Lands of Asia layouts (Eng) 26.11.21

part ii | states
kingdom, and Sassanid power was established in the south-western region of Central
Asia after the fall of the Parthian state. The Kangju confederation probably also split
into a number of small independent kingdoms during these times and the tribes of
Chionites and Kidarites invaded Transoxiana from the northwest and northeast.
In China, these were also characterised by unstable political situations and
dynastic struggles, aggravated by invasions by the Huns and Zhuzhans. It is notable
that for the period from the second half of the 3rd century AD to the beginning of the
5th century no information exists about any form of diplomatic relations between
Inner Asia and China. Moreover, according to historical records, they did not receive
any ambassadors from the Western Regions at all during the reign of emperor
Mingyuan (AD 409–423).
The resumption of relations is associated with the emperor of the Northern Wei
dynasty, Taiwu (AD 424–452), who sent a large contingent of envoys to the Western
Regions headed by Dong Wan, the Gentleman Cavalier Attendant, and Gao Ming,
together with many gifts, including large quantities of brocade silk.
Dong Wan’s mission entered Inner Asia by the northern route, having initially
reached the state of the Wusun, whose king received them with much courtesy. The
Wusun king told Dong Wan that the state of Poluona [Ferghana – E.R.] and Zheshe
[Chach – E.R.] ‘longed for the virtue of Wei, and wanted to swear fealty and pay
tribute, but were worried there was no road to reach Wei’. This comment should not
be understood as referring to a general lack of roads, but to the fact that the Zhuzhans
and Huns had closed the roads, cutting off China’s communication with Inner Asia to
a great extent, if not completely.
From Wusun, Dong Wan went on to Ferghana while Gao Ming went to Chach,
where treaties were concluded recognising these dominions as vassals of China and
gifts were also presented.
The significance of Dong Wan’s mission, which restored diplomatic relations
between Inner Asia and China after many years of interruption, may be equated
to some extent with the impact of Zhang Qian’s mission, which had opened up the
Western Regions for China.
On the return journey, Dong Wan took with him envoys from 16 Inner Asian
states and, as the Beishi, the History of the Northern Dynasties, testifies, from that time
on envoys arrived one after another, and not a year passed without the appearance
of several state envoys. The considerable intensity of diplomatic and other kinds
of relations between Inner Asian states and China, surpassing all previous ones,
continued during the Tang dynasty in China (AD 618–907) until the second half
of the 8th century AD, when the Chinese advance into Inner Asia was halted by the
Arabs.
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