432 the turkic tribes
The Uighur qaghan sent a large cortège to welcome the Princess
of Hsien-an. It consisted of his younger sister, the Ku-to-lu-p'i-chia
Princess, his sister-in-law, the Mi-shu-to-lu Princess, the wives and
concubines of his great chiefs, 56 women in all, the chief minister, and
others, more than 1000 persons, and 2000 horses for the dignitaries.
The chief minister was robbed and killed en route by the Shih-wei.
Te-tsung ordered to detain 700 persons in T'ai-yüan and to send on the
rest. The cortège arrived in Ch’ang-an on Nov.16, 788, and Emperor
Te-tsung watched it from the Gate of Protracted Joy. The qaghan
referred to himself in a letter as the emperor’s son-in-law and half
a son and promised to assist him against the Tibetans. He presented
3000 horses as a betrothal present. The Uighurs were lodged in the
Ministries of the Herald and of the Court Architect (Chiu T’ang shu
195:9b;Hsin T’ang shu 217A:9a; T’ang hui-yao 98:5b; Tzu-chih t’ung-chien
p.7515;Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao 347:29a).^72
On Nov.21 788,, the Uighur dignitaries had an audience in the
Hall of All-Embracing Government (Chiu T’ang shu 195:9b).
On Nov.23, 788, Te-tsung gave an audience to the Uighur prin-
cesses and dignitaries in the Hall of Unicorn Virtue, after he had
asked Li Pi about the protocol. The princesses were received by three
Chinese Senior Princesses and conducted by the Palace Director of
Guests. They saluted the emperor, and questions and answers were
translated by an interpreter. This was followed by a banquet at which
the emperor’s favoured companion, the Sagacious Concubine, also
participated and at which gifts were exchanged (Chiu T’ang shu 195:
9b;Hsin T’ang shu 217A:9a-9b; T’ang hui-yao 98:5b).
On Nov.28, 788, the emperor issued a formal edict that his daughter
marry the qaghan. He appointed a staff for her, corresponding to the
establishment of a king. On Nov.30, the Palace Inspector Li Chan-jan,
a great-great-grandson of Kao-tsu, was made envoy for the marriage
ritual. On Dec.5, a Master of Writing of the Ministry of Punishments
was appointed Acting Supervisor of the Right for escorting the Princess
of Hsien-an and for recognizing the qaghan as Long-lived, Beloved by
Heaven, p’i-chia Qaghan and the princess as Wise, Good, Upright,
Long-lived, Filial, and Obedient Qatun (Chiu T’ang shu 195:9b; Hsin
T’ang shu 217A:9b; Tzu-chih t’ung-chien p.7516).
(^72) For the number of Uighurs admitted to Ch’ang-an, see Mackerras, Uighur
Empire, p.158 note 172.