442 the turkic tribes
In the 2nd month (Mar./Apr.) of 842, the Wu-chieh Qaghan sent
envoys to the T’ang court and requested grain. Attempts to persuade
him and his tribe to return north were fruitless (Tzu-chih t’ung-chien
p.7958; 7963).
On June 2, 842, envoys of the Uighur prince (great tegin), Wu-
mo-ssu, offered his “surrender” to, i.e. cooperation with, China. The
T’ang court immediately proceeded to promote him as an ally. On
June 26, Wu-tsung ordered the Herald to enfeoff Wu-mo-ssu as as king
of Huai-hua commandery, and to present him with 5000 bushels of
rice and 3000 bolts of pongee. His chiefs received gifts, each in accor-
dance with his rank. On Aug.1, Wu-tsung created out of the Uighurs
following Wu-mo-ssu the imaginary Army Which Attaches Itself to
Righteousness and appointed him General-in-chief of the Gilded Mace
of the Left.^91 On Sep.23, Wu-tsung bestowed on Wu-mo-ssu and his
younger brothers the imperial surname of Li and the given names of
Ssu-chung (Thinking of Loyalty), Ssu-chen (Thinking of Uprightness),
Ssu-hui (Thinking of Goodness), Ssu-en (Thinking of Kindness), Ssu-yi
(Thinking of Righteousness), and Ssu-li (Thinking of Propriety) (Chiu
T’ang shu 195:13b; Tzu-chih t’ung-chien pp.7961-7962, 7963). Thereafter,
this branch of the Uighurs disappears from the sources.
In the 11th month (Dec./Jan., 843) of the Chinese year 842, Wu-
tsung sent envoys with a letter to the Princess of T’ai-ho and presented
her with winter garments (Tzu-chih t’ung-chien p.7968).
The collapse of the Uighur empire had the further result that the
Hsi in Jehol and the Khitan in Manchuria, who previously had been
tax-paying dependents of the Uighurs, rose against their former mas-
ters in 842 and massacred their inspecting envoys (Tzu-chih t’ung-chien
p.7967).
Also in 842, open warfare broke out between China and the Uighurs
of the Wu-chieh Qaghan. On Feb.13, 843,^92 the Chinese inflicted a
crushing defeat on the Uighurs at the Sha-hu (Kill the Barbarians)
Mountain. The Wu-chieh Qaghan was wounded and fled, and the
Princess of T’ai-ho was rescued by the Chinese troops. She reached
Ch’ang-an on Apr.4,^93 and there received the new title of Senior
(^91) Tzu-chih t’ung-chien p.7961 records this appointment also under the date of
June 26.
(^92) By Tzu-chih t’ung-chien p.7972 correctly dated 1st month, keng-tzu.Chiu T’ang shu
18A:7b has 2nd month, which did not have these cyclical characters.
(^93) By Chiu T’ang shu 18A:8a correctly dated 3rd month, keng-yin. By Tzu-chih t’ung-
chien p.7974 dated 2nd month, which did not have these cyclical characters.