liao 539it, it would burn all the more. T’ai-tsu was greatly pleased (Tzu-chih
t’ung-chien p.8814).
On May 6, 917, the Last Emperor of Later Liang sent the General-
in-chief of the Personal Guard as envoy to the Khitan (Hsin Wu-tai
shih 3:3b).
In the 2nd month (Mar./Apr.) of 918, Later Liang envoys on a
goodwill mission to the Khitan court offered gifts. In the same month,
envoys from Wu-yüeh also offered gifts (Liao shih 1:10a, 10b).
On May 25, 920, an envoy from the ruler of Wu-yüeh to the Khi-
tan court offered rhinoceros horns and corals. He was appointed to a
nominal Khitan office and sent back (Liao shih 2:1b).
On Oct.16, 920, the Last Emperor of Later Liang appointed a
member of the Office of Palace Service as envoy to lead a goodwill
mission to the Khitan court (Hsin Wu-tai shih 3:4a-4b)
On Apr.23, 923, another goodwill mission from Later Liang was
received at the Khitan court.^20 In the same month, envoys from the
ruler of Wu-yüeh offered gifts (Liao shih 2:3b).
In the 5th month (May/June) of 925, an envoy from T’ai-tsu to the
Later T’ang court offered regional objects (Ts’e-fu yüan-kuei p.5034).
On Oct.27, 925, the Later T’ang belatedly informed the Khitan
court that it had replaced the Later Liang. T’ai-tsu immediately sent
envoys with gifts on a goodwill mission (Liao shih 2:5b).
On Mar.7, 926, envoys from T’ai-tsu offered gifts to the Later
T’ang court. They were treated extremely well, and envoys with
presents were sent in in response (Chiu Wu-tai shih 34:14b; Wen-hsien
t’ung-k’ao 345:17a).
In the 1st month (Feb./Mar.) of 926, 37 envoys from T’ai-tsu to
the Later T’ang court offered 30 horses (Wu-tai hui-yao 29:2b).
In the 2nd month (Mar./Apr.) of 926, envoys from T’ai-tsu informed
the Later T’ang court that he had conquered the Po-hai State (Liao
shih 2:6b). He changed its name to Tung-tan and made his eldest son
and heir-apparent T’u-yü its king (Liao shih 2:6b).
In the 7th month (Aug./Sep.) of 926, Emperor Ming-tsung of
Later T’ang sent a Palace Servitor to the Khitan court to announce
the death of his adoptive father Chuang-tsung on May.15. T’ai-tsu
received him, dressed in a brocade robe with a great belt. According to
(^20) This embassy must have set out before the Later Liang was overthrown by
the Later T’ang on Apr.13.