Innermost Asia : vol.2 / 54 ページ（カラー画像）

0054	Innermost Asia : vol.2
極奥アジア : vol.2

0054

Innermost Asia : vol.2

極奥アジア : vol.2

preceding thousand years from India, the Near East and China ; whereas the advance of Islām,
which the Karluk-Turk dynasty of Balāsāghun ruling Kāshgar had adopted about the middle
of the tenth century,⁴ tended to suppress them in the western portion of the Tārīm basin. On the
other hand, it may be credited with a very large, if not a preponderant, share in imposing upon the
racially distinct and linguistically very varied populations of the Tārīm basin that exclusive use
of the Turkish language which prevails to this day and which the fostering of an Uigur literature
is sure to have greatly propagated. The remains brought to light at the Turfān sites bear ample
testimony to this double effect of Uigur rule, and this fact may justify the introduction here of these
few general observations concerning it.

Advantages Turfān, by its geographical position, was exceptionally well adapted to facilitate fusion in
of posses-
sion of both culture and language between its last Turkish conquerors and the ancient stock established in the
Turfān and oases. I have already had occasion to emphasize how closely linked by mutual economic relations
Guchen.
and hence also by history are the two territories which we know successively as Anterior and
Posterior Chü-shih, Kao-ch'ang and Pei-t'ing, Turfān and Guchen. The two held in conjunction
were admirably adapted by nature to serve as the cherished seat of rulers of an originally nomadic
tribe, capable and eager to adapt itself to civilized life. On the northern slopes of the mountains
they and their people could for a long time keep up what was pleasant in their traditional ways of
life, while drawing at the same time upon the settled population of the fertile oases to the south
for the material and intellectual resources with which to strengthen their power and to add to the
pleasures of its possession.

Visit of This explains why under Uigur domination Turfān acquired importance as the chief seat of
Wang
Yen-tê, the power then ruling the greater portion of the lands that had once been controlled by the ' Four
A. D. 982.
Garrisons ' of the T'ang. The favourable conditions prevailing at this time in the territories on
both sides of the mountains are strikingly demonstrated by the account that fortunately has come
down to us of the visit paid by the Chinese imperial envoy Wang Yen-tê 王延德 to the Uigur
king Arslān Kagan in A. D. 982.⁵ Certain details of topographical or antiquarian interest offered
by his narrative are discussed in a note below.⁶ Here I may content myself with calling attention to

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