384 the turkic tribes
the T’ang court offered gifts. They also requested joint markets, to
which the Chinese agreed (Ts’e-fu yüan-kuei p.5023; Tzu-chih t’ung-chien
p.5994).
In the 7th month (Aug./Sep.) of 625, the Turks raided border
areas. On Oct.2, Hsieh-li’s envoys proposed peace. In the 9th month
(Oct./Nov.) of the same year and in the 1st month (Feb./Mar.) of 626,
they attacked again (Chiu T’ang shu 194A:2b; Ts’e-fu yüan-kuei p.5023;
Tzu-chih t’ung-chien pp.5994, 5996, 5997, 5998, 5999; Wen-hsien t’ung-
k’ao 343:7b).
In the late summer of 626, Hsieh-li and T’u-li invaded China once
more. On Aug.27, Hsieh-li made a peace overture, but it was not at
an opportune moment. Ch’ang-an was then in a period of transition.
Li Shih-min had killed his two brothers on July 2 and was laying the
ground for the abdication of his father, Kao-tsu. On Sep.3, Shih-min
ascended the throne and in history is known as Emperor T’ai-tsung.
Hsieh-li had meanwhile advanced further. On Sep.23, he once more
reached the environs of Ch’ang-an and halted on the northern shore
of the Wei River. It does not seem to have been his intention to
make an assault on the city but rather to extract more tribute. For
that purpose, he sent on that day (Sep.23) an envoy to intimidate
the T’ang court. In the ensuing discussion, it was pointed out to the
Turkish envoy that the qaghan had violated the covenant by which
the T’ang already had paid uncountable amounts of gold and silk.
Over the protests of Chinese officials against this breach of protocol,
T’ai-tsung then placed the envoy under arrest in the Chancellery (Chiu
T’ang shu 194A:2b; Ts’e-fu yüan-kuei p.5023; Tzu-chih t’ung-chien pp.6017,
6019;Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao 343:7b).
On Sept.23 or 24, 626, T’ai-tsung with a suite of six men rode
to the Wei River. There, on the southern shore, he negotiated with
Hsieh-li on the northern shore by shouting across the river. T’ai-tsung
supposedly blamed Hsieh-li for having violated the covenant, where-
upon the Turks descended from their horses and saluted. On Sep.25,
T’ai-tsung met Hsieh-li at the bridge across the Wei, a white horse
was slaughtered, and a new covenant was concluded. Thereafter the
Turks withdrew (Tzu-chih t’ung-chien pp.6019-6020; Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao
343:7b). This account has to be summarily dismissed. Hsieh-li would
not have accepted a moral lecture from Shih-min, and he would not
have withdrawn empty-handed. What he wanted and surely got was
more of the imperial treasury. The Chinese were meanwhile stalling
for time. Ch’ang-an was poorly defended, and the emperor did not