continental south asia and the islands 65matics, and valuables of various kinds. The emperor appointed the
chief envoy to the Courageous Garrison of the Left at the Four Gates.
He yielded this title to his younger brother, whereupon the emperor
appointed both to nominal Chinese offices (Chiu T’ang shu 15:9a; Hsin
T’ang shu 222C:4a; Ts’e-fu yüan-kuei p.5033; Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao 332:
16a).^141
In 818, envoys from the K’o-ling State presented two black girls,
cockatoos, tortoise shells, and a live rhinoceros (Chiu T’ang shu 15:16a;
197:3a;Ts’e-fu yüan-kuei p.5033).
At some time between 860-874, K’o-ling presented female musicians
(Hsin T’ang shu 222C:4a; Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao 332:16a).
According to Hsin T’ang shu 222C:4a and Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao 332:
16a, K’o-ling sent three missions between 766-779 and two missions
between 827 and 835. No missions are recorded by exact dates for
the earlier period and three for the later. Of the 11 recorded missions,
8 arrived after the rebellion of An Lu-shan in 755.
She-p’o
She-p’o on Java had been known to the Chinese well before the
T’ang. In 433 and 435, it had sent missions to the Liu Sung of the
Six Dynasties^142
During T’ang, the first recorded mission from She-p’o was received
at the court on Nov.10, 820, when envoys offered gifts. They came
again in the 2nd month (Mar./Apr.) of 831, and on Mar.14, 839 (Chiu
T’ang shu 16:5a; 17B:26b; Ts’e-fu yüan-kuei p.5033.^143
After a hiatus of over 150 years, relations were resumed in 992,
when the king of the She-p’o State sent envoys to Sung. These arrived
on a large ship in the Bay of Hang-chou in Che-chiang, which event
was reported to the government by the local authorities on Sep.18.
The envoys were received at the court in the 12th month (Dec./Jan.,
993) and offered ten elephant tusks, rhinoceros horns, two catties of
real pearls, 100 pieces of various textiles, gilded objects, 4,423 catties
(^141) Hsin T’ang shu and Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao date this mission 813. Furthermore,
Hsin T’ang shu gives the number of black youths as four.
(^142) See my Six Dynasties, vol.II, p.88. At that time, the state was referred to as
She-p’o-po-ta.
(^143) I emend 1st month, mou-shen, of 839 to 1st intercalary month.