564 liao
On June 28, 1005, Sung envoys were received at the Liao court
(Liao shih 14:6b).
On Nov.3, 1005, Sheng-tsung sent the Grand Commandant and
the Grand Tutor to the Sung court to congratulate on the birth-
day of Chen-tsung.^59 On Dec.5, 1005, the Supreme General of the
Guards of the Golden Mace of the Left arrived at the Sung court as
an envoy from the Liao Empress Dowager, and also to congratulate
on the birthday of Chen-tsung. He offered a letter, seven garments,
200 horses, horse trappings of gold and jade, brocade, deer tongues
etc., while Sheng-tsung’s envoys presented five garments, 200 horses,
horse trappings, brocade, bows and arrows, falcons etc. Chen-tsung
received the envoys in audience and made them rich gifts (Sung hui-yao
kao 5257:35a-35b; Liao shih 14:6b; Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao 346:21b).
On Dec.7, 1005, Sheng-tsung sent the Grand Guardian and an
Executive Assistant, and the Empress Dowager sent the Grand Master
and a Member of the Retinue of the Department of Administration
as envoys to the Sung court to congratulate on the New Year’s Day
of Feb.1, 1006. One of the envoys fell ill and was unable to partici-
pate in the ceremony. Chen-tsung sent a physician to treat him (Sung
hui-yao kao 5257:38a; Liao shih 14:6b-7a; Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao 346:21b).
On Dec.25, 1005, Sung envoys arrived at the Liao court to con-
gratulate on the New Year’s Day of Feb.1, 1006 (Liao shih 14:7a;
Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao 346:21b).
On Jan.24, 1006, Sung envoys arrived at the Liao court to con-
gratulate on the birthday of Sheng-tsung^60 (Liao shih 14:7a).
On Feb.11, 1006, Chen-tsung ordered officials to announce at the
grave mounds of T’ai-tsu and T’ai-tsung that good relations had been
establised with Liao (Hsü Tzu-chih t’ung-chien ch’ang-pien p.536).
At the end of the Chinese year 1006,^61 Liao envoys arrived at the
Sung court to congratulate on the birthday of Chen-tsung.^62 The chefs
were ordered to prepare Khitan food for them. From their lodgings,
the envoys heard drums and asked whether Sung was preparing for
war. They were told that the sound was made by actors. The emperor
interfered and decided that it was best to tell the truth, namely that
(^59) It fell on Jan.4, 1006.
(^60) It fell on Apr.12, 1006.
(^61) The text has 11th month, hsin-mao, but these cyclical characters did not occur
in that month.
(^62) It fell on Dec.24.