218 the northeast
In 726, envoys from the Black River Mo-ho were received at the
T’ang court. Emperor Hsüan-tsung created out of their territory the
fictitious Black River Area Command and appointed a chief as Military
Governor. He sent envoys to confer further titles. It has been seen
that the king of Po-hai, Ta Wu-yi, suspected that the ultimate aim of
the Black River Mo-ho and T’ang was an attack on his state, and that
he launched a preemptive and unsuccessful strike against the former.
This soured relations between Po-hai and T’ang for the next decade
(Chiu T’ang shu199B:12a-12b;Tzu-chih t’ung-chien pp.6774-6775; Wen-
hsien t’ung-k’ao 326:57b).
On Mar.12, 728, envoys of the Black River Mo-ho offered gifts
(Chiu T’ang shu 8:15b). During the same year, the Military Governor of
the non-existant Black River Area Command was granted the T’ang
imperial surname of Li and appointed General of the Cloud Flags
(Chiu T’ang shu 199B:11a).
In the 5th month (May/June) of 730, envoys of the Black River
Mo-ho offered regional objects (Ts’e-fu yüan-kuei p.5028).
In the 2nd month (Feb./Mar.) of 741, envoys of the Black River
Mo-ho were received at at the T’ang court (Ts’e-fu yüan-kuei p.5029).
On Feb.14, 747, the New Year’s Day, envoys of the Black River
Mo-ho congratulated at the T’ang court and presented regional objects
(Ts’e-fu yüan-kuei p.5030).
In the 1st month (Feb./Mar.) of 748, envoys of the Black River
Mo-ho offered gifts. In the 3rd month (Apr./May) of the same year,
envoys of the Black River Mo-ho, together with envoys from four Shih-
wei tribes, presented gold, silver, textiles, silken fabrics, cow bezoar,
human hair, and ginseng (Ts’e-fu yüan-kuei p.5030).
On Feb.11, 750, the New Year’s Day, envoys of the Black River
Mo-ho congratulated at the T’ang court (Ts’e-fu yüan-kuei p.5030).
In the 12th month (Dec./Jan., 752) of the Chinese year 751, envoys
of the Black River [Mo-ho] were received at the T’ang court (Ts’e-fu
yüan-kuei p.5030).
In the 2nd month (Mar./Apr.) of 815, a chief of the Black River
[Mo-ho], heading a mission of 11 men, offered gifts (Chiu T’ang shu
15:9b);Ts’e-fu yüan-kuei p.5033).
In 924, envoys of the Black River [Mo-ho] to the Later T’ang court
offered gifts. The chief envoy was made a General of the Gentlemen-
of-the Household Who Cherishes Civilization. Another mission from
the Black River Barbarians is recorded for the same year (Chiu wu-tai