Dublin Core
Title
Parthia in Hou Hanshu
Subject
The contact between Parthia and China
Description
There are many similar contents in Hou Hanshu and Shiji or Hanshu, but after Zhang Qian went to Western regions, as many people were able to go out of China on private or official business, the records of relations with western regions became more specific, especially after Banchao conquered many western countries. The part of new descpritions of Hou Hanshu wrote by Fanye derived from it.
Creator
Zhang Dong
Source
范晔, 《后汉书》，北京：中华书局，2014
Publisher
中华书局
Date
5th CE.
Rights
Photo: 范曄 (Fan Ye, 398–445), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Relation
Language
Ancient Chinese; English (translation)
Type
literary sources
Literary Sources Item Type Metadata
Work:
Hou Hanshu
Location:
Liu Song Dynasty
Date:
5th CE
Original Text:
1. 安息国居和椟城，去洛阳二万五千里。北与康居接，南与乌戈山离接。地方数千里，小城数百，户口胜兵最为殷盛。其东界木鹿越，号为小安息，去洛阳二万里。
2. 章帝章和元年，遣使献师子、符拔。符拔形似麟而无角。和帝永元九年，都护班超遣甘英使大秦，抵条支。临大海欲度，而安息西界船人谓英曰：“海水广大，往来者逢善风三月乃得度，若遇迟风，亦有二岁者，故入海人皆赍三岁粮。海中善使人思土恋慕，数有死亡者。”英闻之乃止。十三年，安息王满屈复献师子及条支大鸟，时谓之安息雀。
3. 自安息西行三千四百里至阿蛮国。从阿蛮西行三千六百里至斯宾国。从斯宾南行度河，又西南至于罗国九百六十里，安息西界极矣。自此南乘海，乃通大秦。其土多海西珍奇异物焉。
4. 三年，班超遂定西域，因以超为都护，居龟兹。复置戊己校尉，领兵五百人，居车师前部高昌壁，又置戊部候，居车师后部候城，相去五百里。六年，班超复击破焉耆，于是五十馀国悉纳质内属。其条支、安息诸国至于海濒四万里外，皆重译贡献。
5. 其人民皆长大平正，有类中国，故谓之大秦......与安息、天竺交市于海中，利有十倍。
Translation:
1. The main centre of the Kingdom of Anxi [Parthia] is the town of Hedu [Hekatompylos]. It is 25,000 li [10,395 km] from Luoyang. To the north, it borders Kangju [the Talas basin, Tashkent and Sogdiana], and joins Wuyishanli [Arachosia and Drangiana] to the south. It is several thousand li across. There are several hundred small towns. The households, people, and men able to bear arms are extremely numerous. On its eastern frontier is the town of Mulu [Merv], which is also called Little Anxi, and is 20,000 li [8,316 km] from Luoyang.
2. In the first Zhang He year [87 CE], during the reign of Emperor Zhang, this kingdom sent an envoy to offer lions and fuba [Persian gazelle]. The FuBa looks like a female unicorn but it has no horn. In the ninth Yong Yuan year [97 CE], during the reign of Emperor He, the Protector General Ban Chao sent Gan Ying to Da Qin [the Roman Empire]. He reached Tiaozhi [Characene and Susiana] next to a large sea. He wanted to cross it, but the sailors of the western frontier of Anxi [Parthia] said to him:
“The ocean is huge. Those making the round trip can do it in three months if the winds are favourable. However, if you encounter winds that delay you, it can take two years. That is why all the men who go by sea take stores for three years. The vast ocean urges men to think of their country, and get homesick, and some of them die.”
When [Gan] Ying heard this, he discontinued (his trip). In the thirteenth year [101 CE], the king of Anxi [Parthia] named ManQu [= Manchihr I of Persis] again offered lions, and some of the giant birds of Tiaozhi [Characene and Susiana], which people call ‘Anxi birds’ [ostriches].
“The ocean is huge. Those making the round trip can do it in three months if the winds are favourable. However, if you encounter winds that delay you, it can take two years. That is why all the men who go by sea take stores for three years. The vast ocean urges men to think of their country, and get homesick, and some of them die.”
When [Gan] Ying heard this, he discontinued (his trip). In the thirteenth year [101 CE], the king of Anxi [Parthia] named ManQu [= Manchihr I of Persis] again offered lions, and some of the giant birds of Tiaozhi [Characene and Susiana], which people call ‘Anxi birds’ [ostriches].
3. From [the eastern frontier of] Anxi [Indo-Parthia], if you travel 3,400 li [1,414 km] west, you reach the kingdom of Aman (or Alüan) [Herat]. Leaving Aman and travelling west 3,600 li [1,497 km], you reach the kingdom of Sibin [Susa]. Leaving Sibin [Susa] and travelling south you cross a river, then going southwest, you reach the kingdom of Yuluo [Charax Spasinou] after 960 li [399 km]. This is the extreme western frontier of Anxi [Parthia]. Leaving there, and heading south, you embark on the sea and then reach Da Qin [Roman territory]. In these territories, there are many precious and marvellous things from Haixi [‘West of the Sea’ = Egypt].
4. In the third year [91 CE], Ban Chao finally succeeded in pacifying the Western Regions. Ban Chao was then given the title of Protector General and stationed at Qiuci [Kucha]. A Wuji Colonel was re-established and, commanding five hundred soldiers, was stationed in the Kingdom of Nearer Jushi, within the walls of Gaochang [Kharakhoja – 70 li or 29 km southeast of Turfan]. In addition, a Wu Troop Captain was established and stationed in Further Jushi [Jimasa]. The Captain and the town were 500 li [208 km] from the town [of Gaochang]. In the sixth year [94 CE], Ban Chao again attacked and defeated Yanqi [Karashahr]. Following this, more than fifty kingdoms presented hostages, and submitted to the Interior [China]. Kingdoms such as Tiaozhi [Characene and Susiana], Anxi [Parthia], and all the kingdoms as far as the shores of the sea more than 40,000 li [16,632 km] away offered tribute, using several successive interpreters to communicate.
5. The people of this country are all tall and honest. They resemble the people of the Middle Kingdom and that is why this kingdom is called Da Qin [or ‘Great China’]... They trade with Anxi [Parthia] and Tianzhu [Northwestern India] by sea. The profit margin is ten to one.
Edition/Translation:
The Western Regions according to the Hou Hanshu The Xiyu juan “Chapter on the Western Regions”