selected from the Western Regions biography

Wei Shu carries the Northern Wei archive of western embassies, routes, and peoples after the Han histories. Its value for the Scythian shelf is continuity and caution: old names such as Wusun, Kangju, Yuezhi, Yancai, and Anxi are remembered beside later powers such as Yueban, the Hephthalites, and Kang.

This selected translation follows the curated source dossier rather than the whole Western Regions chapter. It does not reduce these peoples to one identity.

The English is a Good Works Translation from the Classical Chinese passages printed below.

Translation

Taiyan Envoys, Wusun, and Sixteen States

In the Taiyan period, Wei's virtue became increasingly heard at a distance. The kings of Kucha, Shule, Wusun, Yueban, Kepantuo, Shanshan, Yanqi, Cheshi, Sogd, and other Western Regions states first sent envoys to present offerings.

Shizu considered that although the Western Regions had communicated in the Han age, when they had requests they came with humble words, and when they wanted nothing they treated the royal command arrogantly. This was because they knew themselves to be cut off by distance and knew that a great army could not reach them. If return envoys went back and forth, in the end there would be no benefit, and he wished not to send envoys.

The responsible officials memorialized: "The nine states have not feared distance and danger, but have brought tribute of local products from afar. We should advance with their coming. How can we suppress in advance those who will come later?"

He followed this. Then for the first time he sent the travelers Wang Ensheng, Xu Gang, and others as envoys westward. Ensheng went out into the flowing sands and was seized by the Rouran, so in the end he did not reach his destination.

Again the court sent the scattered cavalry attendant Dong Wan, Gao Ming, and others, carrying many brocades and silks. They went out through Shanshan, summoned and pacified the nine states, and gave them generous gifts. At first Wan and the others had received an edict that states lying conveniently on the route could be visited. Wan passed through the nine states and went north to the state of Wusun. Its king received the gifts from the court, bowed to accept them, and was very pleased.

He said to Wan: "We have heard that Poluona and Zheshe both think upon the virtue of Wei and wish to call themselves ministers and send tribute, but they are troubled because there is no way by which the road can be made. Now that you, the envoys, have already reached this place, you can go to the two states and fulfill the sincerity of their longing."

Wan therefore himself went to Poluona and sent Ming as envoy to Zheshe. The king of Wusun provided guides and interpreters so that they reached the two states. Wan and the others proclaimed the edict, consoled them, and gave them gifts. Afterward Wan and Ming returned east. Wusun, Poluona, and the states belonging to them sent envoys who came with Wan to present tribute: sixteen states in all. From that time onward they came one after another, with no break from year to year, and state envoys numbered many tens of groups.

The Four Western Regions and the Roads

When Wan and the others returned to the capital, they fully reported all that they had passed through and seen, and also the neighboring states of which they had heard.

They said: From the time of Emperor Wu of Han, the Western Regions had more than fifty states. Later they gradually merged with one another. By the Taiyan period there were sixteen states. Their land was divided into four regions. From east of the Congling Mountains to west of the flowing sands was one region. From west of the Congling Mountains to east of the curve of the sea was one region. From south of Zheshe to north of the Yuezhi was one region. Between the two seas and south of the waters and marshes was one region. Within them, the lesser canal chiefs probably numbered in the hundreds.

Originally there were two roads out into the Western Regions; later they became four. One road went out from the Jade Gate, crossed the flowing sands, and went west two thousand li to Shanshan. One road went out from the Jade Gate, crossed the flowing sands, and went north two thousand two hundred li to Cheshi. One road went west from Shache one hundred li to the Congling Mountains, then west of the Congling one thousand three hundred li to Jiabei. One road went southwest from Shache five hundred li to the Congling Mountains, then southwest beyond the Congling one thousand three hundred li to Bolu.

For states not transmitted by Wan, but which later came with tribute, the names are recorded, though their customs cannot be given in full. What differs from the earlier envoys' accounts is recorded.

Wusun

The state of Wusun lives at Chigu City. It is northwest of Kucha and ten thousand eight hundred li from Dai. Its state was repeatedly invaded by the Rouran, and it moved west into the mountains of the Congling. It has no city walls. It follows livestock and herds, pursuing water and grass. In the third year of Taiyan, envoys Dong Wan and others were sent to that state. Afterward it sent envoys and tribute each time.

Yueban

The state of Yueban is northwest of Wusun, ten thousand nine hundred thirty li from Dai. Its ancestors were tribes of the Northern Chanyu of the Xiongnu. When they were driven away by Dou Xian, General of Chariots and Cavalry of Han, the Northern Chanyu crossed Mount Jinwei and fled west to Kangju. The weak among them, unable to go, went north of Kucha.

The land is several thousand li square, and the people may number more than two hundred thousand. The people of Liangzhou still call its ruler the "Chanyu King." Their customs and language are the same as those of the Gaoche, but the people are cleaner than the Hu. By custom they cut their hair level with the eyebrows and smear it with clarified butter, so that it shines brightly. Three times each day they bathe and rinse, and only afterward eat and drink.

On the southern border of their state there is a Fire Mountain. The rocks beside the mountain are all burned and melted; after flowing along the ground for several tens of li they harden. People take it as medicine. This is stone sulfur.

Sogd and Yancai

The state of Sogd lies west of the Congling Mountains. It is ancient Yancai, also called Wennasha. It dwells by a great marsh, northwest of Kangju, and is sixteen thousand li from Dai.

Earlier, the Xiongnu killed its king and possessed the state. By the time of King Huni, this had already lasted three generations. Merchants from that state had formerly gone in great numbers to the lands of Liang to sell goods. When Wei conquered Guzang, they were all taken captive. At the beginning of Gaozong's reign, the king of Sogd sent envoys asking to ransom them, and the edict permitted it. After this there were no more envoys or tribute.

Zheshe and Kangju

The state of Zheshe is the former state of Kangju. It lies northwest of Poluona and is fifteen thousand four hundred fifty li from Dai. In the third year of Taiyan it sent envoys and tribute. From that time this did not cease.

Great Yuezhi

The state of the Great Yuezhi has its capital at Lujianshi City. It lies west of Fudisha and is fourteen thousand five hundred li from Dai. To the north it touches the Rouran, who repeatedly invaded it. Therefore it moved west and made its capital at Boluo City, two thousand one hundred li from Fudisha.

Its king, Jiduoluo, was brave and martial. He raised an army, crossed the great mountains, and invaded northern Tianzhu to the south. From Gandhara northward, the five states were all made subject to him.

In Shizu's time, merchants from that state came to trade at the capital. They said that they could cast stone into five-colored glass. The court then gathered ore in the mountains and cast it in the capital. When it was complete, its luster was finer than what came from the West. An edict ordered that it be made into a traveling palace able to hold more than one hundred people. Its light and color shone through; all who saw it were astonished and thought it had been made by spirits. From this time, glass in China became cheap, and people no longer prized it.

Anxi

The state of Anxi lies west of the Congling Mountains and has its capital at Weisou City. To the north it touches Kangju, and to the west it adjoins Persia. It lies northwest of the Great Yuezhi and is twenty-one thousand five hundred li from Dai.

Lesser Yuezhi

The state of the Lesser Yuezhi has its capital at Fulousha City. Its king was originally a son of Jiduoluo, king of the Great Yuezhi. When Jiduoluo was driven away by the Xiongnu and moved west, he later ordered his son to guard this city. For that reason it was called Lesser Yuezhi.

It lies southwest of Bolu and is sixteen thousand six hundred li from Dai. Formerly they lived between Xiping and Zhangye. Their clothing is broadly the same as that of the Qiang. By custom they use gold and silver coins as currency. They move in pursuit of livestock and herds, also resembling the Xiongnu. Ten li east of the city there is a Buddhist stupa, three hundred fifty paces around and eighty zhang high. Counting from the first building of the stupa to the eighth year of Wuding, eight hundred forty-two years had passed. This is what is called the "hundred-zhang Buddha stupa."

Hephthalites

The state of the Hephthalites is a kind of the Great Yuezhi; it is also said to be a separate kind of Gaoche. Its origin is beyond the frontier north of the Jinshan. From the Jinshan it moved south and lay west of Khotan, making its capital more than two hundred li south of the Maxu River. It is ten thousand one hundred li from Chang'an. The royal capital is Badiyan City, probably Wangshe City. The city is more than ten li square, with many monasteries and stupas, all adorned with gold.

Their customs are broadly the same as those of the Turks. By custom, brothers share one wife. If a husband has no brothers, his wife wears a hat with one horn. If there are brothers, then according to their number she adds more horns to the hat. Their clothes are of similar type and are decorated with cords and pendants. All cut their hair. Their language is different from that of the Rouran, the Gaoche, and the various Hu. The people may number one hundred thousand.

They have no cities and towns. They follow water and grass, using felt as houses. In summer they move to cool lands; in winter they pursue warm places. They divide their wives, each in a separate place, sometimes two or three hundred li apart. The king tours through them, one place each month. In the cold of winter he does not move for three months. The kingship does not necessarily pass to a son. When the ruler dies, a son or younger brother who is capable receives it.

The state has no carts but has litters. There are many camels and horses. Punishments are strict and severe. Theft, whether much or little, is punished by cutting the body at the waist. For theft, one repays tenfold. For the dead, rich families pile stones to make a tomb; poor families dig into the earth and bury. All the things that belonged to the person are placed inside the grave.

The people are fierce and violent, able to fight in battle. Kangju, Khotan, Shule, Anxi, and more than thirty smaller states of the Western Regions are all subject to them. They are called a great state. They make marriage alliances with the Rouran.

From the Taian period onward, they sent envoys and tribute each time. At the end of Zhengguang they sent as tribute one lion. When it reached Gaoping, it encountered the rebellion of Moqi Chounu and therefore remained there. After Chounu was pacified, it was sent to the capital. After Yongxi, their court offerings ceased.

At first, in the Xiping period, Suzong sent Wang Fuzitong, Song Yun, the monk Fali, and others as envoys to the Western Regions to seek Buddhist scriptures. At that time there was a monk named Huisheng, who also went with them. Their state is fifteen hundred li south of Cao and six thousand five hundred li east of Guazhou. Huisheng also returned with them in the Zhengguang period. Concerning the states through which Huisheng passed, he could not know their origins, endings, mountains, rivers, and distances in li; he only gave their outline.

Kang and Zhaowu

The state of Kang is descended from Kangju. Its migrations were not constant, and it did not remain always in its old land. From the Han onward it continued without interruption. The king's original surname was Wen, and he was a Yuezhi man. Formerly they lived north of the Qilian Mountains at Zhaowu City. Because they were broken by the Xiongnu, they crossed west beyond the Congling Mountains and then possessed this state. Branch houses each divided and became kings; therefore the various states to the left and right of Kang all took Zhaowu as surname, to show that they did not forget their origin.

The king's personal name is Shifubi. He is generous and kind, and has greatly won the hearts of the people. His wife is the daughter of Tardu Qaghan of the Turks. He has his capital at Aludi City on the Sabao River, and many people live there. Three great ministers together direct the affairs of the state.

The king ties up his hair and wears a gold-flower crown with seven jewels. He wears damask, gauze, brocade, embroidery, and white folded cloth. His wife has a topknot covered with a black kerchief. The men cut their hair and wear brocade robes.

It is called a strong state, and many of the states of the Western Regions attach themselves to it. Mi, Shi, Cao, He, An, Little An, Nasebo, Wunage, and Mu all are attached to it.

They have Hu law, placed in a fire temple. When punishments are to be decided, they take this law and decide by it. For serious offenses, the lineage is exterminated; for the next offenses, the offender is put to death; for robbers and thieves, the feet are cut off.

The people all have deep eyes, high noses, and many beards. They are good at commerce, and the trade of the various foreign peoples mostly gathers in their state. They have large and small drums, lutes, five-stringed harps, and konghou harps. Their marriage and mourning regulations are the same as those of the Turks. The state has an ancestral temple, and in the sixth month they sacrifice there; all the states assist at the sacrifice.

They honor the Buddha and use Hu writing. The climate is warm and suited to the five grains. They diligently cultivate gardens and vegetables, and the trees are luxuriant. They produce horses, camels, donkeys, humped cattle, gold, sal ammoniac, suhexiang, axuena incense, sese stones, deer hides, rugs, brocade, and folded cloth. There is much grape wine. Rich families may have ten shi of it, and it does not spoil for successive years. In the Taiyan period, they first sent envoys to present local products as tribute; afterward this ceased.

Colophon

This Good Works Translation was made from selected Classical Chinese passages from Wei Shu, Biographies 90, Western Regions.

The English translation is independently derived from the Classical Chinese source body. The aligned display from the digital route was not used as an English base text.

Compiled for the New Tianmu Anglican Church, 2026.

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Source Text: Classical Chinese

### Taiyan Envoys, Wusun, and Sixteen States

太延中，魏德益以遠聞，西域龜茲、疏勒、烏孫、悅般、渴般陀、鄯善、焉耆、車師、粟特諸國王始遣使來獻。世祖以西域漢世雖通，有求則卑辭而來，無欲則驕慢王命，此其自知絕遠，大兵不可至故也。若報使往來，終無所益欲不遣使。有司奏九國不憚遐嶮，遠貢方物，當與其進，安可豫抑後來，乃從之。於是始遣行人王恩生、許綱等西使，恩生出流沙，為蠕蠕所執，竟不果達。又遣散騎侍郎董琬、高明等多齎錦帛，出鄯善，招撫九國，厚賜之。初，琬等受詔，便道之國可往赴之。琬過九國，北行至烏孫國，其王得朝廷所賜，拜受甚悅，謂琬曰：「傳聞破洛那、者舌皆思魏德，欲稱臣致貢，但患其路無由耳。今使君等既到此，可往二國，副其慕仰之誠。」琬於是自同破洛那，遣明使者舌。烏孫王為發導譯達二國，琬等宣詔慰賜之。已而琬、明東還，烏孫、破洛那之屬遣使與琬俱來貢獻者十有六國。自後相繼而來，不間於歲，國使亦數十輩矣。

### The Four Western Regions and the Roads

始琬等使還京師，具言凡所經見及傳聞傍國，云：西域自漢武時五十餘國，後稍相並。至太延中，為十六國，分其地為四域。自蔥嶺以東，流沙以西為一域；蔥嶺以西，海曲以東為一域；者舌以南，月氏以北為一域；兩海之間，水澤以南為一域。內諸小渠長蓋以百數。其出西域本有二道，後更為四：出自玉門，渡流沙，西行二千里至鄯善為一道；自玉門渡流沙，北行二千二百里至車師為一道；從莎車西行一百里至蔥嶺，蔥嶺西一千三百里至伽倍為一道；自莎車西南五百里蔥嶺，西南一千三百里至波路為一道焉。自琬所不傳而更有朝貢者，紀其名，不能具國俗也。其與前使所異者錄之。

### Wusun

烏孫國，居赤穀城，在龜茲西北，去代一萬八百里。其國數為蠕蠕所侵，西徙蔥嶺山中，無城郭，隨畜牧逐水草。太延三年遣使者董琬等使其國，後每使朝貢。

### Yueban

悅般國，在烏孫西北，去代一萬九百三十里。其先，匈奴北單于之部落也。為漢車騎將軍竇憲所逐，北單于度金微山，西走康居，其記羸弱不能去者往龜茲北。地方數千里，眾可二十餘萬。涼州人猶謂之「單于王」。其風俗言語與高車同，而其人清潔於胡。俗剪發齊眉，以醍醐塗之，昱昱然光澤，日三澡漱，然後飲食。其國南界有火山，山傍石皆焦溶，流地數十里乃凝堅，人取為藥，即石流黃也。

### Sogd and Yancai

粟特國，在蔥嶺之西，古之奄蔡，一名溫那沙。居於大澤，在康居西北，去代一萬六千里。先是，匈奴殺其王而有其國，至王忽倪已三世矣。其國商人先多詣涼土販貨，及克姑臧，悉見虜。高宗初，粟特王遣使請贖之，詔聽焉。自後無使朝獻。

### Zheshe and Kangju

者舌國，故康居國，在破洛那西北，去代一萬五千四百五十里。太延三年，遣使朝貢，自是不絕。

### Great Yuezhi

大月氏國，都盧監氏城，在弗敵沙西，去代一萬四千五百里。北與蠕蠕接，數為所侵，遂西徙都薄羅城，去弗敵沙二千一百里。其王寄多羅勇武，遂興師越大山，南侵北天竺，自乾陀羅以北五國盡役屬之。世祖時，其國人商販京師，自云能鑄石為五色璢璃，於是採礦山中，於京師鑄之。既成，光澤乃美於西方來者。乃詔為行殿，容百餘人，光色映徹，觀者見之，莫不驚駭，以為神明所作。自此中國璢璃遂賤，人不復珍之。

### Anxi

安息國，在蔥領西都蔚搜城。北與康居，西與波斯相接，在大月氏西北，去代二萬一千五百里。

### Lesser Yuezhi

小月氏國，都富樓沙城。其王本大月氏王寄多羅子也。寄多羅為匈奴所逐，西徙後令其子守此城，因號小月氏焉。在波路西南，去代一萬六千六百里。先居西平、張掖之間，被服頗與羌同。其俗以金銀錢為貨。隨畜牧移徙，亦類匈奴。其城東十里有佛塔，周三百五十步，高八十丈。自佛塔初建，計至武定八年，八百四十二年，所謂「百丈佛圖」也。

### Hephthalites

嚈噠國，大月氏之種類也，亦曰高車之別種，其原出於塞北。自金山而南，在於闐之西，都馬許水南二百餘里，去長安一萬一百里。其王都拔底延城，蓋王舍城也。其城方十里餘，多寺塔，皆飾以金。風俗與突厥略同。其俗兄弟共一妻，夫無兄弟者其妻戴一角帽，若有兄弟者依其多少之數，更加角焉。衣服類加以纓絡。頭皆剪發。其語與蠕蠕、高車及諸胡不同。眾可十萬。無城邑，依隨水草，以氈為屋，夏遷涼土，冬逐暖處。分其諸妻，各在別所，相去或二百、三百里。其王巡歷而行，每月一處，冬寒之時，三月不徙。王位不必傳子，子弟堪任，死便授之。其國無車有輿。多駝馬。用刑嚴急，偷盜無多少皆腰斬，盜一責十。死者，富者累石為藏，貧者掘地而埋，隨身諸物，皆置塚內。其人兇悍，能鬥戰。西域康居、于闐、沙勒、安息及諸小國三十許皆役屬之，號為大國。與蠕蠕婚姻。自太安以後，每遣使朝貢。正光末，遣使貢師子一，至高平，遇萬俟醜奴反，因留之。醜奴平，送京師。永熙以後，朝獻遂絕。初，熙平中，肅宗遣王伏子統宋雲、沙門法力等使西域，訪求佛經。時有沙門慧。其國南去漕國千五百里，東去瓜州六千五百里。生者亦與俱行，正光中還。慧生所經諸國，不能知其本未及山川里數，蓋舉其略云。

### Kang and Zhaowu

康國者，康居之後也。遷徙無常，不恆故地，自漢以來，相承不絕。其王本姓溫，月氏人也。舊居祁連山北昭武城，因被匈奴所破，西逾蔥嶺，遂有其國。枝庶各分王，故康國左右諸國，並以昭武為姓，示不忘本也。王字世夫畢，為人寬厚，甚得眾心。其妻突厥達度可汗女也。都於薩寶水上阿祿迪城，多人居。大臣三人共掌國事。其王索發，冠七寶金花，衣綾、羅、錦、繡、白疊；其妻有髻，幪以皁巾。丈夫剪發，錦袍。名為強國，西域諸國多歸之。米國、史國、曹國、何國、安國、小安國、那色波國、烏那曷國、穆國皆歸附之。有胡律，置於襖祠，將決罰，則取而斷之。重者族，次罪者死，賊盜截其足。人皆深目、高鼻、多髯。善商賈，諸夷交易多湊其國。有大小鼓、琵琶、五弦箜篌。婚姻喪制與突厥同。國立祖廟，以六月祭之，諸國皆助祭。奉佛，為胡書。氣候溫宜五穀，勤修園蔬，樹木滋茂。出馬、駝、驢、犎牛、黃金、碙沙、𧵊香、阿薛那香、瑟瑟、麞皮、氍毹、錦、疊。多蒲萄酒，富家或致十石，連年不敗。太延中，始遣使貢方物，後遂絕焉。

Source Colophon

The Classical Chinese source body was extracted from the local Wei Shu source dossier and copied for this translation pass at Tulku/Tools/scythian/sources/expansion_bench_2026-05-11/weishu_wusun_yueban_hephthalites_kang_chinese_source_manual84.txt.

The local source dossier identifies the route as Chinese Text Project, Wei Shu, Biographies 90, Western Regions, CTP URN ctp:ws865531, with a local capture preserved for verification.

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