260 the southwest
others who followed them, kept their tribal organisations with a high
degree of autonomy, and thereby formed an unstable and unabsorbed
element within the Chinese border. It ensured that Yün-nan remained
predominantly aboriginal, and the emergence of Nan-chao in the 7th
century as an independent state was the logical conclusion.^35
To assign a date to the foundation of Nan-chao is arbitrary. One
could chose 629, when the chief Hsi-nu-lo began his rule or 730 when
P’i-lo-ko united the tribes. Little is known about the early history of
the tribes and their rulers. In 639, envoys from the K’un-ming tribe
offered gifts to the T’ang court (Chiu T’ang shu 3:6b). During the reign
of Kao-tsung (650-683), another mission arrived, probably sent by
Hsi-nu-lo (Chiu T’ang shu 197:7a).
Hsi-nu-lo was succeeded by his son Lo-sheng,^36 who visited Ch’ang-
an in the reign of the Empress Wu (684-704). He was presented with
a brocade robe and a golden belt and then returned. Lo-sheng was
succeeded by his son Sheng-lo-p’i, and the latter by his son P’i-lo-ko
(Chiu T’ang shu 197:7a). P’i-lo-ko is the first Nan-chao ruler who is not
a shadowy figure.
After the unification of the tribes in 730, P’i-li-ko in 738 called on
Hsüan-tsung in Ch’ang-an. The emperor acknowledged his status by
appointing him as Specially Advanced and duke of the Yüeh State. He
also confered on him the name of Kuei-yi (Attached to Righteousness).^37
Subsequently, Hsüan-tsung recognized him as king of Yün-nan and
presented him with a brocade robe and golden belt (Chiu T’ang shu
197:7a;Wen-hsien t’ung k’ao 329:70b).
In 739, P’i-lo-ko moved his capital to Ta-ho, just south of the pres-
ent Ta-li in Yün-nan (Chiu T’ang shu 197:7a; Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao 329:
70b).
In 745, P’i-lo-ko sent his grandson Feng-chia-yi to Ch’ang-an,
where he entered the imperial guards and received the nominal title
of Herald. He returned with rich presents (Chiu T’ang shu 197:7a;
Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao 329:70b).
In 748, P’i-lo-ko died and was succeeded by his son Ko-lo-feng.
Hsüan-tsung recognized him as king of Yün-nan and conferred on his
son Feng-chia-yi the nominal title of Inspector of Kua commandery
(^35) See my Restoration, vol.III, pp.77-78, 85.
(^36) Or Lo-sheng-p’i.
(^37) The sources henceforth refer to him by that name.