550 liao
On Jan.2, 942, a Later Chin envoy to the Khitan court offered
gifts (Liao shih 4:7b).
On Jan.12, 942, the Later Chin informed the Khitan court that An
Ch’ung-jung had been killed. A Later Chin envoy who had previously
been detained by the Khitan to protest An Ch’ung-jung’s hostility
was now released. On Jan.15, envoys to the Khitan court announced
that the Later Chin was demobilizing its troops (Chiu Wu-tai shih 98:
4b;Liao shih 4:7b).
On Feb.3. 942, a Khitan envoy was received at the Later Chin
court (Hsin Wu-tai shih 8:9a).
On Feb.6, 942, T’ai-tsung sent envoys to Later Chin (Liao shih 4:
7b).
On Feb.27, 942, T’ai-tsung sent a goodwill mission of 31 men to
the Later Chin court to offer horses and regional objects (Chiu Wu-tai
shih 80:7b; Liao shih 4:8a; Ts’e-fu yüan-kuei p.5035).
On Mar.25, 942,^33 the Later Chin sent a former Defense Commis-
sioner of a local unit and the Tea Libationer of the Han-lin Academy
as envoys to the Khitan court to inquire about the wellbeing of T’ai-
tsung (Chiu Wu-tai shih 80:8a; Liao shih 4:8a).
In the 4th month (May/June) of 942, Khitan envoys to the Later
Chin court complained that Kao-tsu had established relations with
the T’u-yü-hun (Tzu-chih t’ung-chien p.9236).
On June 9, 942, Later Chin envoys to the Khitan court offered horse
trappings for the ceremony of Shooting at Willows^34 (Liao shih 4:8a).
On July 16, 942, envoys from Shih Ch’ung-kuei, the nephew and
heir of Kao-tsu of Later Chin, offered gifts to the Khitan court (Liao
shih 4:8a-8b).
On July 28, 942, Emperor Kao-tsu died and was succeeded by Shih
Ch’ung-kuei. This was Emperor Shao.^35 On July 31, envoys from
Shao informed the Khitan court of the death. T’ai-tsung suspended
the court for seven days. On Aug.2, T’ai-tsung sent envoys to condole
and sacrifice (Liao shih 4:8b).
In the 6th month (July/Aug.) of 942, a Khitan envoy was received
at the Later Chin court (Hsin Wu-tai shih 9:1b).
(^33) The date is questionable, since according to Liao shih this mission was received
on Mar.20.
(^34) According to Wittfogel, Liao, p.216, this may have been a ritual symbolizing
birth after death.
(^35) By Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao called the Last Emperor.