the southwest 233On Dec.16, 713, a high Tibetan official requested that peace be
restored (Tzu-chih t’ung-chien p.6692).
On July 9, 714, a Tibetan Chancellor wrote to a Grand Councilor
in Ch’ang-an and suggested that the border between the two coun-
tries should be delineated. Emperor Hsüan-tsung ordered the Grand
Councilor to write a reply (Tzu-chih t’ung-chien p.6699; Wen-hsien t’ung-
k’ao 334:29a).
On July 26, 714, a Tibetan Chancellor brought a covenant for
peace. Hsüan-tsung did not accept it. Subsequently, the Tibetans
looted Chinese border lands (Chiu T’ang shu 196A:7a; Tzu-chih t’ung-
chien p.6701, 6704).
On Nov.25, 714, Hsüan-tsung was informed that while the Yellow
River^5 had been considered the border for a long time, the Tibetans had
now gone across it and built fortifications. These should be destroyed.
The emperor approved (Tzu-chih t’ung-chien p.6705).
On Dec.12, 714, Hsüan-tsung sent a Gentleman of the Resolute
Guards of the Left as his envoy to the Tibetans. He was met at the
T’ao River^6 by Tibetan envoys who requested peace. The emperor
rejected it (Tzu-chih t’ung-chien p.6706).
On July 26, and in the 8th month (Aug./Sep.) of 716, in the 11th
month (Nov./Dec.) of 718,^7 on May 11, 717, in the 1st month (Jan./
Feb.) of 719, on July 2, 719, and in the 11th (Dec./Jan., 721) and 12th
month (January, 721) of the Chinese year 720, Tibetan envoys were
received at the T’ang court, mostly asking for peace. Nothing came
of it (Chiu T’ang shu 8:9a; Hsin T’ang shu 5:6a; Ts’e-fu yüan-kuei p.5027;
Tzu-chih t’ung-chien pp.6720, 6734, 6736).
In 725, Tibetan envoys wished to congratulate at the T’ang court
but were not received (T’ang hui-yao 97:6a).
In 726, peace was finally achieved. The Tibetans had requested
it again and Hsüan-tsung had agreed. He sent gifts to the Princess
of Chin-ch’eng, whereupon envoys of her husband promised that he
would observe a treaty. He also presented valuables. The emperor
received the envoys with courtesy. He then dispatched his Grandee
Secretary to respond with a goodwill mission. Agreement was reached
on the delineation of the border, and the peace covenant was carved
(^5) At Lan-chou in Kan-su.
(^6) It enters the Yellow River from the south just above Lan-chou.
(^7) Tzu-chih t’ung-chien p.6734 says 11th month, mou-ch’en, but the 11th month did
not have these cyclical characers.