the sources 1THE SOURCES
The chief sources for the current work are the dynastic histories. They
were for this time compiled by committees, each presided over by a
well-known scholar, the Sui shu by Wei Cheng (580-643), the Pei shih
by Li Yen-shou (fl.629), the Chiu T’ang-shu by Liu Hsü (887-946), the
Hsin T’ang shu by Ou-yang Hsiu (1007-1072),^1 the Chiu Wu-tai shih by
Hsüeh Chü-cheng (912-981), the Wu-tai shih-chi by Ou-yang Hsiu,^2
theSung shih, Liao shih, and Chin shih by T’o-t’o (1313-1355), and the
Yüan shih by Wang Yi (1321-1372). These histories give information
about foreign states and tribes, their rulers, and their relations to
China and each other. The imperial annals have brief, well-dated
accounts. Later chapters devoted to foreign countries or peoples are
poorer in dates but richer in information. Important tribes are given
chapters of their own, lesser ones are lumped together. For instance,
Chiu T’ang shu has individual chapters for the Turks, Uighurs, and
Tibetans, followed by chapters on the Southern Barbarians, Western
Barbarians, Eastern Barbarians, and Northern Barbarians.
In addition to the dynastic histories, valuable material is available
elsewhere. There are, first of all, the texts called Collected Matters of
Importance (Hui-yao). The T’ang hui-yao andWu-tai hui-yao were both
completed by Wang P’u (922-982) in 961. The Sung hui-yao was
reconstituted as the Sung hui-yao kao from the Yung-lo ta-tien by Hsü
Sung (1781-1848).
Then there are the encyclopaedias. The T’ung-tien was compiled by
Tu Yu (735-812). It is an important source but has no relevant informa-
tion beyond the reign of Hsüan-tsung (712-756). The Ts’e-fu-yüan-kuei by
Wang Ch’in-jo, Yang Yi and others was completed in 1013. It covers
the period from Sui through the Five Dynasties, and its chapters on
“Tribute Missions” have numerous well-dated entries. The Wen-hsien
(^1) It is a peculiarity of the Hsin T’ang shu that the Imperial Annals never refer to
foreign missions directly. The entries will say that the Tibetans or Turks requested
peace or sought a marriage, which naturally had to be done by way of missions,
but mention no envoys. This must have been an editorial decision by Ou-yang Hsiu
himself.
(^2) Compiled by Ou-yang Hsiu alone. It was later referred to as the Hsin Wu-tai
shih, and I quote it under that name.