the turkic tribes 389For more than three decades thereafter, the Eastern Turks were
a negligible force. In 682, there was an attempt to set up A-shih-na
Fu-nien, a son of a first paternal cousin of Hsieh-li, as qaghan in the
Ning-hsia Oasis. But Chinese forces captured him, he was brought to
Ch’ang-an, and there decapitated on the Eastern Market (Wen-hsien
t’ung-k’ao 343:9a).
Nevertheless, the humiliation of the Eastern Turks was almost over,
and from the end of 682 their empire was restored by the qaghan Ku-
to-lu^16 (Qutlugh), a distant relative of Hsieh-li (Chiu T’ang shu 194A:
9a;Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao 343:9a).
In 683, Ku-to-lu began to raid Chinese border areas and defeated a
Chinese army. In 686, he looted again and defeated another Chinese
army. This was followed by raids in 687 and 688 (Chiu T’ang shu 194A:
10a;Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao 343:9a).
No missions from Ku-to-lu to the T’ang court are recorded. He died
in the early 690’s.^17 Since his son was still young, his younger brother
Mo-ch’o (Qapaghan) was enthroned as qaghan (Chiu T’ang shu 194A:
10b;Tzu-chih t’ung-chien p.6493; Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao 343:9b).
In 693, Mo-ch’o sent envoys to the T’ang court (Chiu T’ang shu
194A:10b).
In 694, Mo-ch’o raided Chinese border areas, but thereafter envoys
of his proposed peace.^18 The Empress Wu was pleased, appointed him
General-in-chief of the Guards of the Left, entitled him Duke Who
Has Attached Himself to the State, and presented him with 5000
items of objects (Chiu T’ang shu 194A:10b; Tzu-chih t’ung-chien p.6503;
Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao 343:9b).
In 695,^19 envoys from Mo-ch’o proposed peace. The Empress Wu
sent envoys to entitle Mo-ch’o as Qaghan Who Has Reformed and
Does Good (Tzu-chih t’ung-chien p.6510; Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao 343:9b).
When the great Khitan war broke out in the summer of 695 and the
Chinese armies had been crushed in the Peking area, Mo-ch’o offered
(^16) Tzu-chih t’ung-chien renders his name as Ku-tu-lu. This was the Elterià Qaghan
of the Orkhon inscriptions.
(^17) According to Chiu T’ang shu and Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao, he died during the t’ien-shou
period (690-692). Tzu-chih t’ung-chien p.6493 records that his death became known at
the T’ang court in the 1st month (Feb./Mar.) of 694. T’ang hui-yao 94:7b also gives
that date.
(^18) According to T’ang hui-yao 94:7b and Tzu-chih t’ung-chien p.6503, the envoys
were received in the 10th month (Nov./Dec.) of 695 and “begged to surrender”. 19
By Tzu-chih t’ung-chien dated 9th month (October) of 696.