On Yuan Chwang's Travels in India, 629–645 A.D. v1.c7.s3: Nu-Chih-Kan
On Yuan Chwang's Travels in India, 629–645 A.D. v1.c7.s3
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Nu-Chih-Kan
v1.c7.s3.1
Our pilgrim next proceeds to relate that a journey of 40 or 50 *li* south from Kung-yü city brought him to the country of Nu-chih-kin or kan (笯赤建). This country was above 1000 *li* in circuit and it had a soil rich and fertile, a dense vegetation and fruits and flowers in great luxuriance: grapes were thought much of although plentiful. There were a hundred odd cities and towns each with its own governor: but although the towns and their districts were mutually independent and distinct political divisions yet the collective name for all was the "Nu-chih-kan Country."
v1.c7.s3.2
Of a district in this region bearing the name Nu-chih-kan, perhaps pronounced like Nujikkend, little if anything seems to be known beyond what is recorded here by our author. M. Saint-Martin, however, writes of Nu-chih-kan thus—"Nous retrouvons indubitalement ce lieu dans la Noudjkeh (pour Noudjkend) mentionnée par le Mésalek-alabsar entre Taras et Khodjend, mais sans indication précise quant à l'emplacement."¹ This Nujkend, it has been suggested, may possibly represent the Turkic compound Nujabahkend, meaning "the territory of the nobles", a restoration which seems to suit our pilgrim's description.
v1.c7.s3.3
¹ Julien III. p. 276.