The statements as to the subsequent pacification of Little P`o-1ü and the return of Kao Hsienchih have been discussed above. According to the Tang Annals the victorious general repaired to the Imperial capital taking with him in triumph the captured king Su-shih-li-chih and his consort. The Emperor pardoned the captive chief and enrolled him in the Imperial guards. But his territory was turned into a Chinese military district under the designation of Kuei jên, and a garrison of one thousand men established there.11 The deep impression which Kao Hsien-chih's remarkable expedition must have produced in all neighbouring regions, is duly reflected in the closing remarks of Tang shu : ` Then the Fu-lin (Syria), the Ta-shih (i. e. the Tail. or Arabs) and seventy-two kingdoms of divers barbarian peoples were all seized with fear and made their submission.'
It was the greatness of the natural obstacles overcome on this victorious march across the inhospitable Pamirs and the icy Hindukush which made the fame of this last Central Asian success of the Tang arms spread so far. Hence it was no small satisfaction to me to see with my own eyes how closely the conditions on the Darkot and beyond, by the uppermost Oxus, agreed with the record of Kao Hsien-chih's exploit. If judged by the physical difficulties encountered and vanquished, the achievement of the able Corean general deserves fully to rank by the side of the great alpine feats of commanders famous in European history. He, for the first, and perhaps the last, time led an organized army right across the Pamirs and successfully pierced the great mountain rampart that defends Yasin and Gilgit from northern invasion. Respect for the energy and skill of the leader must increase with the recognition of the traditional weakness which the Annals' ungarnished account reveals in his men.
" See Chavannes, Turcs occid., pp. 151 sqq.
IIIF Color HighRes
