308 east turkestan
The question of legitimacy arose again in 785, when Yao wished to
make Sheng’s son Chih his successor. Sheng was still alive and lived
with Chih in Ch’ang-an. Emperor Te-tsung appointed Chih as Acting
Superintendent of the Imperial Household and prepared to send him
to Khotan. But Sheng objected on the grounds that his brother and
presumably that branch of the family were popular in Khotan, and
that Chih had been born and had grown up in China without know-
ing the customs of Khotan. This ended the matter. Chih remained
in China and was appointed Adviser of the king of Shao^28 (Tzu-chih
t’ung-chien p.7467; Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao 337:41b).
When Khotan reemerged in history in the 10th century, it was
ruled by Uighurs.
In the 9th month (Sep./Oct.) of 938, envoys from the king of Khotan
to the Later Chin court presented jade lumps, white cotten fabrics, yak
tails, red salt, curcoma longa,^29 uncut gems, jade horse trappings etc.
The king gave his name as Li Sheng-t’ien and claimed to be a rela-
tion of the T’ang imperial house. This means that, according to him,
one of his ancestors had been conferred the imperial surname of that
dynasty. On Nov.22, Emperor Kao-tsu of Later Chin appointed the
chief envoy as General-in-chief Who Maintains the State in Peace,
enfeoffed him as Dynasty-founding Duke of Fu-feng commandery, and
appointed his deputy as State Courier-envoy. He also sent a Palace
Servitor, an Acting Grand Herald, and an Administrative Assistant to
entitle Li Sheng-t’ien as Greatly Valued King of Khotan. It took the
Chinese envoys two years to reach Khotan, and they did not return
until 942. At that occasion, the king of Khotan presented 1000 catties
of jade and a jade seal (Wu-tai hui-yao 29:13b; Hsin Wu-tai shih 8:6b;
74:11a, 13a;Ts’e-fu yüan-kuei p.5035; Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao 337:41b).
On Feb.4, 943, envoys from the Uighurs of Khotan to the Later
Chin court offered regional objects (Chiu wu-tai shih 81:9a).
In the 6th month (June/July of 947, Khotan envoys were received
at the Later Han court (Hsin Wu-tai shih 10:4a).
In the 5th month (June/July) of 948, Khotan envoys to the Later
Han court offered gifts. The chief envoy was appointed Acting Minis-
ter of Works (Wu-tai hui-yao 29:13b; Ts’e-fu yüan-kuei p.5036; Wen-hsien
t’ung-k’ao 337:41b).
(^28) He was a half brother of Te-tsung.
(^29) A fragrant herb.