Official Chinese records on the Qarakhanid missions appeared mainly in the Khotan entry of Chapter 490 in Song shi. The Khotan entry begins with a short description related to the ancient Khotan kingdom. The Qarakhanids are described starting from the mission sent from Khotan in 1009.
Khotan
The Yutian [Khotan] state offered tribute to Zhongguo [China] from the Han to the Tang dynasties, during the An-Shi Disturbances2 it was terminated and they did not arrive anymore. During the Jin Tianfu era [936–942], its king Li Shengtian claimed to be a member of the Tang family, sent an envoy to offer tribute. Emperor Gaozu ordered gongfeng guan [Palace Servitor] Zhang Kuangye to hold a credential tag and register Li Shengtian as the Great Gem King of Yutian.
In the twelfth month of the second year of the Jianlong era [961], Li Shengtian sent an envoy to offer one gui3 in a cage made of jade, and a jade pillow. A Manichaean teacher from this state offered two glass jugs and a piece of hujin [foreign brocade]. Their envoy said: “Our state is located in a distance of 9900 li from the imperial capital, in the southwest it reaches Congling [Pamir] connected with Poluomen [Brahman], which is apart at a distance of more than 3,000 li, in the south it is connected with Tubo [Tibet], in the northwest it reaches Shule [Kashghar, i.e. the Qarakhanids], at a distance of more than 2,000 li. In the east of the state’s capital there is the White Jade River, in the west the Green Jade River and further is the Black Jade River. The source is the Kungangshan [Kunlun Mountains], which is apart from the capital city to the west at a distance of 1300 li. Every year in autumn people of the state collect jade from the rivers and call it “jade fishing.” The land is suitable for grapes and people mainly brew it to make wine that tastes very delicious. Their custom is to serve evil spirits.”
In the fifth month of the third year of the Qiande era [965] the Yutian monks Shanming and Shanfa arrived to the court and were granted purple gowns. Their zaixiang [Grand Councilor], following the arrival of Shanming and others, sent a letter to shumishi [Palace Secretary] Li Chongju seeking contacts with Zhongguo. Emperor Taizu ordered Li Chongju to give him a letter and repay with vessels and silks. This year in winter sramana [Buddhist monk] Daoyuan returned from the Western Regions, he passed through Yutian and arrived with its envoy. In the fourth year [966] their prince Li Decong was also sent to offer local products.
In the second year of the Kaibao era [969] they sent the envoy Zhi Moshan to the court to offer tribute and he also said that there is a piece of jade in his state that weighs a total of 237 jin and that they are willing to present it to the Emperor and he requested to send an envoy to fetch it. Li Shanming arrived again to offer ferula asafoetida seeds and was granted the title Zhaohua dashi [Great Master] and then he was ordered to return to bring the jade. Also the son of the king Li Zongchang offered a knife with a jade handle and was generously rewarded in return. In the fourth year [971] the monk of this state Jixiang arrived at the court of the Emperor with a letter from his king and he said himself that the king defeated the Shule state and obtained a dancing elephant, which he wants to offer as tribute and it was allowed by the imperial order.
In the second year of the Dazhong Xiangfu era [1009] heihan wang [Qarakhan, i.e. Yusuf Qadir Khan] of this state sent the Huigu [Uyghur] envoy Luo Siwen [Boyla Saghun] and others to come and offer local products. Luo Siwen on his knees presented a memorial and said: “Your servant came to the court over ten thousand li to be able to see the light of day and to wish the wise man [Emperor] to live ten thousand years and to take charge of people from afar.” The Emperor asked how long they had been on the road and how many li they had passed through. The envoy replied: “We went across this road in one year, we walked at daytime and rested at sunset and we are not aware of the number of li. In former times, there were looting and plundering on the roads, and now the road from Guazhou and Shazhou to Yutian is quiet and peaceful, and traveling is like a stream. We ask to send an envoy to appease and console people of faraway places.” The Emperor said: “Sending an envoy by the road of a great distance will increase efforts and expenditure of your state. Now I will issue a Letter of Imperial Edict, you will immediately take it and go to your state, and it will be the same as appointing an envoy.”
At the beginning, during the Taipingxingguo era [976–984] in Chanzhou there was a soldier Wang Gui, one day suddenly he met an envoy who arrived at the camp, he quickly called Wang Gui to go with him and when in the south they reached a bridge of the river, a post horse had been already prepared, then the envoy ordered him to saddle the horse and suddenly he felt that he was rising to the sky and went away. Shortly after, the horse was halted and he saw only a magnificent building, the envoy led Wang Gui inside and he saw that the guard of the owner was all such as that of the king. He said to Wang Gui: “When you turn 58 years old, you should go to the Tongsheng Mountains in the north of the Yutian state to obtain an unusual jewel for offering to the Emperor and you should deeply remember it.” Then he rode the horse again into the skies and came back. At the camp Wang Gui was lost for several days already, the horse that he was riding was checked and it was a regular horse of a soldier from the camp. The chief of the prefecture Song Xu filed a complaint against Wang Gui according to what he heard and Emperor Taizong released him. At the beginning of the Tianxi era [1017], when Wang Gui turned 58 years old, he wanted to follow the instructions in the past and go to the west to Yutian and he looked for permission for his journey. When Wang Gui reached Qinzhou, he was repentant and fearful due to the long distance, suddenly, in the market he met a Taoist monk, who led Wang Gui outside of the city and they climbed a highland and he asked Wang Gui about his wish and received a sincere answer. He ordered Wang Gui to close his eyes and after a while to open them, then he saw that the mountains and rivers suddenly became different and the Taoist monk said: “This is the Tongsheng Mountains in the northern frontier of the Yutian state.” He also led Wang Gui to look at a pond and in the pond there was Xiantong,4 he pulled out something and gave it to Wang Gui and said: “Keep it and offer to the Emperor.” Wang Gui was again ordered to close his eyes and in a short moment he returned to Qinzhou and the former Taoist monk had already disappeared, he opened up that thing and there was a jade seal with the writing “The Eternal Gem of the King of Zhao” and he gave it to the chief of the prefecture in order to present it to the Emperor.5
In the twelfth month of the third year of the Tiansheng era [1025], they sent the envoy Luo Mianyuduo, the fushi [deputy envoy] Jinsan, the jianshi [Commissioner] Anduo, and the dujian [Military Commandant] Zhaoduo to come to the court and present jade saddles and bridles, white jade belts, hujin, dromedaries, frankincense, and ammonium chloride. The Emperor issued an edict to provide reimbursement and accommodation at the western station of the capital, besides they were granted garments, golden belts, 100 liang of silverware, and 200 pieces of clothes and Luo Mianyuduo was also given a golden belt.
In the eighth month of the eighth year of the Jiayou era [1063], they sent the envoy Luo Sawen to present local products. In the eleventh month, to the king of his state was given the title tejin guizhong baoshun houlin wang [Specially Advanced and Faithful Commandant for Maintaining Submission Tughril Qarakhan]. Luo Sawen said that his ruler hoped to be granted these titles, the Yutian people call the golden-winged bird houlin,6 is an incorrect form of kehan [Khagan]. Luo Sawen and others as the value of the rewards for their gifts was low did not accept it and asked to return the dromedary that was presented by them. The Emperor issued an edict to grant all people, who especially came from afar 5,000 guan, return them the dromedary and give them the payment that had been already granted. After that, they frequently offered local products to the court.
Since the Xining era [1068–1077] when they were far away it did not take more than one or two years to come and when they were close then they arrived twice per year. Among what they offered were pearls and jade, coral, jadeite, ivory, frankincense, costus root, amber, floral fabric, ammonium chloride, longyan [dragon salt],7 xijin [western brocade], horses with jade saddles and bridles, castoreum, lapis lazuli, mercury, and Anxi [Parthian] clove and some of what they had was not recorded in their memorial and each of them were granted xuanyu8 robes from shiny brocade, golden belts and vessels and silks, and their zaixiang [Grand Councilor] was granted a lined brocade garment decorated with coiled globular clouds.
The land produces frankincense and when they arrived they always carried it in great numbers and privately benefited from it with merchants and businessmen; if it was not sold out, then they returned it to waifu [Outer Treasury] at a good price, therefore, they came more and more. In the beginning of the Yuanfeng era [1078] Imperial Edicts began to be issued that stated to bring only a memorial as well as local products, horses and donkeys to get permission to pay a visit to the court and if frankincense was not required it was not permitted to be offered.
In the fourth year of the Yuanfeng era [1081] they sent buling [Commander] Axin [Ashin] to present a memorial to the Emperor titled “The letter from heihan wang of the Yutian state [Qarakhan of Khotan], the clever, fortunate, powerful, civilized and rightful, to my uncle and Great Emperor of the Dynasty, the owner of fields and lands of the great world in the East, where the sun rises.” Generally, the letter said that despite the long distances they wholeheartedly desired to meet face-to-face and that three envoys, who were sent earlier to offer tribute to the court had not returned yet. This was repeated several times. The envoy of Dongzhan9 who guided them to Xizhou translated their words to be heard by the Emperor. The Emperor issued an edict to inform them that those former three envoys already had an audience at the court, were awarded, and sent back. Emperor Shenzong once asked the envoy about when they left their state, which states they passed through and whether there were looting on the road. He replied: “We left our state four years ago, half of this time we stopped on the road, we traveled through the territories of Huangtou Huihe [Yellow-Head Uyghurs] and Qingtang [Tsongkha],10 We were only afraid of the Qidan [Khitans] looting.” As the envoy’s map indicated how far and near all states were from the Han borders, he wrote a letter and handed over it to Li Xian. In the ninth month of the eighth year of the Yuanfeng era [1085] they sent an envoy to offer tribute, and the envoy fed monks and performed rites to help the deceased Emperor Shenzong attain bliss. He was granted one million [guan] and he was returned a lion that he had offered.
During the Youanyou era [1086–1093] since the envoys arrived without a fixed time, the Emperor ordered the Xihe Circuit to allow the Yutian envoys to arrive to the gates of the palace once a year. In the eighth year [1093], they requested to suppress the Xia state [Tanguts] but it was not allowed. During the Shaosheng era [1094–1098], their king Ahududongemijiedu again said that the Mian-yao family [the Tanguts] made things worse and they had no other way to render service to repay kindness of the Emperor and he had already dispatched an army to attack Ganzhou, Shazhou and Suzhou. The Emperor issued an edict to express his deep appreciation for his intention. The chief of the Qinzhou prefecture You Shixiong said: “Yutian, Dashi, Fulin and other states offer tribute to the court, their banci arrive upon the heels of one another, and officials dread terrify about having to provide rewards, so they stop them and keep them on the border and limit them to come to the court once every two years. Foreigners admire our righteousness and arrive through ten thousand li, this is not the way of treating people from afar,” and the Emperor accepted it. Since then, until the Xuanhe era [1119–1125] their tribute was not interrupted.
Song shi, 490: 14106–14109.
The An Lushan Rebellion (755–763) is known in Chinese historiography as the An-Shi Disturbances, as after An Lushan it continued under his son An Qingxu and his successor Shi Siming.
Gui is an elongated pointed tablet of jade held by ancient rulers on ceremonial occasions as a symbol of power.
Xiantong is a messenger boy in the Taoist world of immortals.
This story gives an assumption that the Song emperor could send an envoy to the Qarakhanids which was depicted as a legend. However, there is no other evidence that may confirm this information.
I suppose that it is the title “Tughril,” which is a large falcon in Turkic culture. For more details about these titles see Chapter 3 and Document 1 in Appendix 2.
A type of medicine.
A type of traditional Tangut costume that was mostly worn by military generals and later became popular at the Song court.
Dongzhan was the ruler of the Tibetan Tsongkha kingdom at this time.
Qingtang is a name of the Tibetan Tsongkha kingdom in Chinese sources.