410 the turkic tribes
on Apr.28, 740, appointed him General-in-chief of the Gilded Mace
of the Left. Thereafter, having failed to enthrone a Chinese puppet,
Hsüan-tsung recognized Su-lu’s killer Mo-ho-ta-kan as qaghan. On
Dec.25, 740, Mo-ho-ta-kan made peace with China (T’ung-tien 199:
46b;Tzu-chih t’ung-chien pp.6841, 6843; Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao 344:13b).
At about this time, the Yellow and Black Tribes of the Turgesh
sent envoys to offer peace (Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao 344:13b).
In the 9th month (Sep./Oct.) of 743, envoys of the Black tribe of
the Turgesh offered regional objects (Ts’e-fu yüan-kuei p.5029).
On July 25, 747, Turgesh envoys were received at the T’ang court
(Ts’e-fu yüan-kuei p.5030).
In the 7th month (Aug./Sep.) of 749, a certain Yi-po was recognized
by Hsüan-tsung as qaghan of the Ten Tribes of the Turgesh. In the
8th month (Sep./Oct.), envoys of the Ten Tribes were received at the
court. In the 11th month (Dec.), Turgesh envoys arrived to congratulate
on the New Year’s Day of 750 and to present regional objects (Ts’e-fu
yüan-kuei p.5030; Tzu-chih t’ung-chien p.6897).
On Oct.7, 753, Hsüan-tsung recognized the qaghan of the Black
Tribe as qaghan of all the Turgesh (Tzu-chih t’ung-chien p.6919).
In the 4th month (Apr./May) of 754, envoys of the Black Tribe of
the Turgesh arrived at the T’ang court (Ts’e-fu yüan-kuei p.5031).
In the 8th month (Aug./Sep.) of 759, envoys from the Ten Tribes
and the Black Tribe of the Turgesh were received at the T’ang court
(Ts’e-fu yüan-kuei p.5030; Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao 344:13b).
The qaghans of the Turgesh were independent rulers. When
Emperor Chung-tsung in 708 recognized Sha-ko as qaghan of the
Fourteen Tribes, he therefore did not “pardon his crimes” (Tzu-chih
t’ung-chien p.6629). It was only after the final defeat of the Turgesh in
744, that they ceased to be a real problem for the T’ang.
According to T’ung-tien 199:46b and Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao 344:13b,
Su-lu annually sent envoys to offer presents to the T’ang court. Envoys
are only recorded for 714/15, 717, twice for 726, for 730, and 736.
This means that only the most important missions are recorded.
The Turgesh dealt in livestock. They had access to the joint market
in Kucha but also traded in animals with the court: camels and horses
in 717, and horses in 726.
The Chinese no doubt paid chiefly with silk, but in 708 they also
presented four Palace Ladies.