Damozhi was one of the officers of the Yabgu Khan of the western Göktürks. He bore the title daguan.[1] The biography of the pilgrim Xuanzang names him for a single errand.[1] The khan is identified with Tong Yabgu.[2]

Xuanzang met the khan out hunting near the town of Suyab.[1] One modern account has the pilgrim at Suyab in 629.[3] The khan was glad to see him. He said that he would be away for two or three days.[1] He told the daguan Damozhi to take the pilgrim to his camp and settle him there.[1] Three days later the khan came back and received Xuanzang in his great tent.[1] Nothing more is recorded of Damozhi.

Name

The biography writes his name 答摩支.[1] The English translation gives it as Ta-mo-chi and calls him one of the khan’s chief officers.[4] One modern rendering of the passage calls him a minister named Hamoçi.[5] A modern study of the passage writes the name 答靡支, Damizhi.[6]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Life of Xuanzang, juan 2
  2. ^ Chavannes 1903, p. 194
  3. ^ Yavuz 2025, p. 352
  4. ^ Beal 1911, p. 42
  5. ^ Yavuz 2025, p. 355
  6. ^ Kaiyrken 2026, p. 8

Sources

Literature

  • Samuel Beal (trans.), The Life of Hiuen-Tsiang by the Shaman Hwui Li (1911)
  • Édouard Chavannes, Documents sur les Tou-Kiue (Turcs) occidentaux (1903)
  • Emre-E. Yavuz, The Gokturk Empire: 2nd Edition (2025)
  • Tursynkhan Zakonuly Kaiyrken; Abdulvahap Kara, Xuan Zang'ın Seyahat Notlarında Batı Göktürk Kağanı Tong Yabgu'nun Devlet Adamı Portresi (2026)

Related

What links here2

Battles & Events
Xuanzang's visit to Tong Yabgu
Institutions and Titles
Daguan

Cite this article

Yavuz, Emre-E. “Damozhi.” Turkic Atlas, revised 8 November 2026. https://turkicatlas.org/persons/damozhi/

Last revised: 8 November 2026