24 continental south asia and the islands
Sung hui-yao kao 101223:14a; Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao 330:5b).
In 1050, Li Te-cheng asked for the return of another number of
subjects, who had crossed into China, supposedly more than 3000.
The Sung agreed (Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao 330:5b).
On Nov.22, 1055, envoys sent by Li Jih-tsun announced the death
of his father Te-cheng. They offered testamentary gifts and ten tame
elephants. The Sung dispatched a mission to condole and sacrifice
and to confer on Te-cheng the posthumous titles of Palace Attendant
and king of Nan-yüeh. Jih-tsun was recognized as his successor (Sung
shih 12:9b-10a; 488:13b-14a; Sung hui-yao, kao 10122:14b; Wen-hsien
t’ung-k’ao 330:5b).
On July 21, 1058, Chiao-chih offered an animal which it claimed
to be a ch’i-lin.^66 It resembled a water buffalo, had a horn on the tip
of its nose, and ate vegetables. The Chinese experts concluded that
it was not a ch’i-lin, whereupon the court rejected this attribution and
merely called it a strange animal (Sung shih 12:13b-14a; 488:14a; Sung
hui-yao kao 10122:15a; Hsü Tzu-chih t’ung-chien ch’ang-pien p.1724; Wen-
hsien t’ung-k’ao 330:5b).^67
In 1059, Chiao-chih looted Chinese territory. On Aug.5, 1060, local
authorities reported to the court that Chiao-chih again had violated
the border. The court ordered to mobilize troops against Li Jih-tsun,
which was enough to make him back down (Sung shih 12:16b; 488:14a
Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao 330:5b).
In the 1st month (Feb./Mar.) of 1062, a letter from Li Jih-tsun was
presented to the Sung court, and on Feb.8, 1063,^68 he offered nine
tame elephants (Sung shih 12:20b; Sung hui-yao kao 10122:15a-15b).
On Apr.30, 1063, Emperor Jen-tsung of Sung died. In the 4th month
(May), his successor Emperor Ying-tsung sent Jen-tsung’s testamentary
gifts to Li Jih-tsun and appointed him Jointly Manager of Affairs with
the Secretariat-Chancellery. On Feb.25, 1067, Ying-tsung recognized
Jih-tsun as king of Nan-p’ing and entitled him Commander Unequalled
in Honour (Sung shih 12:20b; 14:2b; Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao 330:5b).
(^66) This was the mythical Chinese unicorn, with the body of a deer, tail of an
ox, hoofs of a horse, and one horn. It was considered auspicious, rarely seen, and
expected to appear only on behalf of sages. The gift was therefore intended to flatter
Emperor Jen-tsung of Sung.
(^67) Sung shih 488:14a and Hsü Tzu-chih t’ung-chien ch’ang-pien p.1724 say two strange
animals.
(^68) By Sung shih dated Feb.9.