Jiu Tangshu (Old Book of Tang)

Translation

Shibi Khan, whose name was Duoji, was the son of Qimin Khan.

He succeeded to the throne in the Daye era of the Sui. It was a time of great disorder in the world, and many people from China fled to him.

His people were strong and prosperous. In the east from the Khitan and the Shiwei, in the west to the end of the states of the Tuyuhun and Gaochang, all were his subjects.

He had more than a million bowmen. A prosperity of the northern Di like this had never been seen.

He looked out proudly from the Yin Mountains and had the ambition to hold China lightly.

The khan is like the chanyu of old. His wife is called khatun, like the yanzhi of old.

His sons and younger brothers are called tegin, and those who lead troops in separate camps are all called she.

Their high offices are the Qulüchuo, next the Abo, next the Xielifa, next the Tutun, next the Sijin. They hold their offices in succession without a fixed number, and when a father or elder brother dies, sons and younger brothers inherit.

Translation

Taizong, with the Palace Attendant Gao Shilian, the Director of the Secretariat Fang Xuanling and the general Zhou Fan, galloped out with six horsemen to the bank of the Wei River. He spoke with Xieli across the ford and reproached him for breaking the agreement.

His chiefs were greatly alarmed and all dismounted and bowed in a row.

Soon the main army arrived behind him. Xieli saw the splendid array of the troops and learned that Sili had been detained, and so he became very afraid.

Taizong spoke with Xieli alone at the water's edge and waved the troops back to form their line.

Xiao Yu, thinking this made light of the enemy, remonstrated firmly in front of his horse. The emperor said: “I have already reckoned it through. It is not something you can know.

The reason the Göktürks emptied their whole country and came straight to the Wei bank must be that they heard our state had only just had internal troubles and that I had newly ascended the throne, and they supposed we would not dare to resist.

If I closed the gates, the enemy would surely plunder on a great scale. The balance of strength and weakness depends on this one move.

Therefore I came out alone, to show that I hold them lightly, and I also displayed the array of the army, so that they would know we are certain to fight.

It happened unexpectedly and upset their original plan. Having come in so deep, the enemy ought to be afraid of themselves.

If we fight them, we shall surely win. If we make peace with them, the peace will surely hold. The subjugation of the Xiongnu begins from this!”

That day Xieli asked for peace, and an edict granted it. The imperial carriage returned to the palace the same day.

On the yiyou day he went again to the west of the city, sacrificed a white horse and swore an alliance with Xieli on the Bianqiao bridge. Xieli led his troops away and withdrew.

Translation

In the first month of the fourth year, Li Jing advanced and camped at Eyang Ridge and attacked Dingxiang by night. Xieli was alarmed and thrown into confusion, and moved his headquarters to Qikou.

The Hu chieftain Kang Sumi and others then came over and surrendered, bringing the Empress Xiao of the Sui and Yang Zhengdao.

In the second month Xieli, at the end of his plans, fled to Iron Mountain with still tens of thousands of troops. He sent Zhishi Sili to court to apologise and asked to submit with his whole country.

Taizong sent the Honglu minister Tang Jian and the general An Xiuren with the credentials of office to calm him, and Xieli gradually felt secure.

Jing seized the moment to attack, defeated him utterly and destroyed his state.

Xieli rode a thousand-li horse and fled alone to the camp of his nephew Shaboluo.

In the third month the deputy commander of the field army, Zhang Baoxiang, arrived suddenly with his men at Shaboluo's camp, took Xieli alive and sent him to the capital.

Taizong said to him: “Those who have served me I shall certainly never forget, and those who have done me wrong I shall in the end not remember either.

Weighing the charges against you, they are truly not small. But since we swore an alliance face to face at the Wei River, you have committed no deep offence. For that reason I take note of this and do not blame you.”

He also ordered that Xieli's household be returned to him, lodged him at the Court of the Imperial Stud and had him supplied with provisions.

Xieli was gloomy and thwarted in his hopes, and sometimes sat facing his family, singing sad songs and weeping.

Translation

The Western Göktürks originally had the same ancestor as the Northern Göktürks.

At first Mugan and Shabolüe Khan fell out with each other, and so they divided into two.

Their country was the old land of the Wusun. In the east it reached the realm of the Göktürks, in the west the Leizhu Sea, in the south Shule and in the north the Han Sea. It lay seven thousand li north of Chang'an.

From the kingdom of Yanqi, seven days' travel to the north-west one reaches their southern court, and eight days' travel due north from there one reaches their northern court.

The Tiele, Kucha and the various Hu states of the Western Regions all submitted to them.

Their people include a mixture of the Dulu and Nushibi, the Geluolu, the Chuyue, the Chumi, the Yiwu and other kinds.

Their customs are in general the same as those of the Göktürks; only their speech differs slightly.

Their offices include the Yehu and the Tegin, which are always filled from the sons and younger brothers and the clan of the khan. There are also the offices of Yijin, Qulichuo, Yanhongda, Xielifa, Tutun, Sijin and others. All hold their positions by inheritance.

Translation

Tong Yehu Khan was brave and full of plans, and skilled in attack and battle.

In the north he annexed the Tiele, in the west he stood against Persia, and in the south he bordered on Jibin. All of them submitted to him.

He had several hundred thousand bowmen, held hegemony over the Western Regions and occupied the old land of the Wusun.

He also moved his court to Qianquan, north of the kingdom of Shi.

He gave the title of Xielifa to all the kings of the states of the Western Regions, and sent one Tutun to each to oversee and govern them and to supervise their levies and taxes.

Such prosperity among the western Rong had never been seen.