Xin Tangshu (New Book of Tang)

Translation

Gudulu was a man of Xieli's clan, a tribal chief under Shelli Yuanying, governor of Yunzhong, and held the rank of tudun by inheritance.

When Funian was defeated, he called together the scattered fugitives and held Zongcai Mountain, and he also made Heisha city his base, with five thousand followers.

He raided the livestock and horses of the Nine Clans and gradually grew strong, and then set himself up as khan, making his brother Mochuo sha and Duoxifu yabgu.

At that time Ashide Yuanzhen, who was in charge of the submitted households and tribes of the Shanyu Protectorate, had been imprisoned by the chief clerk Wang Benli.

When Gudulu came raiding, Yuanzhen asked to be allowed to bring the tribes back, to atone for his offence, and this was granted.

On arriving, he at once went over to Gudulu and joined his counsels, and Gudulu made him Abo Dagan and placed all his troops under him.

They raided the northern border of the Shanyu Protectorate, then attacked Bingzhou, killed Wang Demao, governor of Lanzhou, and plundered Dingzhou in separate raids,

and Yuangui, Prince of Huo and governor of Beiping, struck and drove them back.

Translation

The Göktürk clan of Ashina were, it seems, the northern division of the ancient Xiongnu.

They lived on the south side of the Golden Mountain and served the Rouran as subjects, and their descendants multiplied.

When Tumen came, they grew strong and great and changed the title to khan, which is like chanyu; the wife is called kedun.

On three sides their land borders the sea, and to the south it reaches the great desert.

Those of its separate divisions who command troops are called shad, the sons and younger brothers tegin, the great ministers yabgu,

then Qulüchuo, Abo, Qilifa, tudun, Qijin, Yanhongda, Xielifa and Dagan,

twenty-eight grades in all, and all of them hold their offices by inheritance, without any fixed number.

The guards are called fuli.

The khan set up his court on Dujin Mountain. At the gate of his camp he raised a standard with a golden wolf's head, and he always sat facing east.

Translation

In the first month of the fourth year, Jing advanced and camped at Eyang Ridge and attacked Xieli by night. Xieli was alarmed and withdrew his camp to the mouth of the desert,

and the great chief Kang Sumi and others surrendered, with the Sui Empress Xiao and Yang Zhengdao.

Someone said that Chinese had once secretly sent letters to the Empress, and the Secretariat drafter Yang Wenguan asked for an impeachment and inquiry.

The emperor said: “When the realm was not yet united, people may well have thought of the Sui. Now that the unsettled are at peace, what is there to prosecute?” He put it aside and did not impeach.

Xieli, hard pressed, fled to hold the Iron Mountain, still with tens of thousands of troops,

and sent Zhishi Sili, who made a show of mournful words, apologised and asked to become a dependant of the empire.

The emperor ordered Tang Jian, Director of the Court of State Ceremonial, and General An Xiuren and others to go with credentials to console him.

Jing, knowing that with Jian in the enemy camp the enemy would be at ease, attacked them and captured all their people,

Xieli got a horse that could cover a thousand li and fled alone to Shabolo, where the deputy commander of the march Zhang Baoxiang captured him.

Shabolo Shad and Sunishi surrendered with their people, and so the state perished,

and the lands of Dingxiang and Hengan were recovered, and the frontier was pushed out to the great desert.

Translation

Mojilian, having obtained the Hu who had surrendered, wished to raid the frontier in the south,

but Tonyukuk said: “It cannot be done. The Son of Heaven is brave and martial, the people are in harmony and the harvests are good, there is no opening yet,

and our troops have only just been gathered and cannot be moved.”

Mojilian also wished to wall the place where he held his court and to build temples of Buddha and Laozi,

and Tonyukuk said: “The Göktürk host is not equal to one hundredth of the Tang,

and what lets them stand against the Tang is that they follow water and grass and hunt with the bow, have no fixed dwelling and are practised in war.

When strong they advance and take, when weak they flee and hide, and however many troops the Tang have, they have no use against this.

If they lived in a walled city, one lost battle would mean being captured by them.

Besides, the teachings of Buddha and Laozi make men gentle and weak, and are not the art of martial strength.”

Mojilian accepted his plan and at once sent envoys to ask for peace.

Translation

The Western Göktürks: their ancestor was Tuwu, grandson of Nuduliu, titled Great Yabgu.

His eldest son was Tumen Yili Khan, his second son Shidianmi, also called Sedimi.

Sedimi's son was Datou Khan, also called Bujia Khan.

At first, together with the Eastern Göktürks, they divided and held the former land of the Wusun:

in the east it was Göktürk land, in the west it reached the Leizhu Sea, in the south Shule, in the north the Hanhai,

lying seven thousand li due north of the capital.

From Yanqi, seven days' travel north-west reaches the Southern Court, and eight days' travel north the Northern Court.

They are mixed with the Duolu, Nushibi, Geluolu, Chuyue, Chumi and Yiwu peoples.

Their customs are for the most part those of the Göktürks, and their speech differs a little.