The Frontier People in Qin and Han Dynasties and the Evolution of “the Fugitive” and “the Barbarians”

In Qin and Han Dynasties, the frontier fortresses were given the function of restricting the entry and exit of fugitives, but the phenomenon of border crossings in the north still often occurred. Among them, the escape of the frontier people is the most representative. At that time, the Northeast beyond the Great Wall, based on the basic historical facts of the masses of frontier people escaping out of the border and the concept of the HuaYi distinction, two paths of identity evolution of “ the frontier people-the fugitives-the barbarians” were formed. After the frontier people crossed the border and became “ the fugitives”, apart from being distinguished from the local “barbarians” as “Chinese”, they were also identified and constructed as “barbarians” under different spatial and temporal backgrounds. On the identification of “the fugitives” and “the barbarian” and the explanation of their relationship, it has both profound historical background and significant practical factors.