198 the northeast
In the 12th month (Jan./Feb., 924) of the Chinese year 923, the
Hsi chief Li Shao-wei (Sao-tz’u) sent envoys with offerings to the Later
T’ang (Ts’e-fu yüan-kuei p.5034).
On Apr.2, 924, the Hsi king Li Shao-wei (Sao-tz’u) offered racehorses
to the Later T’ang court (Chiu Wu-tai shih 31:6b-7a).
In the 11th month (Nov./Dec.) of 924, the Hsi king Li Shao-wei
(Sao-tz’u) presented racehorses to the Later T’ang (Ts’e-fu yüan-kuei
p.5034).
In the 9th month (Sep./Oct.) of 925, Hsi envoys arrived at the Later
T’ang court to congratulate on the birthday of Emperor Chuang-
tsung.^6 Another mission was received on Nov.11 (Hsin Wu-tai shih 5:
8b;Wu-tai hui-yao 28:13b).
On Mar.10, 926, the Hsi offered horses to the Later T’ang (Chiu
wu-tai shih 34:2a).
In the 6th month (July/Aug.) of 929, Li Su-ku, son of the former
Hsi king Sao-tz’u (Li Shao-wei), presented his father’s horse trappings,
garment, and armour [as testamentary gifts] to the Later T’ang (Wu-
tai hui-yao 28:13b; Ts’e-fu yüan-kuei p.5034).
In the 11th month (Nov./Dec.) of 933, the Hsi chief Li Su-ku came
personally to the Later T’ang court (Ts’e-fu yüan-kuei p.5035).
During the 10th century, the Hsi were absorbed into the Liao
empire, but as late as 1001, a Hsi mission with gifts was received at
the Sung court (Sung shih 6:14b).
The Hsi consisted of several tribes. They were not united into a
cohesive state but ruled by chiefs whose lineages cannot be recon-
structed. The fact that imperial surnames were conferred on three
chiefs in 648, 808, and 923 proves that the latter did not descend from
the earlier. In the course of time, some chiefs became more powerful
than others, and it was these whom the Chinese recognized as kings
and whom they appointed to nominal offices. The imperial courts did
not, however, confer posthumous titles on any of them.
The Hsi were in no way vassals of the T’ang or Five Dynasties.
Military conflicts are recorded for 712 and 788. The killing of a Chi-
nese princess by her husband in 745, within months after her mariage,
was not a friendly act. A pro-Turkish party existed among the Hsi in
(^6) According to Chiu Wu-tai shih 27:1a, Chuang-tsung was born in 885, 10th month,
kuei-hai. That was the 12th day of the month (not the 22nd as claimed by the text).
In 925, the birthday consequently fell on Oct.31.