On Yuan Chwang's Travels in India, 629–645 A.D. v1.c7.s5: Samarkand

On Yuan Chwang's Travels in India, 629–645 A.D. v1.c7.s5

Language: English

Samarkand

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The country at which Yuan-chuang now arrived is called by him Sa-mo (or mei)-kin (or kan) (颯秣建), a name which has been taken to represent "Samarkand." We may, however, regard the region indicated by the term "Samokan country" to be identical with the Samarkand district without holding that the two names are identical. According to popular accounts the name Samarkand was derived from an Arabian hero and was not given to the city in this district until A. D. 643. In Chinese literature this name does not appear until the time of the Mongols. It was introduced by them and it was explained as an Arabian word meaning fan-hua (繁華) that is, bustling, full of life, thronged.¹

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¹ See the Ching-ting-yuan-shih-yü-chie (欽定元史語釋) ch. 4, but see also ch. 6.

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A note to our text tells us that the Samokan country was called in Chinese K'ang-kuo (康國) which is the K'ang and K'ang-kü Kuo of the Han and other histories. This K'ang-kü territory had been at one time a large region embracing the districts since known as Ferghana, Kohistan, Tashkend, Samarkand, and other States.² But it had become split up among several members of the Shao-wu clan, and in the beginning of the seventh century A. D. the K'ang country was, roughly speaking, that region bounded on the north by the Chash (or Tash) kingdom, on the east by Kohistan, on the south by Kesh, and on the west by Bokhara.

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² It was originally, however, a small state kept in restraint by the Yue-chih (Getæ) on the south and by the Hiung-nu on the east, and its inhabitants were nomads. See Shih-chi, ch. 123. Kangkü was one of Asoka's outlying Provinces which he proposed to hand over to Kunāla.

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Up to Yuan-chuang's time K'ang seems to have been the only name by which this country was known to the Chinese generally. Other names had been introduced into literature but they could not be said to have been generally adopted. One of these new names was Samokan (薩末鍵) the same with that used by Yuan-chuang, and another was Si-wan (or man)-kin (悉萬斤), neither of which seems to be explained.¹ After Yuan-chuang’s time we find other names such as Sin-ssŭ-kan (尋思干), and Sie-mi-ssŭ-kan (薛迷思干), and these are said to stand for the Turkish Semez-kand meaning “Fat land.”² Siman is another form of the word for *fat* and the Simankin mentioned above may also mean Fat-Land. But Sie-mi-ssŭ-kan is also interpreted as meaning Sun-Land from Sams one of the names for the Sun in Arabic. This last term is also given by some writers as a designation for Tashkend rather than for Samarkand. The interpretation already mentioned as given for the name Samarkand apparently takes the Sanskrit form Samara-kanda as the correct one. The word Samara means a concourse, a *flocking together*, and Yuan-chuang’s Samokan may be for another Sanskrit word with a similar meaning viz. Samāgama.

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¹ T'ang-shuh, *ch.* 221: T'ung-chien-kang-mu *ch.* 39 (T'ang T'ai Tsung 5th y.) where the commentator gives Si-fang(坊)-kin as the name for Si-wan-kin.

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² See Med. Res. Vol. I. p. 76 note, p. 77, 131 and Vol. II. p. 58, 256. See also Schuyler's Turkistan Vol. I. p. 236.

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An old name for the capital of this country is Su-hie (蘇薤), that is, Su-hak or Sugat, supposed by some to be for the Sogd of old writers.³ It is at least doubtful, however, whether this was the city which afterwards became known as Samarkand. In other Chinese writers Suhak was only one of the royal cities of this country.⁴ With these the capital has other names such as Aluti (阿祿迪) and Pi-t'an (畢闐) in the Ravani land (樂琡匿地).⁵

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³ Ch'in-Shu, *ch.* 97: Sui-shu, *ch.* 83. Hirth, Nachworte op. c. S. 85. Su-hie is also given as a city of the Tashkend country.

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⁴ Ma T. *l.* *ch.* 338.

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⁵ Ch'ien Han-Shu *ch.* 96: T'ung-chien-kang-mu, *ch.* 4.

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Our author describes the country of Samarkand as being 1600 or 1700 *li* in circuit, greater in extent from east to west than from north to south. Its capital was above 20 *li* in circuit, exceedingly strong and with a large population. The country was a great commercial entrepôt, was very fertile, abounding in trees and flowers, and yielding many fine horses. Its inhabitants were skillful craftsmen, smart and energetic. All the Hu (胡) States regarded this country as their centre and made its social institutions their model. The king was a man of spirit and courage and was obeyed by the neighbouring states. He had a splendid army the most of his soldiers being Chei-kie (Chak or Tak 柘羯) men. These were men of ardent valour, who looked on death as a going back to their kindred, and against whom no foe could stand in combat.

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The term *Che-ka* of this passage is evidently a foreign word and it is interpreted in other books as meaning *Chan-shi* (戰士), "soldier" or "warrior."¹ But another supposition is that it stands for Chalak, the name of a town to the north-west of the city of Samarkand. The district in which Chalak lay was at this time famed for its tall strong men who were much sought after as soldiers. The characters read *Che-ka*, however, seem rather to stand for a word like Takka, the name of a country.

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¹ T'ang-Shu, 1. c. Here the word is written 柘羯.

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The Life represents the people of Samokan as being Fire-worshippers. Other accounts describe them as being Buddhists in the sixth and seventh centuries although they worshipped also the gods of other religions and their own ancestors. They probably were not all Fire-worshippers, but they were evidently haters and persecutors of Buddhism at the time of Yuan-chuang's visit. There were two monasteries in the capital and when the young Brethren of Yuan-chuang's party went to perform their religious services in one of these the people drove them out and burned the monastery. The king, however, punished the evil-doers and heard the pilgrim expound Buddhism and extol Buddha, and even allowed him to hold a religious public service for the ordination of Brethren to serve in the monasteries.

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This king was the head of the Shao-wu clan and the name of the particular branch to which he belonged was Wên (溫).¹ The Western Turks had at this time gained the ascendancy in these regions and had become all-powerful. Policy and ambition made this king wed a daughter of the Turkish royal family and the result was that the Samokan (K‘ang) country became a vassal to the West Turks. In the year A.D. 631 the king sent an embassy to China praying to be received as a vassal, but the Chinese Emperor for wise and patriotic reasons declined to accede to the request.²

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¹ Wei-Shu, ch. 102.

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² T‘ung-chien-kang-mu, ch. 39: T‘ang Shu l. c.

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The words here rendered “looked on death as going back to their kindred” are Shih-szŭ-ju-kuei (視死如歸). The expression means that the Che-ka men regarded death as a natural event, as a return to the state from which they had come. It is a literary phrase and is sometimes varied by the addition of chung (終), “the end.”

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Before continuing the narrative of his journey towards India our pilgrim proceeds to give short accounts of several countries in the region around Samokan and connected with that country. His information about these districts was probably obtained from living authorities during his stay at the capital of Samokan (or Samarkand). Commencing with the first country in a southerly direction he tells us that

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“South-east from Samarkand you go to the Mi-mo-ha (弭秣賀) country.” This country, which was situated in the mountains, was 400 or 500 *li* in circuit, long from north to south and narrow from east to west. In the products of the land and the ways of the people it resembled Samokan.

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The Life does not mention this place and Yuan-chuang, it will be seen, does not tell us how far it was from Samokan. In other Chinese books its situation is described as being 100 *li* to the south or south-east of Samarkand, 500 *li* from Ura-Tube on the north-west (a mistake for north-east) and 200 *li* from Kesh on the south-west, or according to one authority 400 *li* from Kesh on the south.³

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³ T‘ang-shu, l. c.: T‘ung-chih-liao, l. c.: Ma T. l. l. c.

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A note to our text tells us that the Chinese name for Mimoho was *Mi* (彌)-kuo, Mi's country, Mi being another scion of the Shao-wu clan. Its foreign name also is given elsewhere as *Mi-mo* (彌末) and it probably was something like Maimak or Memagh. From other sources we learn that the capital, the name of which was *Po-si-tê* (鉢息德), was about two *li* in circuit and was on the west side of the *Na-mi* (那密) River. This country which was formerly a part of the great K'ang kingdom fell into the hands of the West Turks while Yuan-chuang was on his pilgrimage.¹

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¹ Tung-chien-kang-mu *ch.* 40 (T'ang T'ai Tsung, 16th y.)

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M. Saint-Martin identifies Mimoho with Moughian or Maghin, "à 38 lieues de Samarkand vers l'est en inclinant au sud."² This town, the Maghian of our maps, is much too far from Samarkand if we accept the statement that Mimo was 100 *li* or about twenty miles from that place. Maghian is about sixty miles south-east from the site of old Samarkand which was a little to the north and north-west of the present city.

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² Julien III. p. 280.

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The narrative in the Records continues—

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From this [going] north you arrive at the *Kie* (*Ki* or *Ka*)-*pu-tan-na* (劫布呾那) country.

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A note to the text tells us that the Chinese name for this country was *Ts'ao*(曹)-kuo, kingdom of Ts'ao, who was another brother of the Shao-wu family. This information, however, is unsatisfactory as there were at this time in this region four Ts'ao kingdoms, known as East, Middle, West Ts'ao and Ts'ao simply. Of these the first corresponded to the Sutrishan or Ura-Tube district, which, as has been seen, was also called Kaputana. The Ts'ao of the note was apparently understood to include the Middle and West Ts'ao.

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When the narrative states that "north from this" you go to Kaputana the word this is apparently to be taken as meaning Samokan. In the Fang-chih the direction is given as North-west and this is perhaps right. M. Saint-Martin takes the words "from this" to refer to Mi-mo or Maghian, and supposes the Kaputana country to be a city "Kebond" about the situation of which nothing is known.¹ But it is better to understand our author as taking Samarkand as the point of departure; and the Kaputana country is then probably represented by the present Mitan and the surrounding district. The Ts'ao country, we are told, was to the north-west of Kang-kü and Middle Ts'ao to its north. Mitan is about thirty miles north-west from the modern Samarkand and in the district which includes Chalak once famous for its good soldiers.

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¹ Julien III. p. 281.

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Our author continues his account—

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Going west from this country for above 300 *li* you come to the *Ku-shuang-ni-ka* or *Ku-san-ni-ka* (屈霜你迦) country.

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In other treatises we find this name written *Kuei-sang-ni* (貴霜匿) read Kusannik.² The Chinese name, we are told in a note to our text was *Ho*(何)-kuo, the kingdom of Ho, another scion of the Shao-wu clan. The great Buddhist monk named Sangha, who came to China in A.D. 660, declared himself to be a native of this country, and claimed to be a member of the Ho family.³

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² Ma T. l. *ch.* 338: T'ang-shu, *ch.* 221.

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³ Sung-kao-sêng-chuan, *ch.* 18.

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M. Saint Martin supposes the Kusannik of our author to be the "Koschanich or Kochania" halfway between Samarkand and Bokhara. The Life, which has omitted all mention of Mimoha and Kaputana makes Kusannik to be above 300 *li* west from Samokan. This, I think, is also the meaning of the passage in our text; and about 60 miles west of Samokan, or north-west from Samarkand, would bring us to the neighbourhood of the modern Panjshamba district.

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Our text proceeds—

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From this country, that is apparently, Kusannik it is above 200 *li* to the Hoh-han (喝捍) country.

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The note to the text tells us that the Chinese name for this country was *Tung-An*(東安)-kuo or "East-An kingdom." *An*, as we have seen, was the name of one of the Shao-wu brothers, and this chief evidently had a large principality. *Hoh-han* was only a part and was called the "Small country." It was south of the *Na-mi* river, and its capital had the same name also written *Hoh-han* (喝汗) and probably pronounced like Khakan or Khagan.¹ M. Saint-Martin identifies this district with that of the modern Kermineh or Kerminah, and he is probably nearly correct.

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¹ Ma T. l. l. c.: T'ang-Shu, l. c.

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West from *Hoh-han* 400 *li* was the *Pu-hoh* (捕喝) country.

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This country which, a note to our text tells us, was called by the Chinese the "Middle An kingdom," is placed by the *T'ang-Shu* 100 *li* to the south-west of *Hoh-han*. It is the country which is called *Niu-mi* (紐密) in some books, and it is also called the *An* and the Great *An* kingdom. For the *Pu-hoh* of our text we find *Pu-huoh* (布豁) and these two probably represent an original like *Bōkh* or *Bokhar*.² M. Saint-Martin and Dʳ Bretschneider identify the country with the modern Bokhara,³ and they are doubtless right: but the *Bōkh* of our pilgrim was apparently to the north of the present city and district of Bokhara.

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² Ma T. l. l. c.: T'ang-Shu, l. c.

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³ Julien III. p. 282; Med. Res. Vol. II. p. 62.

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Our author continues—

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From this country (i. e. *Bōkh*) west above 400 *li* is the *Fah-ti* (伐地) country.

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This is the reading of the A, B, and D texts, but instead of *Fa-ti* the C text has *Su*(戍)-ti in on place and *Wu* (or *Mu* 戊)-ti in another. Then the *Life*, which also reads *Fah-ti*, reduces the distance from *Bōkh* from 400 to 100 *li*. The usual note to the text tells us that the Chinese name for the country was "Hsi-an-kuo" or "West An kingdom." In the *T'ang-Shu* we find the above *Wu* (or *Mu*)-ti given as the name of one of the nine Shao-wu chiefs; and it also mentions a *Su-ti* district in this region.¹ Taking *Fah-ti* as the reading we may regard this transcription as possibly representing a name like *Paptei*. St. Martin finds the modern representative of Fah-ti in Bētik, “lieu situé sur la droite de l’Oxus, à une trentaine de lieues au sud-ouest de Boukhara.” But we should probably regard the *Fu-ti* of our text as having had a situation in the neighbourhood of the present Darganata district on the west side of the Oxus. This Fa-ti (or Su-ti) is perhaps the principality designated *Niao-na-ga* or *Wu-na-ga* (烏 or 烏那遏) which was to the west of the Oxus about 400 *li* South-west from the *An* country.²

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¹ T‘ang-Shu l. c.

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² Ma T. l. l. c.: T‘ung-chih-liao, l. c. In the Sui-Shu l. c. Wu-na-ka (or-ga) is one of the Shao-wu princes.

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The narrative proceeds—

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From this, that is, Fah-ti it is over 500 *li* south-west to the *Huo-li-si-mi-ka* (貨利習彌伽) country. This lay along the banks of the Oxus being 20 or 30 *li* east to west and above 500 *li* north to south.

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M. Saint Martin substitutes *north-west* for the *south-west* of this passage, and he is doubtless right.³ All the texts, however, have *south-west* and the *Life* has *west*, but the T‘ang-Shu places this country 600 *li* to the north-west of *Su-ti* (Fa-ti). In the B, C, and D texts there is a Chinese note to the text which contains only the words for “in Chinese,” but A supplies the name which had dropped out. This is *Huo-sin*(火尋)-kuo, this kingdom of *Huo-sin* (or *sün*), one of the princes of the Shao-wu family. The country here called *Huo-li-si-mi-ka* or Khorismika(?) has been identified with the modern Khanate of Khiva corresponding to the Kharesm or Khorazm of ancient authors.⁴ In the T‘ang-Shu *Huo-li-si-mi* and *Kuo-li* (過利) are given as synonyms for *Huo-sin*, and the country is described as being south of the Oxus and as having bullock-waggons which were used by travelling merchants.¹ In some of the lists of the Shao-wu princes the name Huo-sin does not occur.