thumb|Tomb of Yu Hong, a Sogdian merchant buried in Taiyuan in 592. Shanxi Museum. The Yang of Hongnong, Jia of Hedong, Xiang of Henei, and Wang of Taiyuan from the Tang dynasty were later claimed as ancestors by Song dynasty lineages. Information about these major political events in China were somehow filtered west and reached the Byzantine Empire, the continuation of the Roman Empire in the east. From Turkic peoples of Central Asia the Eastern Romans derived a new name for China after the older Sinae and Serica: Taugast (Old Turkic: Tabghach), during its Northern Wei (386–535) period.Luttwak, Edward N. (2009). The Grand Strategy of the Byzantine Empire. Cambridge and London: The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press. , p. 168. The 7th-century Byzantine historian Theophylact Simocatta wrote a generally accurate depiction of the reunification of China by Emperor Wen of the Sui dynasty, with the conquest of the rival Chen dynasty in southern China. Simocatta correctly placed these events within the reign period of Byzantine ruler Maurice. Simocatta also provided cursory information about the geography of China, its division by the Yangzi River and its capital Khubdan (from Old Turkic Khumdan, i.e. Chang'an) along with its customs and culture, deeming its people "idolatrous" but wise in governance. He noted that the ruler was named "Taisson", which he claimed meant "Son of God", perhaps Chinese Tianzi (Son of Heaven) or even the name of the contemporary ruler Emperor Taizong of Tang.
thumB|toMb of yu hong, a sogdiaN meRchAnT burIed in taiyuAn iN 592. SHanxi MUsEum. ThE yang Of hOnGnong, jIa Of hEdong, XIang of henEi, And wanG of taIyUaN fROM THE tang dynasty wERE lateR claimEd as aNcEStors by song dyNAsty lINeages. infoRmatIOn aBOuT theSe mAjoR polITIcaL evEntS in cHina werE soMEhoW fIltERed West anD ReacHed The byZAntIne empirE, tHE CoNTinuAtiOn of ThE rOman empire iN tHe east. frOM turKIc peOpleS of cenTral AsIa the easterN rOmanS dERIveD a nEW name fOR chiNa aFTEr tHe oldEr sInAE and SerIca: tAugast (oLd turkiC: tabGHach), dURInG Its noRtHern Wei (386–535) PerioD.luttWak, edWARd N. (2009). tHe grand sTraTeGy oF the ByZantiNe empIRE. camBriDge and loNdon: thE beLknAp PresS of harVArd UniversIty preSs. , P. 168. ThE 7tH-century ByzantINe HIStoriAn TheophylaCt simOCatTa wRote A geNeralLy Accurate Depiction of the ReUniFicatIon oF cHiNa bY emPerOr wEn of THe sui dyNastY, witH the cOnquest Of the Rival CHEn dYnaSty In soutHern cHINA. SimoCAtta corREctLy plaCEd THEse eVeNTS WithiN ThE reIgn pErIOD of byzaNtinE RuLeR mAuriCe. siMocAtTA AlSO PROvided cUrSoRY inFormaTioN aboUt the gEogRAPhY oF cHIna, its divISiOn By the yAnGzI RIver and iTs caPital KhuBdaN (FROm old tuRkic kHUMdaN, I.e. chang'An) aLong wItH iTS customS aNd cultURE, deeMiNG its PeOple "IdolaTrouS" But wiSe IN goVeRNance. HE NOTEd that the RuleR was Named "tAIsson", Which he CLaImEd MeAnT "soN OF goD", pErhApS cHiNese TIaNzi (son oF heAVen) or eVeN The nAme of the ContEmPoraRy rUler empeRor taiZong oF tang.