On Yuan Chwang's Travels in India, 629–645 A.D. v2.c23.s15.2

v2.c23.s15.2

In the first *Chuan* of these Records *Shih-k'i-ni* is apparently to the immediate south of the country called *Kou-mi-t'ê*. The *T'ang-Shu* calls the district *Shi-ni* (識匿), and gives *Sê-ni* (瑟匿) and our *Shih-k'i-ni* as other names.¹ These three are probably different transcriptions of a word like Sikhni or Sighni. At one time the country had a capital called *K'u-han* (苦汗); but in the course of time the inhabitants dispersed themselves among the five mountain valleys of the country. Each valley had its own chief and capital and so the district came to be called the *Five Shi-ni*.² The *Shih-k'i-ni* of our pilgrim has been identified with the modern Shaghan or Shighnan, and Yule says there can be no doubt about it, the gentile adjective of Shighnan being Shighni with which the Chinese form is identical.³ This is evidently the district which was in the "Pamir Valley" according to Wu-k'ung, who calls it the "Five *Chi-ni*" (五赤 匿), a note adding that another name was *Shi*(式)-ni.¹ The features and character of the modern Shighnan do not seem to agree with the description of Shighni by our pilgrim, but we must remember that Yuan-chuang is apparently describing from hearsay.