Mei Cangshi
ConsortsYizong’s biological mother. After Yuan Hao's death, Liang Zuo, who was one year old and married to his elder brother Mei Cangepang, served as regent for eight years as the queen mother. He was killed while out in 1056.
Dynasties of ChinaWestern XiaWestern Xia lineage
YizongLi Liangzuo
Yansiningguo and others · Reign 1048—1067
When he was one year old, he came to the throne, and his mother-in-law Mei Cangshi took full power. After taking charge, he executed the powerful ministers and adopted Han rites. He died young at the age of twenty-one.
IBiography
- Reign
- 19 years
- Reign era
- Yansiningguo and others
- Order of accession
- Ruler #2 · Western Xia lineage
- Life dates
- 1047—1067
- Titles
- Temple name: Yizong · Posthumous title: Emperor Zhaoying · Buried at Anling Mausoleum
Li Liangzuo, the son of Yuan Hao, whose mother was Mei Cangshi, was born on the banks of the Liangcha River in 1047. The following year Yuan Hao was assassinated, and the Prime Minister Mei Cangepang supported his one-year-old nephew Liang Zuo as the throne, leaving the Queen Mother as regent. In 1056, the Queen Mother was killed, and Mei Cangepang took over the government as the Prime Minister, and made her daughter Queen Liangzuo.
When Liang Zuo was a little older, he had an affair with Liang, the daughter-in-law of Yin Pang. In 1061, Pang and his son plotted to kill Liang Zuo, and Liang informed him. Liang Zuo took the initiative, killed Pang's entire family, appointed Liang as the queen, and began to rule personally. He admired Han culture, changed to Han rites, asked the Song Dynasty for Confucian classics, and added Han-style official positions; he maintained peace with the Song Dynasty at times of war, and was wounded by an arrow while attacking Dashun City in the Song Dynasty in 1066. He died of illness in the winter of 1067 at the age of twenty-one.
IITimeline
During the reign · 1048—1067
PoliticsAscended to the throne at one year old
Yuan Hao was assassinated and died. Mei Canggepang killed the Crown Prince Ning Lingge, supported his one-year-old nephew Liang Zuo to the throne, changed the Yuan Dynasty to Yansi Ning Kingdom, did not hide the Queen Mother as regent, and appointed Pang Pang as the prime minister.
MilitaryThe Liao army came to attack
Liao Xingzong took advantage of Yuan Haoxin's death and attacked Western Xia in three routes. The Liao army in the north route was defeated by the Xia army, and the Liao army in the south route won in the Helan Mountain area. Western Xia then sent envoys to ask for peace with Liao, and in 1053 they became vassals again.
PoliticsThe Queen Mother was killed without hiding
The Empress Dowager Mei Cangpang was killed by her favored ministers while she was out hunting. After that, Mei Cangepang took over the power as the Prime Minister and used her daughter as Empress Liang Zuo, wielding power in both the government and the public.
MilitaryBattle of Duandaowu
Mei Cangepang allowed his tribe to invade and cultivate the land west of Quye River in Linzhou during the Song Dynasty. Song general Guo En led his army on a night patrol and was ambushed by the Xia army in Duandaowu. The entire army was wiped out and Guo En died.
PoliticsExecute Pang's pro-government
When Pang and his son plotted to kill Liang Zuo, Pang's daughter-in-law Liang informed them. Liang Zuo took the initiative, killed Pang and his family, and made Liang the queen, officially in charge.
CultureSwitch to Han rites
He wrote to the Song Dynasty asking for the abolition of Tibetan rituals and the use of Han rituals. He also asked for Confucian classics, and the Song Dynasty granted him the Nine Classics and other books. Liang Zuo also added Chinese-style official positions and appointed Han people, and the degree of Chineseization of Western Xia was significantly improved.
MilitarySiege of Dashun City
He personally led an army to attack Dashun City on Huanqing Road in the Song Dynasty. He was wounded by an arrow during the attack and was forced to retreat. The Song Dynasty immediately stopped issuing annual gifts, and the relationship between Xia and Song Dynasty became tense again.
PeopleYizon died of illness
He died of illness in winter at the age of twenty-one and was buried in Anling. The seven-year-old eldest son Li Bingchang ascended the throne, and Liangtaihou and his younger brother Liang Yimai assumed power.
IIIPeople of this reign
Mei Cangepang
PoliticsYizong's uncle, who had been in power for more than ten years as the Prime Minister, invaded and cultivated the Song Dynasty and provoked border provocations. In 1061, the plot to kill Liang Zuo came to light and his whole family was executed.
Lianghuanghou
ConsortsHan, originally the daughter-in-law of Mei Cangepang, was made queen after she reported on the conspiracy against Pang. After Yizong's death, she became regent as the Queen Mother and was known as Liangtaihou in history.