RAS-1973 — Page 64

RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 All AI Reviewed

PERSIANS, ARABS AND OTHER NATIONALS IN T’ANG CHINA:

THEIR STATUS, ACTIVITIES AND

CONTRIBUTIONS

CHIU LING-YEONG*

The rise of Li Yüan in A.D. 618 marked the beginning of a dynasty which was destined to become a model in later ages. The Chinese were and still are proud to be called T’ang-jen1 because it was this dynasty which extended Chinese territory beyond the Pamirs over the states of the Oxus Valley and even over the upper waters of the Indus in modern Afghanistan. The administrative protectorate of An-hsi (Pacify the West) was set up in the Tarim Basin, paralleling the administrative protectorate of An-nan (Pacify the South), which had been set up earlier in North Vietnam and which eventually gave its name to the whole region of Annam. There were also An-pei (Pacify the North) in Mongolia; and An-tung (Pacify the East) in South Manchuria.2

T'ang Tai-tsung subjugated the Eastern Turks in A.D. 630 and he himself took the title of "Heavenly Khan" of the Turks. After a series of campaigns between A.D. 630 and A.D. 648, the Western Turks also yielded their submission to the T'ang Empire. China by then had embraced nearly the whole of Central Asia: or as Sir Aurel Stein called it, Serindia. These are the glories which have long been inscribed in many Chinese minds.

T'ang China enjoyed nearly three hundred kaleidoscopic years. In these three hundred years, envoys, clerics, students, merchants and others from different parts of Asia poured into the main Chinese cities. The greatest envoy to come to T'ang China was perhaps Pērōz, son of King Yazdgard III and scion of the Sasanids.4 With regard to clerics, Indian Buddhists were in abundance. There were also Persian priests of varying faiths: the Magus for whom the Mazdean temple in Ch'ang-an was rebuilt in A.D. 631; the Nestorian, honoured by the erection of a church in A.D. 628; the

* Dr. Chiu is Senior Lecturer in Chinese History in the University of Hong Kong. His article "The Debate on National Salvation: Ho Kai versus Tsang Chi-tung" appeared in Volume 11 (1971) of the Journal.

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PERSIANS, ARABS AND OTHER NATIONALS IN T’ANG CHINA: THEIR STATUS, ACTIVITIES AND CONTRIBUTIONS CHIU LING-YEONG* The rise of Li Yüan in A.D. 618 marked the beginning of a dynasty which was destined to become a model in later ages. The Chinese were and still are proud to be called T’ang-jen1 because it was this dynasty which extended Chinese territory beyond the Pamirs over the states of the Oxus Valley and even over the upper waters of the Indus in modern Afghanistan. The administrative protectorate of An-hsi (Pacify the West) was set up in the Tarim Basin, paralleling the administrative protectorate of An-nan (Pacify the South), which had been set up earlier in North Vietnam and which eventually gave its name to the whole region of Annam. There were also An-pei (Pacify the North) in Mongolia; and An-tung (Pacify the East) in South Manchuria.2 T'ang Tai-tsung subjugated the Eastern Turks in A.D. 630 and he himself took the title of "Heavenly Khan" of the Turks. After a series of campaigns between A.D. 630 and A.D. 648, the Western Turks also yielded their submission to the T'ang Empire. China by then had embraced nearly the whole of Central Asia: or as Sir Aurel Stein called it, Serindia. These are the glories which have long been inscribed in many Chinese minds. T'ang China enjoyed nearly three hundred kaleidoscopic years. In these three hundred years, envoys, clerics, students, merchants and others from different parts of Asia poured into the main Chinese cities. The greatest envoy to come to T'ang China was perhaps Pērōz, son of King Yazdgard III and scion of the Sasanids.4 With regard to clerics, Indian Buddhists were in abundance. There were also Persian priests of varying faiths: the Magus for whom the Mazdean temple in Ch'ang-an was rebuilt in A.D. 631; the Nestorian, honoured by the erection of a church in A.D. 628; the * Dr. Chiu is Senior Lecturer in Chinese History in the University of Hong Kong. His article "The Debate on National Salvation: Ho Kai versus Tsang Chi-tung" appeared in Volume 11 (1971) of the Journal.

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PERSIANS, ARABS AND OTHER NATIONALS IN T’ANG CHINA: THEIR STATUS, ACTIVITIES AND CONTRIBUTIONS CHIU LING-YEONG* The rise of Li Yüan in A.D. 618 marked the beginning of a dynasty which was destined to become a model in later ages. The Chinese were and still are proud to be called T’ang-jen AĦ' because it was this dynasty which extended Chinese territory beyond the Pamirs over the states of the Oxus Valley and even over the upper waters of the Indus in modern Afghanistan. The adminis- trative protectorate of An-hsi (Pacify the West) was set up in the Tarim Basin, paralleling the administrative protectorate of An-nan (Pacify the South), which had been set up earlier in North Vietnam and which eventually gave its name to the whole region of Annam. There were also An-pei (Pacify the North) in Mongolia; and An-tung (Pacify the East) in South Man- churia.2 T'ang Tai-tsung subjugated the Eastern Turks in A.D. 630 and he himself took the title of "Heavenly Khan' of the Turks." After a series of campaign between A.D. 630 and A.D. 648, the Western Turks also yielded their submission to the T'ang Empire. China by then had embraced nearly the whole of Central Asia: or as Sir Aurel Stein called it, Serindia. These are the glories which have long been inscribed in many Chinese minds. T'ang China enjoyed nearly three hundred kaleidoscopic years. In these three hundred years, envoys, clerics, students, merchants and others from different parts of Asia poured into the main Chinese cities. The greatest envoy to come to T'ang China was perhaps Pērōz, son of King Yazdgard III and scion of the Sasanids.4 With regard to clerics, Indian Buddhists were in abundance. There were also Persian priests of varying faiths: the Magus for whom the Mazdean temple in Ch'ang-an was rebuilt in A.D. 631; the Nestorian, honoured by the erection of a church in A.D. 628; the * Dr. Chiu is Senior Lecturer in Chinese History in the University of Hong Kong. His article "The Debate on National Salvation: Ho Kai versus Tsang-chi-tse" appeared in Volume 11 (1971) of the Journal.

2026-05-12 19:30:37 · Baseline

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PERSIANS, ARABS AND OTHER NATIONALS IN T’ANG CHINA:

THEIR STATUS, ACTIVITIES AND

CONTRIBUTIONS

CHIU LING-YEONG*

The rise of Li Yüan in A.D. 618 marked the beginning of a dynasty which was destined to become a model in later ages. The Chinese were and still are proud to be called T’ang-jen AĦ' because it was this dynasty which extended Chinese territory beyond the Pamirs over the states of the Oxus Valley and even over the upper waters of the Indus in modern Afghanistan. The adminis- trative protectorate of An-hsi (Pacify the West) was set up in the Tarim Basin, paralleling the administrative protectorate of An-nan (Pacify the South), which had been set up earlier in North Vietnam and which eventually gave its name to the whole region of Annam. There were also An-pei (Pacify the North) in Mongolia; and An-tung (Pacify the East) in South Man- churia.2

T'ang Tai-tsung subjugated the Eastern Turks in A.D. 630 and he himself took the title of "Heavenly Khan' of the Turks." After a series of campaign between A.D. 630 and A.D. 648, the Western Turks also yielded their submission to the T'ang Empire. China by then had embraced nearly the whole of Central Asia: or as Sir Aurel Stein called it, Serindia. These are the glories which have long been inscribed in many Chinese minds.

* Dr. Chiu is Senior Lecturer in Chinese History in the University of Hong Kong. His article "The Debate on National Salvation: Ho Kai versus Tsang-chi-tse" appeared in Volume 11 (1971) of the Journal.

RAS-1973 — Page 64

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