National Institute of Informatics - Digital Silk Road Project
Digital Archive of Toyo Bunko Rare Books

works written in Chinese, taking the name from the district Hia Chou 夏州
the ancient centre of the Tangut population and the dynasty founded in the
same region by the Hun Heliabobo in the IX century, which he called Hia.

The name Tangut (-ud is the Mongol plural ending) which Marco Polo and
Rasshid-eddin use, has probably some connection with the Tang-hiang 党 項 Huns
who were divided into eight gentes, but descended from one : the T'o-pa 拓 拔.
The expression "Tangut" is found in the Sino-Turkish inscription of Kosho
Tsaidam, of the year 734 (cf. W. Radloff "Alttürkische Inschriften der Mon-
golei", vol. I p. 58, Z.D.M.G. 1924-25, p. 144 sq., and V. Thomson "Inscrip-
tions de l'Orkhon" pp. 123, 178).

In any case, the official name found in Tangut documents was in Chinese
characters 忙 °命 鎖 (Mang-ming-ling) and was probably pronounced by the
Tanguts ᵐb'o-ᵐb'e-le. They called themselves "mi" or "me" (cf. Si-Hia "me"
(man) with the Tibetan "mi" which has the same meaning). In some Tangut
works we find the ending "mi- (or me-) le", i. e. "The empire of the Tang".

This empire was founded in 1032 by Li Têh-Ming and destroyed in 1226 by
Cingis Khan. It comprised the territory between the 34° and the 42° North,
and was bordered on the east by the Huang-ho and the province of Shan-si;
on the west by the Küke-nör; on the north by the city of Hami (Qomul), Edsin-
gol, Alashan Mount, and the Huang-ho; on the south by the province of
Ssi-chuan. The capital of the empire was a city which corresponds with the
Ning-hia-fu of today, situated on the left bank of the Huang-ho. The population
was made up of Tanguts, Tibetans, Chinese, Jurjen, Mongols, Turco-Tartars,
above all, Uigurs. Buddhism was the state religion. The entire Buddhist
canon was translated into the Tangut language. But there was also interest in
Confucian literature; Chinese books were printed, schools were established after
Chinese models in all prefectorial and district centres, and in 1154 they even
founded a learned academy, an exact copy of the famous Chinese Han-lin office.
In 1150 among others a certain Wa Tao-chung 韓 道 沖 (called Tsung-shéng 宗 聖)
was appointed by this academy, professor of Tangut and Chinese literature.
Among other works he translated the Lun-yü of Confucius into the Tangut
language, adding a special commentary of 30 volumes. Monks in their
cloisters, the majority descendants of the Uigurs, western neighbours of the
Si-hia, were charged with the study and translation of Buddhist texts.

A system of writing was used that, according to Chinese sources, was invented
by the emperor Li Yüan-hao, and at his command, perfected by a certain Yeh-li
Jên-jung 野 利 仁 榮. He was probably only a reformer of the writing that,
according to other sources, was invented by the Emperor Li Têh-ming, and,
according to still further sources, by a certain Yü-Ki 遇 乙. This form of
writing was treated in the Chinese chuan ductus, as it is found, for instance,
in the Shuo-wên dictionary. Thus Li Yüan-hao probably gave this writing its