On Yuan Chwang's Travels in India, 629–645 A.D. v1.c6.s2.13

v1.c6.s2.13

The word here rendered “millet” is the mi (糜) of the previous section. But instead of this character the C text has ma (麻), “hemp”, and the D text has mei as before. The word hsing (杏) here rendered by “apricots” is translated “almonds” by Julien although in his “Documents Geographiques” he has given the correct rendering “abricots”. The skill of the Kuchih people in music is mentioned by other writers, and their music and musical instruments became well known to the Chinese. So also the woollen cloths and good rugs of this country were known to the Chinese before the time of our pilgrim, as were also its iron and copper products. We learn also that its king had a golden throne, and wore a magnificent turban with a long streamer hanging down behind. The reigning sovereign at the time of Yuan-chuang's visit had the surname Pai (白) and was a lineal descendant of the man whom Lü kuang (呂光) had put on the throne more than 200 years before Yuan-chuang's time. This king showed his want of political wisdom in renouncing Chinese suzerainty in favour of an alliance with the Turks, who in A. D. 648 invaded his country and took him prisoner.¹