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part iv | migrations <strong>of</strong> cultures<br />
obtained was <strong>of</strong> even greater brilliancy than the liuli glass imported from the West.<br />
An edict was issued that a movable palace should be made <strong>of</strong> this material, and when<br />
it was done it held more than a hundred people. It was a bright and transparent so that<br />
all who beheld it were astonished and thought it was made by magical power. After<br />
this, articles made <strong>of</strong> glass became considerably cheaper in China than they had been<br />
before, and no one regarded it as particularly precious.’ 5 According to the chronicle<br />
in AD 660, the ruler <strong>of</strong> Tokharistan sent the Chinese Emperor a candelabra made <strong>of</strong><br />
agate in the shape <strong>of</strong> a tree 3-feet high, and in AD 713, the ruler <strong>of</strong> Sogdia sent him<br />
various gifts including a goblet made <strong>of</strong> eastern crystal and an agate jug.<br />
According to E. Schafer, there is evidence <strong>of</strong> objects made <strong>of</strong> carnelian being<br />
exported to China from Samarkand and Tokharistan in AD 718; raw, unworked<br />
carnelian <strong>of</strong>ten came from Tokharistan. Lazurite (lapis lazuli) was very popular in<br />
China, and pieces <strong>of</strong> it were considered ‘luxury gifts’. It was used for making jewellery<br />
and decorating sacred objects such as amulets. The main ancient deposits <strong>of</strong> lazurite<br />
were in Badakhshan, but the main supplier <strong>of</strong> it to China via Khotan was Chach.<br />
In AD 750, when the Chinese army conquered the region under its Korean<br />
commander, Gao Xianzhi, he took from there gold, camels, thoroughbred horses, as<br />
well as a considerable amount <strong>of</strong> lapis lazuli.<br />
While China exported silk and silk products to the Western Regions, peoples<br />
from Central <strong>Asia</strong> passed on to China the secrets <strong>of</strong> processing flax and wool, and<br />
also carpets and tapestries. Woollen carpets were gifted to the Tang emperor from<br />
such Central <strong>Asia</strong>n dominions as Maimargh, Kesh and Chach. Khatun, the queen<br />
<strong>of</strong> Bukhara, made a gift <strong>of</strong> two large coverlets and an ‘embroidered carpet’ to the<br />
Chinese empress.<br />
Semi-precious stones were supplied to China as raw materials and finished<br />
products from various regions <strong>of</strong> Central <strong>Asia</strong>, in particular from Badakhshan, Chach<br />
and Tokharistan. Central <strong>Asia</strong> was also one <strong>of</strong> the main sources <strong>of</strong> medicinal plants<br />
for China. For instance, according to the historical work the Tan Shu (Old Book <strong>of</strong><br />
Tang), in AD 713–755 up to 200 species <strong>of</strong> rare medicinal plants were sent to China<br />
from Tokharistan, along with fine horses and red and emerald glass. Among them<br />
was the Indian wonder drug citragandha, which was a mixture <strong>of</strong> all kinds <strong>of</strong> remedies<br />
for treating wounds and haemorrhages. It was brought to China not only from India<br />
but also from Tokharistan, and on one occasion was brought here by a combined<br />
embassy from Turgeshes, Chach, Kesh, Maimargh and Kapisa.<br />
Furthermore, in addition to the famous ‘blood sweating’ heavenly horses from<br />
Ferghana, other animals such as hunting and pet dogs, leopards, cheetahs and lions<br />
were brought to China as gifts from various regions <strong>of</strong> Central <strong>Asia</strong>. A lion was sent<br />
from Samarkand as a gift to Emperor Taizong in AD 635. The Chinese were so<br />
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