the turkic tribes 425of the Bright Phoenix^59 (Chiu T’ang shu 195:5a-5b; Tzu-chih t’ung-chien
pp.7076, 7080).
On Oct.15, 760, a Uighur mission from the Teng-li Qaghan, led by
a high official and numbering 20 men, arrived at the T’ang court to
inquire about the well-being of the Princess of Ning-kuo. On Nov.10,
Emperor Su-tsung received these envoys in audience (Chiu T’ang shu
195:5b;Hsin T’ang shu 217A:5a; Tse-fu yüan-kuei p.5031).
On Nov.23, 760, ten Uighur envoys were received in audience and
given presents, each in accordance with his rank (Chiu T’ang shu 195:
5b;Ts’e-fu yüan-kuei p.5031).^60
On June 16, 761, the Uighurs offered gifts (Ts’e-fu yüan-kuei
p.5031).
In the 4th month (Apr./May) of 762, a Uighur mission of 18 men
was received at the court T’ang (T’ang hui-yao 98:4a).
After Tai-tsung had ascended the throne on May 17, 762, he sent
a eunuch to the Teng-li Qaghan to request military help against the
last rebel, Shih Ch’ao-yi. But the latter had anticipated this and had
himself formed an alliance with the Uighurs. These were already on
the move and had reached the Chinese border. The eunuch managed
to get a message through to the T’ang court, warning it of the emer-
gency. Tai-tsung hurriedly sent the Palace Inspector Yao Tzu-ang to
greet and spy on the qaghan, who by now had reached central Shan-
hsi. Tzu-ang reported what he thought were the numbers of Uighur
able-bodied men, of old and young, of wives, and of war horses (Chiu
T’ang shu 195:5b-6a).
The qatun had accompanied the qaghan and was anxious to
meet her father P’u-ku Huai-en. This enabled Emperor Tai-tsung to
arrange a meeting between her, her husband, and her father. P’u-ku
Huai-en succeeded in persuading the qaghan to change sides and to
cooperate with the loyalists against the rebels (Chiu T’ang shu 195:6a;
Hsin T’ang shu 217A:5a).
A Chinese army rendezvoused with the Teng-li Qaghan and his
Uighurs in southernmost Shan-hsi. It was commanded by the emperor’s
(^59) This was the southern gate into the compound of the Palace of Great Bright-
ness, which jutted out from Ch’ang-an in the northeast. See the map in Mackerras,
Uighurs Empire 60 , p.33.
Chiu T’ang shu gives the date of 11th month, mou-ch’en, which did not exist.
Ts’e-fu yüan-kuei has 10th month without cyclical characters. The 10th month did
have a mou-ch’en day = Nov.23.