On Yuan Chwang's Travels in India, 629–645 A.D. v1.c7.s8.26

v1.c7.s8.26

² The whole of this paragraph is taken from the *Life*, *ch*. II. Julien I. p. 62f. In this passage the word *Ta-tu* is apparently treated as a personal name but it was rather a generic name qualifying a title. It is found with a slight variation of transcription prefixed as here to She, and also to Khan. We must regard it as a foreign word, but we may hesitate to accept its identification with Tardush or Tardu. This latter term is generally used to designate a Turkish tribe or horde, but it also occurs in the name of a Kirghiz envoy. The *Ta-tu* of our passage cannot be regarded as having a tribal significance, and here as in other places it seems to qualify the title to which it is prefixed. See *T'ung-chien-kang-mu*, *ch*. 40 (*T'ang T'ai Tsung* 15th y.); Thomsen's Inscriptions de l'Orkhon p*. 63, 114, 146; Hirth Nachworte S. 130f. The *Shê* of this passage is of frequent occurrence in Chinese history treating of the Turks. It is explained as meaning soldier or General, but the title is always applied to a very high military officer usually a near relative of the Khan. This *Shê* is regarded