the turkic tribes 387
with lodgings in the ministry of the Grand Coachman and ample
provisions of food (Tzu-chih t’ung-chien pp.6074-6075).
TheTzu-chih t’ung-chien (p.6073) claims that “all the barbarians”
begged T’ai-tsung to adopt the title of Heavenly Qaghan and that
he replied:”I am the Son of Heaven of the Great T’ang. Why should
I lower myself to conduct the affairs of a qaghan?” Nevertheless, he
did then allow the northwestern rulers and chiefs to call him Heavenly
Qaghan. It is quite inconceivable that the defeated but proud Eastern
Turks made such a proposal. T’ai-tsung, no doubt, wished to adopt
the title and arranged to have it offered to him by sycophants.
In the 10th month (Nov./Dec.) of 632, T’ai-tsung appointed Hsieh-li
Inspector of Kuo. This commandery, situated directly east of Ch’ang-
an, had many deer, which gave an opportunity for hunting. Hsieh-li
declined and was appointed General-in-chief of the Guards of the Left
(Tzu-chih t’ung-chien p.6099).
In the 12th month (Jan./Feb., 634) of the Chinese year 633, T’ai-
tsung gave a feast in Ch’ang-an in the old Eternal Palace (Wei-yang
kung) of Han times, during which he requested Hsieh-li to dance
(Tzu-chih t’ung-chien pp.6103-6104).
On Feb.13, 634, Hsieh-li died. T’ai-tsung ordered that he be buried
according to the fashion of the Turks. He was therefore cremated.
T’ai-tsung bestowed on him the posthumous title of King Who Has
Attached Himself to Righteousness (Chiu T’ang shu 194A:5b;T’ung-tien
197:40b;Tzu-chih t’ung-chien p.6105; Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao 343:8a).
In 639, A-shih-na Ssu-mo became the Yi-mi-ni-shu-ssu-li-pi Qaghan
or Ssu-li-pi for short. He was conferred the imperial surname of Li by
T’ai-tsung, and presented with drums and banners. This is the same
Ssu-mo who was a first paternal cousin of Hsieh-li’s father and who
together with T’u-li had been a Turkish negotiator in 624. On Sep.22
of that year, Emperor Kao-tsu had given him the title of king of Ho-
shun commandery. He had remained loyal to Hsieh-li and had been
captured with him. On Apr.20, 630, Tai-tsung had appointed him
General-in-chief of the Martial Guards of the Right. Subsequently he
had made him a Military Governor and changed his title to king of
Huai-hua commandery (Chiu T’ang shu 194A:7b; T’ang hui-yao 94:5a;^14
Tzu-chih t’ung-chien pp.5993, 6073; Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao 343:8b).
(^14) Note that the dates of T’ang hui-yao 94 are often at variance with the other
sources.