PT 1082 — A Diplomatic Letter from the Dunhuang Period
PT 1082 is a diplomatic letter from the Pelliot tibetain collection of the Bibliotheque nationale de France, written in Old Tibetan on paper. The author identifies himself in the opening line as He-pur Khagan — almost certainly a ruler of the Uyghur Khaganate, which controlled territory along the Silk Road adjacent to the Tibetan Empire's holdings.
The letter is addressed to an unnamed Tibetan or Chinese official and reads like a dispatch from a frontier ruler managing simultaneous diplomatic relationships with Tibet and Tang China. It covers an extraordinary range of topics: seasonal greetings and concern for subjects in summer heat, the dispatch of messengers to multiple cities and districts, military orders from Tibet that have gone unfulfilled, the reconstruction of a palace-fortress at Kam-cu (Ganzhou) and repeated requests for skilled craftsmen and a painter, a protracted dispute over a goldsmith borrowed from a Chinese lord's service, the exchange of gifts including silk and autumn grain, and a half-humorous threat to complain to a superior if the gifts are not reciprocated.
The document illuminates the three-way diplomatic dance between the Uyghur Khaganate, the Tibetan Empire, and Tang China during the late eighth or early ninth century CE — a period when Dunhuang and the Hexi Corridor were contested frontier zones. The personal names, place names, and administrative terminology are primary historical data for understanding Silk Road governance. The text preserves its vermilion seal.
Today, the word of He-pur Khagan:
In the summer heat, with so many subjects — are you at ease, or are you not? [...]
Before your presence, I present this letter as a petition. I have heard that in your letter there was no complaint. My heart is glad.
From my side, if I may speak: regarding political affairs, there is nothing to report. My messenger has gone south to Leng-cu, and has gone again. To the Chinese lord [...], no accommodation has been provided. The word of Keng-shi [...] regarding going north, I report accordingly.
To Dbyar-mo-thang, to 'Od-'bar — [...] he has not gone. The messenger from Gog-chu Rma-grom has come before me. He petitioned to inspect one myriarchy of Rma-grom. Tibet's messenger has also gone to Jag-rong, and has gone to the district of Dbyar-mo-thang, to 'Od-'bar and Ni-ma-dum. Your messenger will also be dispatched. Otherwise, there is no other word.
From Tibet's garrison: at the first moon of autumn, the command was "muster the army." But the orders have not arrived. This time, the army has not mobilized. They are searching extensively for provisions. Autumn has arrived. If from the Leng-kong area also nothing has come — make extensive provisioning.
At Kam-cu, which had fallen into ruin, a palace-fortress has been built. But there were no craftsmen. That craftsmen were borrowed and sent — I am pleased. At the palace, only small finishing touches remain. We have repeatedly petitioned in letters: send more craftsmen. Craftsmen of advanced age, some who are skilled in difficult crafts, were sought out, and the ministers sent them from [...]. But a painter is not among them. I request that one be sent by the fifteenth of autumn's first month.
(seal)
Regarding the goldsmith: a petition.
The goldsmith had been assigned to Then-pe-kun, the military commander. I borrowed him. But he does not wish to hammer. He does not craft. Commander Then-pe-kun also constantly returns. If there is a craftsman like before, send him to Sha-cu. The craftsman who had been there is sick. The dispatched messengers, seeing this — since I have petitioned repeatedly about the goldsmith to the commander — I said: "One Chinese lord's goldsmith — why should I not have authority over him?" At Then-shi De-phu also, I said: "I will take this goldsmith. I will petition the Chinese lord as well."
The old craftsman was not sent because he was engaged in fine domestic work. That he was not sent — do not be troubled. There are no other craftsmen available.
Gifts: six lengths of sha-le and a full measure of autumn grain have arrived before me.
The autumn harvest of dried barley and winter fruit — I have not tasted them, and many years have passed. Please send some with the harvest. If they are not sent, I shall send a complaint to Bog-ya, saying: "He has food and sends none."
The two woodworkers have become diligent at their work. Bog-ya also has attended to his duties.
Because a messenger is coming at this time, gifts have not been sent. Do not be offended. When the messenger dispatched from the Chinese lord arrives, I shall send my own messenger.
Colophon
PT 1082 (Pelliot tibetain 1082). Old Tibetan diplomatic letter from the Dunhuang cave library. Translated from Old Tibetan by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, April 2026. First English translation.
The source text was accessed from the Old Tibetan Documents Online (OTDO) database maintained by Osaka University. The transliteration follows OTDO's conventions, which preserve the archaic Old Tibetan orthography.
Translation notes: "He-pur Khagan" (hve pur kha gan) is almost certainly a ruler of the Uyghur Khaganate — "Khagan" is the standard Turkic title for a supreme ruler, and He-pur appears to be the personal name rendered in Tibetan script. "Sha-cu" is the Old Tibetan rendering of Shazhou (沙州), i.e. Dunhuang. "Kam-cu" is Ganzhou (甘州), modern Zhangye. "Leng-cu" may be Liangzhou (涼州). "Dbyar-mo-thang" is a known place name in the Tibetan imperial geography. "Keng-shi" may be a rendering of a Chinese title. "Bog-ya" appears to be a superior official or regional authority. "Then-pe-kun" and "Then-shi De-phu" appear to be Chinese names in Tibetan script. "KhrI sde" (myriarchy) is a standard Tibetan administrative unit of 10,000 households.
The goldsmith dispute is particularly revealing: the Khagan has borrowed a goldsmith from a Chinese lord's service and is frustrated that the goldsmith refuses to work. He claims authority to requisition Chinese craftsmen — "why should I not have authority over him?" — revealing the complex jurisdictional overlaps between Uyghur, Tibetan, and Chinese administrations on the Silk Road frontier.
The vermilion seal between sections 5 and 6 (line 23) may indicate that the letter was composed in two stages, or that the craftsmen request and the goldsmith dispute were treated as separate administrative matters.
This is a Good Works Translation. The English is independently derived from the Old Tibetan source text. The OTDO transliteration was the primary source. Lacunae are indicated by [...] where the manuscript is damaged. Uncertain readings in the source are preserved in the translation notes. No prior English translation was available for consultation.
Compiled and formatted for the Good Work Library by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, 2026.
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Source Text: PT 1082
Old Tibetan source text from the Old Tibetan Documents Online (OTDO) database, Osaka University. Presented here for reference, study, and verification alongside the English translation above.
(1) $ /:/ deng re hve pur kha gan gI bka' / /
(2) dbyar gI tshad pa la / / 'bangs mang po chIs la / / 'o brgyal thugs bde 'am myI bde [---]
(3) $ / / spya ngar phrIn yIg zhu zhIn gsol pa gdas / / phrIn yIg nang nas nong zho ma
(4) mchIs zhes thos / / glo ba dga' /
(5) $ / / spya nga nas yang bka' stsal na / / chab srId gI bka' mchId cI yang myI gda' / /
(6) bdag gI pho nya yang leng cu 'og mar mchIs / / slar yang mchIs / / rgya rje [---]
(7) la phebs shag shIg ma mchIs / / keng shI 'I bka' mchI[d?] [-]I m[ch?]I[-] [---]
(8) yar mchIs pa la re lta des gsol / / dbyar mo thang [tshun? chad? gI?] ['od 'bar] [la?] [---]
(9) ba ma mchIs / / gog chu rma grom gI pho nya spya ngar mchIs / / rma grom khrI sde cIg zha
(10) du blta zhes gsol / / bod gI pho nya jag rong du yang mchIs / / dbyar mo thang glIng du
(11) yang mchIs pa las / / 'od 'bar tang nI ma dum / / khyed gI pho nya yang gsol par
(12) mchI / / gzhan nI bka' mchId cI yang myI gda' / /
(13) $ / / bod gI g.yar tshIgs las / / ston sla ra ba ngo la dmag drang zhes m[ch?]I[d?] [---]
(14) sho nI cha ma mchIs / / da dun nI dmag 'gul ba [ma? m?]chi[s?] [---]
(15) rIm 'gro cher la 'tshol / / ston gI dus la bab / / leng kong sa nas ya[ng?] [---]
(16) ba ma mchIs na / / rIm 'gro cher mdzad / /
(17) $ / / kam cu zhIg ral du gyur pa 'I mkhar pho brang bgyIs / / bzo bo ma mchIs
(18) bzo bo g.yar pa las bzo bo brdzangs pa glo ba dga' / / pho brang yang mgo chems
(19) phran tshegs lus pa las / / bog ya yang yang na yang du phrIn yIg nang
(20) du zhu bzo bo yang brdzangs / / bzo bo yang dgung lo khyId khor [bzo] [---]
(21) mongs tshal ma 'ga' brtsal nas / / zhang lon ['di?] [dag] [---]
(22) nas brdzangs / / rI mo mkhan nI las ma lags / / ston sla ra ba nya [nas] [---]
(23) brdzang bar 'tshal / / (seal)
(24) $ / / gser mgar gI yan lag la gsol pa / / gser mgar yang then pe kun gI
(25) dmag dpon la / / bdag gIs g.yar po bgyIs / / de yang brdung nI myI 'tshal [---]
(26) yang myi bzo / / then poe kun dmag dpon yang rgyun du khor [---]
(27) gI bzo bo sngun gI 'dra ba zhIg mchIs na sha cur brdzang ba lags / / bzo bo bu[s]
(28) ba zhIg mchIs pa nI nad pa / / 'drul ba 'I pho nya rnams re lta mthong / /
(29) dmag dpon gser mgar yan lag la yang na yang du gsol pa 'I slad na / /
(30) rgya rje 'I gser mgar gcIg bdag cI ste myI dbang zhes bgyIs s[-]
(31) then shI de phu la yang gser mgar 'dI bdag gIs bzung zh[-] [rgya? rje?]
(32) la yang gsol zhes bgyIs / / bzo bo rgad po de nang nyab bzo bgyid pa 'i
(33) slad na ma brdzangs / / ma brdzangs thugs ma gdung / / bzo gzhan
(34) ma mchIs / / skyes sha le yug drug dang bnabs tog sgye gang yang
(35) spya ngar mchIs / / ston byung ston gI bnabs thog kham bkra da[ng]
(36) dgun 'brum bdag ma myangs nas / lo mang lon / / tshos nas
(37) brdzang bar mdzad / / ma brdzangs na bog ya la lto mdun can zhes kha
(38) phyar btang bar mchI / / shIng bzo de rnam gnyis las la 'grus par
(39) gyur / / bog ya yang chIs mdzad pa la thug / / 'dI dus su pho [nya?]
(40) mchIs pa 'I slad na skyes ma brdzangs / / sku ma mkhong / / rgya rje sa nas
(41) pho nya 'drul ba mchIs na / / bdag gI pho nya brdzang bar bgyI / /
Source Colophon
Old Tibetan source text from the Old Tibetan Documents Online (OTDO), https://otdo.aa-ken.jp/archives?p=Pt_1082, maintained by Osaka University's Research Institute for Humanity and Nature. The OTDO transliteration preserves archaic Old Tibetan orthography. Variant readings indicated by OTDO's tooltip annotations are shown in square brackets. The original manuscript is held by the Bibliotheque nationale de France as part of the Pelliot tibetain collection. Vermilion seal present between lines 23 and 24.
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