kashmir and afghanistan 351T’ang court offered regional objects (Ts’e-fu yüan-kuei p.5026; Wen-hsien
t’ung-k’ao 337:45b).
In the 9th month (Oct./Nov.) of 720, envoys from Hsieh-yi were
received at the T’ang court. Emperor Hsüan-tsung recognized the
king (Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao 337:45b).
In the 12th month (Jan., 721) of the Chinese year 720, envoys from
Hsieh-yi offered gifts (Ts’e-fu yüan-kuei p.5027).
In the 7th month (Aug./Sep.) of 744, envoys from Hsieh-yi presented
horses and valuables (Ts’e-fu yüan-kuei p.5030).
In the 3rd month (Apr./May) of 745, envoys from Hsieh-yi offered
regional objects (Ts’e-fu yüan-kuei p.5030).
In the 3rd month (Apr./May) of 753, envoys from Hsie-yi offered
regional objects (Ts’e-fu yüan-kuei p.5030).
The states in Kashmir and Afghanistan, like those in West Turke-
stan, faced threats to their independence but not from China. They
had no tributary obligations to that country. Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao 337:
45a claims that when T’ai-tsung’s envoys arrived in Kapiáa in 637,
the king saluted twice and accepted the imperial mandate, but that,
as has been seen in other cases, is simply a quote from the self-serv-
ing report of the envoys. The king of Kapiáa had no need to humble
himself, and would not have done so. According to Chiu T’ang shu 198:
13b and Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao 337:45a, the king of Kapiáa “begged” in a
“memorial” of 739 that because of his old age he should be succeeded
by his son. Emperor Hsüan-tsung “allowed it”. The succession was an
internal matter, and all the king did was to inform the T’ang court.
The Chinese historians later rephrased the account in sinocentric and
dynastic terminology.
The T’ang recognized some and perhaps all of the kings and
conferred courtesy titles on at least some of them. It did not con-
dole at the death of kings, did not confer posthumous titles, and did
not declare official mourning. The military intervention of 747 was
directed against the Tibetans, and the king of Gilgit was a more or
less innocent bystander. For the states of Kashmir and Afghanistan,
the only purpose of their missions to China was trade. No missions
are recorded beyond 753. They may have ceased because of Arab
and Tibetan hostility.
According to Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao 335:35a, missions from Kashmir
arrived constantly after 720. None is recorded. According to Wen-hsien
t’ung-k’ao 338:51b, missions from Chang-ch’iu-pa were uninerrupted
from 648. None is recorded. According to Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao 335: