352 kashmir and afghanistan
34b, envoys from Gilgit arrived three times between 696 and 741.
Four missions are recorded. The statistics are therefore partially
incomplete. To the extent that any conclusions can be drawn from
them, the majority of the missions arrived in Ch’ang-an during the
winters and springs.
This is the distribution by 20-year periods of the 34 recorded mis-
sions from Kashmir and Afghanistan to T’ang:
607-626: 2
627-646: 5
647-666: 4
667-686: 3
687-706: 2
707-726: 10
727-746: 5
747-766: 3
The greatest numbers fall into the reign of Emperor Hsüan-tsung
(712-756), followed by those of T’ai-tsung (627-649) and Kao-tsung
(650-683).
The recorded goods were horses, mongooses, drugs, date seedlings,
glass, valuable belts, golden chains, rock crystal cups, dance mats,
Persian brocade, and a text on astronomy/astrology. This is a mixture
of local and imported products.
The only Chinese payment recorded is silk.