470 the turkic tribes
From 712 to756, the Kirghiz four times offered gifts (Wen-hsien
t’ung-k’ao 348:32a).
Between 758 and 760, the Kirghiz were crushed by the Uighurs
and became their subject tribe. Henceforth, they were unable to send
missions to the T’ang (Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao 348:32b).
In 840, the Kirghiz destroyed the Uighur empire and temporarily
replaced them as the masters of the steppe (Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao 348:
32b).
On Mar.16, 843, a Kirghiz mission of seven men to the T’ang court
presented two fine horses. Emperor Wu-tsung ordered the Grand
Coachman to entertain and reward the envoys (Chiu T’ang shu 18A:
8a;T’ang hui-yao 100:6b; Tzu-chih t’ung-chien p.7973).
In the 6th month (July) of 843, an envoy of the Kirghiz qaghan was
received at the T’ang court. Wu-tsung sent an envoy of his own to
recognize him and invite him to attack the remnants of the Uighurs
(Tzu-chih t’ung-chien p.7985; Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao 348:32b).
In the 8th month (Aug./Sep.) of 843, a Kirghiz envoy informed
the T’ang court that his tribe was moving into the former Uighur
territory^122 (Chiu T’ang shu 18A:9a; Ts’e-fu yüan-kuei p.5033; Tzu-chih
t’ung-chien p.7999).
In 844, Wu-tsung sent the Grand Coachman and Concurrent
Palace Assistant Secretary as his envoy to the Kirghiz (T’ang hui-yao
100:6b).
In 846, Wu-tsung intended to recognize the new qaghan of the
Kirghiz but died on Apr.22, 846, before the envoy had departed. His
successor Emperor Hsüan-tsung (r.847-859) was advised that it was
not worthwhile to deal with a rustic and distant little country. After a
court discussion, the matter was dropped. But in the following year,
847, Hsüan-tsung had a change of heart and in the 6th month (July/
Aug.) sent the Herald and Concurrent Palace Assistant Secretary to
recognize the Kirghiz ruler as Qaghan Who Is Brave, Martial, Sincere,
and Bright (T’ang hui-yao 100:7b; Tzu-chih t’ung-chien p.8030).
From 860 to 874, the Kirghiz were three times received at the
T’ang court (Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao 348:32b).
In the 8th month (Sep./Oct.) of 863, a Kirghiz envoy requested that
his tribe henceforth send annual missions to the court, i.e. establish
(^122) They certainly did not ask permission to do so as claimed by Tzu-chih t’ung-
chien.