Diplomacy and Trade in the Chinese World, 589-1276

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Tashkent

The Chinese name for this state was Shih.^4 It was situated on the
right shore of the Syr-Darya, northwest of Ferghana, and its territory
corresponded to modern Tashkent.^5
In 609, envoys from Tashkent to the Sui court offered gifts (Sui shu
83:9b;T’ung-tien 193:21b; Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao 339:54b).
In the 12th month (Dec./Jan., 635) of the Chinese year 634, envoys
from Tashkent to the T’ang court offered gifts (Chiu T’ang shu 3:3b;
T’ung-tien 193:21b).
In the 1st month (Jan./Feb.) of 646, envoys from Tashkent offered
gifts (Ts’e-fu yüan-kuei p.5024).
In the 1st month (Feb./Mar.) of 647, envoys from Tashkent offered
gifts (Chiu T’ang shu 3:11a; Ts’e-fu yüan-kuei p.5024).
In the 1st month (Jan./Feb.) of 648, envoys from Tashkent offered
gifts (Ts’e-fu yüan-kuei p.5025).
In the 6th month (July/Aug.) of 655, envoys from Tashkent offered
gifts (Ts’e-fu yüan-kuei p.5025).
In 658, Emperor Kao-tsung created the imaginary Ta-wan Area
Command and appointed the king of Tashkent as its Military Gov-
ernor (Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao 339:54b).
In the 9th month (Sep./Oct.) of 659, Emperor Kao-tsung gave the
unrealistic order to establish Chinese commanderies and prefectures
out of Kashgar, Tashkent, Kabådh§n, Kish, M§imargh, Bukhara,
Tokharia, Yi-ta, etc. (Tzu-chih t’ung-chien p.6317).
In the 9th month (Oct./Nov.) of 682, envoys from Tashkent offered
regional objects (Ts’e-fu yüan-kuei p.5026).
In c.713, Emperor Hsüan-tsung recognized the king of Tashkent
and appointed him a Specially Advanced (T’ang hui-yao 99:15a; Wen-
hsien t’ung-k’ao 339:54b).
In the 2nd month (Mar./Apr.) of 718, envoys from Tashkent were
received at the T’ang court (Ts’e-fu yüan-kuei p.5027).
In the 12th month (January 721) of the Chinese year 720, envoys
from Tashkent offered gifts (Ts’e-fu yüan-kuei p.5027).
In the 2nd month (March) of 721, envoys from the king of Tashkent
offered gifts (Ts’e-fu yüan-kuei p.5027).

(^4) Written with the Chinese character for “stone”.
(^5) Schafer, Golden Peaches, p.64, prefers Ch§ch, and Herrmann, Atlas, p.37,
Ch§sh.