On Yuan Chwang's Travels in India, 629–645 A.D. v2.c23.s8: Kih-Lih-Seh-Mo
On Yuan Chwang's Travels in India, 629–645 A.D. v2.c23.s8
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Kih-Lih-Seh-Mo
v2.c23.s8.1
The description in the Records proceeds—From Mungkan Yuan-chuang went east across mountains and valleys passing several towns for above 300 *li* to the *Kih-lih-seh-mo* country, formerly Tokhara territory. This country was above 1000 (according to B, but in the C and D texts, ten) *li* from east to west and 300 *li* from North to south, its capital being 15 or 16 *li* in circuit. In products and manners and customs it resembled Mungkan, but its people differed in being of a very malicious disposition.
v2.c23.s8.2
Notwithstanding the wording of the above passage we are not obliged to believe that Yuan-chuang actually went to the district here described. The Life, as has been stated, merely mentions it as one of the States near Mungkan. For the Chinese transcription the original may have been a word like Krism or Krisma, but Julien’s restoration as Kharisma does not seem to be admissible. Cunningham identifies the district with Tālikān, St. Martin makes it “Ish-Keshm, at the lower end of the valley of Wakhān”, and Yule “can only see in it the once well-known Kishm or Kāshm, the Province of Casem of Marco Polo three days from Talikan”.¹
v2.c23.s8.3
¹ Julien III, p. 419; Yule l. c.