the southwest 243On Mar.9, 816, Tibetan envoys announced that their king had died.
In the 4th month (May/June) of 817, Hsien-tsung sent the General of
the Guards of the Right to condole and sacrifice. The same month,
Tibetans presented ten horses, two jade belts, ten golden vessels, and
one yak (Chiu T’ang shu 15:10a; 196B:13a; Ts’e-fu yüan-kuei p.5033;
Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao 334:31a).
In 818, Tibetan envoys offered gifts and were given a banquet.
When they were taking leave in the 8th month (Sep./Oct.6), Tibet-
ans once more had opened hostilities. In retaliation, the envoys were
detained but then released on Feb.9, 819 (Chiu T’ang shu 15:16a; T’ang
hui-yao, 97:12a-12b; Tzu-chih t’ung-chien p.7757; Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao 334:
31a).
At this time, the T’ang court ordered that missions from the Tibet-
ans were not to exceed 30 members, and that no more than ten of
them were to be appointed to nominal Chinese offices (T’ang hui-yao
97:12b).
In 819, after further looting, Tibetan envoys offered gifts (T’ang
hui-yao 97:12b).
In the 2nd month (Mar./Apr.) of 820, Emperor Mu-tsung sent
the Junior Inspector of the Imperial Library and Concurrent Palace
Assistant Secretary to the Tibetans to announce the death of his father
Hsien-tsung on Feb.14, and his own enthronement on Feb.20 (Chiu
T’ang shu 196B:13b-14a).
In the 3rd month (Apr./May of 820, the Tibetans looted Chinese
border lands. In the 7th month (Aug./Sep.), their envoys to the T’ang
court condoled and sacrificed. In the 10th month (Nov./Dec.), they
again raided. The T’ang sent the Junior Privy Treasurer and Concur-
rent Palace Assistant Secretary as envoy to the Tibetans (Chiu T’ang
shu 196B:14a; Tzu-chih t’ung-chien p.7785).
In the 4th month (May/June) of 821, Tibetan envoys were received
at the court, although the fighting and looting continued (Chiu T’ang
shu 196B:14a; T’ang hui-yao 97:13b; Tzu-chih t’ung-chien p.7791).
At last, in the 9th month (October) of 821,^23 there was a break-
through in the negotiations. Tibetan envoys proposed a covenant,
the Chinese agreed, and this finally led to a real peace treaty. It was
solemnly concluded on the Western Suburban Altar of Ch’ang-an on
Nov.8, 821, and later ratified in Lhasa. The Chinese were represented
(^23) T’ang hui-yao 97:13b says 8th month (September).