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Digital Archive of Toyo Bunko Rare Books

observed that *Khotan* according to the *Wei-Annals* lay north of *Ts'ung-ling*, which therefore
was identical with the *Nan-shan*. But the *Han Annals* had placed these mountains west
of *Hsi-yü*, so the *Wei Annals* were mistaken. The author of this part of the Hsi-yü-t'u-
chih is himself persuaded that the *Ts'ung-ling* amongst all famous mountains of Central
Asia is the most considerable.

Speaking of some mounts and passes west and south of *Eastern Turkistan*, the Chinese
work again returns to the *Onion Mountains*. »*Kosh-küchük-davan* is situated in the midst
of the *Ts'ung-ling*. In the »observations« the situation is thus given: »En allant de *Sou-lo*
(Kashgar) dans la direction du sud-ouest, on rencontre une suite des montagnes: le »*Kosh-
küchük-davan* est la plus élevée de toutes.«¹ It is obvious that the Kashgar range is meant.
*Oulou arat daba*, which is said to be on the N. W. frontier of Kashgar, is obviously
*Ulugh-art-davan*, W. S. W. of Kashgar in the Kashgar range.² From here the *Tien-shan*
is supposed to take its beginning: »C'est l'endroit où une chaîne des montagnes se détache
des *Ts'ong-ling* et se dirige vers le nord-est où elle forme la chaîne même des *Monts célestes*.«
This description puts the beginning of the *Tien-shan* very far to the west, and contradicts
the view that the whole western part of the Tien-shan should be reckoned to the *Ts'ung-ling*.
But here as well as in other parts of the system, different authors and different times have
different views regarding the correct definition.

*Khan-terak tagh* 100 li west of Yangi-hisar, »is an eastern branch of the *Ts'ung-ling*«
The observations following are not capable of explaining the problem:

Comme les *Ts'ong-ling* s'étendent au loin, il est difficile de citer tous les noms des différents
pics qu'ils renferment. Il en est ainsi pour toutes les montagnes qui se trouvent au-dessous du »*Kosh-
küchük davan*; parmi les plus importantes de ces dernières sont les monts *Gangdis-ri* qui s'étendent
à l'ouest de *La tsang*, se dirigent vers le nord-est et forment une chaîne horizontale qui vient aboutir
aux *Ts'ong-ling*. Les ramifications qui se dirigent vers le sud-est constituent les *Nann-chann* ou Montagnes
méridionales situées au sud de *Yarkand* et de *Khoten*. En allant vers le sud-est on trouve le *Shadutu
davan*, dont la chaîne est enclavée dans le désert de sables.

The meaning seems to be that issuing from the block of the *Ts'ung-ling* proper
two ranges are directed to the S. E., the northern being the *Nan-shan* (= our Western
Kwenlun), the southern being the *Western Transhimalaya* with the *Kailas peak*. The
Nan-shan continues far to the east. In the *Ta-ch'ing-i-t'ung-yü-t'u*, *Shadutu-davan* is placed
S. E. of *Keriya* and just north of a lake called *Ghashon-nor*.³

In the Hsi-yü-t'u-chih it is said of *Badakhshan*⁴:

Le Badak'chan est au sud-est de la partie centrale des *Ts'ong-ling*; ses frontières sont à six
cents li environ au sud-ouest de *Kachgar* et de *Yarkand* . . . . La force de ce pays, situé sur le flanc
droit de la chaîne des *Ts'ong-ling*, consiste dans les précipices qui l'entourent de toutes parts. L'aspect
en est très redoutable.

Added to this statement the following facts may serve to limit the system: The
road leading to the western *Buruts* (Kara-Kirgiz) is said to pass over the *Ts'ung-ling*
and *Osh*.⁵