Western relocating and Frontier defending of Xibe Ethnic Group

During Qianlong governing term of Qing Danasty, After the Qing government repressed Amursana, old Hezhuomu and young Hezhuomu rebellions; Yili district lay waste and had too little population to resist the ever-invading Russian. Therefore. Qing dynasty had dispatched inland army to Yili for defending regularly and emigrated people form sounthern Xinjing for cultivation. However, Qing dynasty did not have enough soldiers, so 1020 Xibo soldiers and officers were relocated from Shenyang, Fengchen, Liaoyang, Fushun and Jingzhou with 3275 family members to Yili, Xingjing in 2 batches.  

The first batch soldiers and officers departed on 4.10 (Lunar Calender); the scond departed on 4.19 (Lunar Calender). Before the second group leaving, on 4.18 (Lunar Calender), staying Xibo nationality and migrating sibling aggregated in the Shenyang Xibo family temple, “Taiping temple”, to give a farewell dinner for the relocating relatives. Thereafter, people always launched commemorating events on the day, so the special festive, “Western relocating festive”, came into being gradually. 

Western relocating people left their northeastern homeland with their oxcard; they passed Mongolian plateau, Artai Mountains into Xinjing. At last they reached Yili in 7.20 and 21 in 1765 through Tachen and Bortala. During the 10000-li journey, those Xibo soldier and officers overcome many difficulties and succeeded in finishing the historic feat. The whole journey cost 1 year and 5 months ahead of the 3 years schedule. The great journey is depicted in Song of Western relocating:

Passing the trials of a long journey through the thorns,
Experiencing sorts of tribulation of wind and rain,
man and woman, no matter young and old, followed the stout ox to climb western steep mountains.   

Building bridges and exploit the flat road;
With steel like foot,
To plod thorns and conquer difficulties.

By the way, those relocating soldiers not only protect, develop the frontier, they conserve the traditional Xibo language and letters also. Among other culture besiege, those Xinjing Xibo ancestors descend the traditional Xibo language and letters to their offspring to today. Therefore, they achievement cannot be ignored as far as the Xibo culture conservation is concerned.