74 continental south asia and the islands
know the art of long life. T’ai-tsung was inclined to believe him and
ordered him to mix the drug of long life.^168 Hsüan-ts’e was appointed a
Supernumerary Grandee at the Court.^169 When, in spite of the elixir,
T’ai-tsung died soon thereafter on July 10, 649, the image of Aryuna
was at his orders carved in stone and placed at his tomb (Chiu T’ang
shu 198:12b-13a; Tzu-chih t’ung-chien p.6258; Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao 338:
50a).
In the 8th month (September) of 658, envoys from the kings of the
Ch’ien-ssu-fo, She-li-chün, and Mo-la States brought regional objects.
All three are stated to have been dependencies of Southern India which
had never yet had any relations with China. They stated that they had
sailed for several months and had arrived via Chiao commandery^170
(Ts’e-fu yüan-kuei p.5025).
In 668, envoys arrived from five Indian states (Hsin T’ang shu 221A:
12b;Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao 338:50a).
In the 3rd month (Apr./May) of 672, and in the 12th month (Jan.,
683) of the Chinese year 682, envoys from Southern India offered
regional objects (Ts’e-fu yüan-kuei p.5026).
In the 3rd month (Mar./Apr.) of 692, envoys from Northern,
Southern, Eastern, Western, and Central India simultaneously offered
presents (Chiu T’ang shu 6:4b; 198:13a; T’ang hui-yao 100:9b; Ts’e-fu
yüan-kuei p.5026; Sung shih 490:1b).^171
In the 1st month (Feb./Mar.) of 710, in the 9th month (Sep./Oct.)
of the same year, and in the 1st month (February) of 713, envoys from
the Southern Indian State brought regional objects (Chiu T’ang shu 198:
13a;Ts’e-fu yüan-kuei p.5026, 5027).
On Sep.16, 714, the Western Indian State presented regional objects
(Chiu T’ang shu 8:4a; 198:13a; Ts’e-fu yüan-kuei p.5027).
In the 2nd month (Mar./Apr.) of 715, an envoy from an unspecified
Indian state offered regional objects (Ts’e-fu yüan-kuei p.5027).
In the 5th month (June/July) of 717, envoys from Central India
offered regional objects. In the 6th month (June/July) of 719, envoys
(^168) According to Tzu-chih t’ung-chien p.6303, the Indian was on the point of return-
ing home in 657. Someone advised Kao-tsung that if this man really could mix the
drug of long life, he ought not be sent home. In the end, he died in Ch’ang-an.
(^169) According to Hsin T’ang shu 221A:13a, Emperor Kao-tsung (r.650-683) sent
Wang Hsüan-ts’e on a second mission to Magadha, where he set up a stele.
(^170) I.e. the area of Hanoi in northern Vietnam which then was a Chinese pos-
session.
(^171) By Chiu T’ang shu 198:13a dated 691.