A New Reading of Chinese Accounts on the Yuezhi and Early Kushans, in Relation with the Recently Discovered Inscriptions at Almosi (Tajikistan)

Organized in collaboration with Ching Chao-jung, MdC, Hakubi Center / Institute for Research in the Humanities, Associate Professor at Kyoto University. Sessions will be in French and English.

Abstract

Several issues relating to the pre-Kushan (1^st century BC) and early Kushan (1^st century BC) periods in Bactria and northwest India will be discussed, in relation to archaeological and epigraphic documents newly discovered or being re-evaluated. Among them:

• bactrian embroideries found at Noin Ula (Mongolia), showing a procession and sacrifice involving a Yuezhi ruler;
• chinese border documents on wood from Xuanquan (Gansu) (1^st century BC);
• the royal inscription in two languages from Almosi (Tajikistan), which has led to a reconsideration of the inscription in three languages from Dasht-i Nawur (both c. 100 b.c.) and to new hypotheses about the script conventionally referred to as "theunknown script".

At each stage of the historical presentation, information drawn from Chinese chronicles will be checked directly against the texts.

Particular attention will be devoted to recent articles by Harry Falk, which are highly suggestive but require discussion:"The Five Yabghus of the Yuezhi ", Bulletin of the Asia Institute, 28, 2014 [2018], pp. 1-43; "KushanReligion and Politics", id., 29, 2015-2019 [2019], p. 3-55; "Faxian and Early Successors on Their Route from Dunhuang to Peshawar. In Search of the 'Suspended Crossing'", id. 31 2022-2023, pp. 1-48. Shōsin Kuwayama's recent publications (in Japanese) on Kushan chronology will also be considered.

The penultimate session (June 10) will be devoted to a round-table discussion on Étienne de la Vaissière's recent book, Asie centrale 300-850. Des routes et des royaumes, Les Belles Lettres, 2024.