east turkestan 307appointed Fu-she-hsin General-in-chief of the Resolute Guards of
the Right and one of his sons General of the Resolute Guards of the
Right. Both were presented with golden belts and 60 items of brocade
robes and textiles. On Aug.19, 649, Fu-she-hsin was still in Ch’ang-an
(Chiu T’ang shu 3:11b; 4:2a; 198:11a; Wu-tai hui-yao 29:13a; Tzu-chih
t’ung-chien p.6266).
On Jan.14, 674, the king of Khotan, with sons, younger broth-
ers, and chiefs, 70 men in all, visited the T’ang court, in spite of the
Tibetan presence in East Turkestan from 670-692 (Tzu-chih t’ung-chien
p.6374;Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao 337:41a).
In the 4th month (May/June) of 677, Khotan offered regional
objects (Ts’e-fu yüan-kuei p.5026).
In the 12th month (Jan./Feb., 683) of the Chinese year 682, Khotan
presented regional objects (Ts’e-fu yüan-kuei p.5026).
Somewhere around this time, Emperor Kao-tsung (d.Dec.27, 683),
established the fictitious P’i-sha Area Command with the king of Kho-
tan as its Military Governor (Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao 337:41b).
The king of Khotan having died, the Empress Wu recognized his suc-
cessor in 687 (Chiu T’ang shu 198:11a; Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao 337:41b).
In the 2nd month (March) of 713, Khotan envoys offered gifts
(Ts’e-fu yüan-kuei p.5027).
In the 6th month (July/Aug.) of 717, Khotan envoys presented
four horses and camels (Ts’e-fu yüan-kuei p.5027; Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao
337:41b).
In 728, envoys from the new king of Khotan offered gifts (Chiu
T’ang shu 198:11a).
On Feb.14, 747, the New Year’s Day, Khotan envoys congratu-
lated at the T’ang court and offered regional objects (Ts’e-fu yüan-kuei
p.5030).
In the 3rd month (Apr./May) of 748, Khotan envoys offered regional
objects (Ts’e-fu yüan-kuei p.5030).
For reasons which are not entirely clear, a certain Yao became
king of Khotan and was recognized by Emperor Su-tsung on Feb.15,
- Meanwhile, Yao’s elder brother Sheng was in Ch’ang-an. In
764, Emperor Tai-tsung attempted to send Sheng back to Khotan to
claim his throne, but Sheng objected on the grounds that the people
of the state had accepted his younger brother Yao. Tai-tsung gave
in and appointed Sheng as Commander Unequalled in Honour and
conferred on him the nominal title of king of Wu-tu (Tzu-chih t’ung-
chien pp.7090, 7171; Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao 337:41b).