east turkestan 301On Feb.4, 615, the New Year’s Day, Kucha envoys offered gifts to
the Sui court (Sui shu 4:9b; 83:11a; Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao 336:40a).
After Kao-tsu had founded the T’ang dynasty on June 18, 618,
envoys from the king of Kucha were received at the T’ang court
(Chiu T’ang shu 198:9a; Ts’e-fu yüan-kuei p.5023; Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao
336:40a).
In 626, Kucha envoys offered gifts (Chiu T’ang shu 2:8a).
In 630, envoys from the king of Kucha presented horses (Chiu T’ang
shu 198:9b; Ts’e-fu yüan-kuei p.5024; Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao 336:40a).
In 634, Kucha envoys offered gifts (Chiu T’ang shu 3:3b).
Subsequently, Kucha allied itself with the Western Turks, but it
did not break off relations with the T’ang, and its envoys presented
regional objects in the 1st month (Feb./Mar.) of 642 (Ts’e-fu yüan-kuei
p.5024;Tzu-chih t’ung-chien p.6151; Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao 336:40a).
In 644, Kucha sent troops to aid Karashahr against the T’ang
(Chiu T’ang shu 198:9b; Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao 336:40a).
In the 1st month (Feb./Mar.) of 647, Kucha again offered regional
objects to the T’ang court (Ts’e-fu yüan-kuei p.5024).
Having annexed Turfan in 640 and defeated Karashahr in 644,
T’ai-tsung turned against Kucha in 648. When the Chinese army,
augmented by allies, approached, Kucha surrendered and its king,
Ho-li-pu-shih-pi, and his chancellor were subsequently taken prisoners.
After a brief reverse, the Chinese took control of Kucha and installed a
new king. In 649, they moved the seat of the An-hsi Protectorate from
Turfan to Kucha. This protectorate eventually, but only temporarily,
came to comprise Kucha, Karashahr, Kashgar, Khotan, and Tokmak
west of lake Issyk-Kul (Chiu T’ang shu 198:10a-10b; Tzu-chih t’ung-chien
pp.6251, 6271; Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao 336:40a).
On Feb.22, 649, the captured king of Kucha, Ho-li-pu-shih-pi, his
chancellor, and other prisoners were presented in the Temple to the
Gods of the Soils and Crops in Ch’ang-an. The king was appointed a
General of the Gentlemen-of-the-Household of the Martial Guards of
the Left. The chancellor and lesser officials received nominal offices,
each in accordance with his rank. After T’ai-tsung’s death on July
10, 649, the features of the still-living Ho-li-pu-shih-pi were carved
in stone and placed at the emperor’s tomb (Chiu T’ang shu 3:11b; 198:
10a;Tzu-chih t’ung-chien p.6265).
In the 8th month (September) of 650, Emperor Kao-tsung appointed
Ho-li-pu-shih-pi as General-in-chief of the Resolute Guard of the Right,
subsequently restored him as king of Kucha, and sent him back to