had strong feeling for their native land. Based on documents and tomb epitaphs that was excavated in Turfan, we find out that historical mind-nature of Gaochang people, became "memory's homeland", one dominated by nostalgia and desire for return, thus they were reluctant to register in Gaochang.This paper discusses the process of the pacification in Gaochang and makes new interpretation on self-identification.
