Kumo Xi
On his side, Matsui Hitoshi, noting that nothing in the historical records provides hard evidence of Sogdian origin and that An Lushan was living at Yingzhou, a settlement of Kumo Xi and Khitan people, suggests that "Perhaps [An Lushan's father] might have been of Khitan origin." Edward H. Schafer, however, maintains that An Lushan is probably the Sinicized version of a name derived from "Anxi" (安息 "Parthia(n)") and the common Sogdian name ܪܘܚܫܐܢ "Roxshan" meaning "the Bright", related to the Sogdian female name "Roxana", also borne by Alexander's Sogdian wife, Roxana. His name has also been transcribed as "Āluòshān" () or "Yàluòshān" (), and he was posthumously named Prince La of Yan () by his deputy Shi Siming.