382 the turkic tribes
p.5023), but in the 3rd month (Mar./Apr.) the Turks raided Shan-hsi
(Tzu-chih-t’ung-chien p.5907).
In the 4th month (Apr./May) of 621, Emperor Kao-tsu sent Li
Kuei, a member of the imperial house, to present Hsieh-li with gold
and silk. But this envoy was tactless and refused to salute the qaghan.
He was detained by Hsieh-li, as well as the General-in-chief of the
Resolute Guards of the Left, Chang-sun Shun-te. Kao-tsu retaliated
by detaining Hsieh-li’s envoys (Tzu-chih t’ung-chien p.5912).
During the same 4th month, Hsieh-li personally led an unsuccess-
ful raid into Sui-yüan and Shan-hsi. He then proposed peace and
presented several tens of catties of fish glue (Chiu T’ang shu 194A:2a;
Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao 343:7a).
In the 11th month (Dec./Jan., 622) of the Chinese year 621, Hsieh-
li, cooperating with a Chinese pretender, raided border areas (Tzu-chih
t’ung-chien p.5941).
In the 3rd month (Apr./May) of 622, Kao-tsu sent envoys with a
conciliatory message. Hsieh-li thereupon released Cheng Yüan-shou,
Li Kuei and Chang-sun Shun-te. He followed this up by a mission
which was received at the T’ang court on May 4 and proposed bet-
ter relations. Kao-tsu now set free the Turkish envoys whom he had
detained. This did not prevent Hsieh-li, in cooperation with a Chinese
pretender and a Chinse collaborator, from raiding Shan-hsi for more
than a month (Ts’e-fu yüan-kuei p.5023; Tzu-chih t’ung-chien p.5948; Wen-
hsien t’ung-k’ao 343:7a).
In the 8th month (Sep./Oct.) of 622, Kao-tsu sent Cheng Yüan-
shou on another mission to Hsieh-li. According to his report, he told
the qaghan that the customs of the Chinese and Turks were not the
same. Even if the Turks took T’ang territory, they could not live in it.
When they looted, the profit went to the people and the state. What
did the qaghan gain from it? But if the armies were demobilized and
good relations were established, the qaghan could sit and receive gold
and silk and all went into his own treasury. In other words, Cheng
Yüan-shou proposed the regular payment of Chinese tribute to the
Turks (Tzu-chih t’ung-chien p.5955).^8
In the 10th month (Oct./Nov.) of 623, Hsieh-li, again allied with
a Chinese pretender, laid siege to Ma-yi in northern Shan-hsi. He
also sent envoys to the T’ang court, proposing a marriage. Kao-tsu
(^8) According to the same entry, Cheng Yüan-shou went as an envoy to the Turks
on five occasions and several times risked his life.