Dynasties of ChinaLiao, Song, Xia, Jin & Yuan · Coexisting states
10 Western Xia emperors · AD 1038-1227 · Coexistence with Song, Liao and Jin
Li Yuanhao founded a Tangut state in the northwest and created a writing system. Western Xia defeated Song armies and coexisted with Song, Liao and Jin for nearly two centuries.
Dynastic color · Burnt sienna
Western Xia was a dynasty established by the Dangxiang people. The country was named Daxia, and it also called itself "Baigao Daxia Kingdom." Because it was located in the northwest of the Song Dynasty, it was called Western Xia in history. Dangxiang is a branch of the Qiang people. In the late Tang Dynasty, its leader Tuoba Sigong participated in suppressing the Huang Chao uprising. He was granted the title of Duke of Xia and given the surname Li. From then on, he ruled Xiazhou (today's north of Jingbian, Shaanxi Province). In the early Song Dynasty, Li Jiqian was unwilling to submit to the Song Dynasty, so he raised his own troops and captured Lingzhou; his son Li Deming surrendered to both the Song and Liao Dynasties, built Xingzhou, and attacked the Uighurs in the west to operate the Hexi Corridor.
In 1038, Li Yuanhao, son of Li Deming, proclaimed himself emperor and made his capital Xingqingfu (now Yinchuan, Ningxia). Yuan Hao created the Western Xia script, imitated the Song system to establish an official system, and reorganized the army. He defeated the Song army in three battles at Sanchuankou, Haoshuichuan, and Dingchuanzhai. In 1044, he reached a Qingli peace treaty with the Song Dynasty. In the same year, he defeated the Liao Xingzong who had conquered the country in Hequ, forming a three-legged situation of Song, Liao, and Xia. After that, Yizong, Huizong, and Chongzong came to the throne one after another at an early age, and their relatives Mei Cangshi and Liang had exclusive power for a long time, and they were at war with the Song Dynasty.
During the Chongzong and Renzong dynasties, they promoted Confucianism, established schools, opened schools to recruit scholars, and promulgated the "Tian Sheng Law Order", and Western Xia culture reached its peak. After the Jin destroyed the Liao Dynasty, the Western Xia turned to the Jin and became a vassal, and the two countries reconciled for a long time. Palace coups occurred one after another since the end of the 12th century. In 1205, Mongolia began to attack Western Xia. Western Xia sometimes attached itself to Mongolia to attack the Jin Dynasty, sometimes allied with the Jin Dynasty to fight against the Mongolia, and the national power was exhausted. In 1227, the Mongolian army besieged Zhongxingfu. Last Ruler Li Xian was killed after surrendering, and Western Xia was destroyed.
In 1036, Yuan Hao ordered Ye Lirenrong to preside over the creation, with a total of more than 6,000 characters. It imitated the strokes and structure of Chinese characters and formed its own system. It was respected as the "State Book" and was used for official documents, engravings and translations. In 1190, Gu Leimaocai compiled "The Pearl in the Palm of the Fan and Han Dynasties" in Western Xia and Chinese.
The official system imitated the Song Dynasty in setting up Zhongshu, Privy Council, Third Division and other institutions, while retaining party official titles. The military system combines soldiers with the people. All men between the ages of fifteen and sixty are required to join the army. There are twelve supervisory military divisions, famous for the "Iron Kites" heavy cavalry and the "Poxi" troops who wield whirlwind cannons.
The full name is "Tian Sheng's Decree on the Change of Old and New Laws", which consists of twenty volumes and is published in Western Chinese. It covers criminal law, litigation, administration, military, economics, religion, etc. It is the first existing code in China published in ethnic minority languages.
Western Xia believes in Buddhism and spent more than fifty years translating the Chinese Tripitaka into Western Xia. The printing industry is developed. The Western Xia Buddhist scriptures unearthed from the Baisigou Square Pagoda in Helan Mountain have been identified as the earliest extant wooden movable type prints; a large number of Western Xia murals are also preserved in the Mogao Grottoes and Yulin Grottoes in Dunhuang.
The Western Xia Mausoleum at the eastern foot of Helan Mountain in the western suburbs of Yinchuan has 9 imperial mausoleums and more than 270 accompanying tombs. It will be included in the World Heritage List in 2025. Since 1908, the Russian Kozlov has unearthed a large number of Western Xia documents at the Blackwater City site, which have become the main data for the study of Western Xia today.
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Li Jipeng, the leader of the Dingnan Army, entered the court and donated the land of Yin, Xia and other five states to the Song Dynasty. His younger brother Li Jiqian did not want to return to the Song Dynasty, so he led his people to leave Dijinze and gathered all the party members to fight against the Song Dynasty. He attached himself to Liao Dynasty and was granted the title of King of Xia. In 1002, he captured Lingzhou, an important town in the Song Dynasty, and renamed it Xiping Prefecture.
In 1020, Li Deming established Xingzhou (now Yinchuan, Ningxia) in Huaiyuan Town. Starting in 1028, his son Li Yuanhao led his army to conquer Ganzhou controlled by the Uighurs, and captured Liangzhou. In 1036, he captured Gua, Sha, and Suzhou, and controlled the Hexi Corridor.
Ye Lirenrong, the minister of Yuan Haoming, presided over the creation of Western Xia script, which was compiled into twelve volumes and was regarded as the "State Book". After that, Tibetan studies were established, and Chinese classics such as "The Book of Filial Piety" and "Erya" were translated into Western Xia and used in official documents and selection of officials.
Li Yuanhao built an altar in the southern suburbs of Xingqing Mansion to receive the title of emperor, and the country was named Daxia. He changed the etiquette of Yuan Dynasty to Yan Zuo. The following year, he went to the Song Dynasty to request recognition. The Song court cut off his surname, official title, and offered a reward for his arrest. The Song-Xia War broke out.
The Western Xia army defeated the Song army successively at Sanchuankou, Haoshuichuan and Dingchuanzhai. Song generals Liu Ping and Shi Yuansun were captured, and Ren Fu and Ge Huaimin died in battle. Three battles and three victories boosted Western Xia's prestige, but successive years of military use also left it financially strapped and public dissatisfaction gradually arose.
Yuan Hao proclaimed himself a minister to the Song Dynasty, and the Song Dynasty named him the Lord of Xia. He was "granted" 50,000 taels of silver, 130,000 bolts of silk, and 20,000 jins of tea every year, and opened the market for trade. In the same year, Liao Xingzong personally conquered Western Xia and returned with a huge defeat in Hequ. The three pillars of Song, Liao and Xia were formed.
Yuan Hao tried to marry Crown Prince Ning Lingge's wife, but Ning Lingge stabbed Yuan Hao in the nose out of spite. Yuan Hao died of serious injuries. Prime Minister Mei Canggepang killed Ning Lingge and supported his nephew Li Liangzuo, who was only one year old. Mei Cangshi has been in power for more than ten years.
Liangtaihou imprisoned Huizong, who was pro-Song, and Song Shenzong took the opportunity to send troops to attack Xia in five directions. The Song army was flooded by the Yellow River at the foot of Lingzhou City and was defeated. The following year, Yongle City, which was newly built by the Song army, was captured by the Xia army and suffered heavy losses.
Xiaoliangtaihou had been in power for many years. In 1099, he was poisoned by envoys sent by Liao Dynasty. Chongzong took charge of the government and rectified the administration. In 1101, he established Guoxue to promote Sinology. When the Jin Dynasty was prosperous and the Liao Dynasty fell, Chongzong surrendered to the Jin Dynasty in 1124 to protect the country.
Renzong ordered all states and counties to set up schools, and Taixue was built in 1145. In 1146, Confucius was honored as Emperor Xuan, the highest honorary title given to Confucius in the past dynasties; the following year, subjects were opened to obtain scholars. Later, the Hanlin Academy was established to compile and compile records, and Confucianism reached its peak in Western Asia.
During the Tiansheng period of Renzong, the "Tiansheng Reform of Old Laws and New Laws" was revised and promulgated. It was published in Western Xia and has a total of twenty volumes. The content covers criminal, civil, administrative, and military aspects. It is a precious historical material for studying Western Xia society.
The powerful minister Ren Dejing forced Renzong to transfer half of Western Xia's land to himself, and asked Jin Dynasty for canonization, but Jin Shizong refused. Renzong got the support of Jin dynasty and killed Ren Dejing and his gang members to avoid the country's split.
Since 1205, Mongolia has attacked Western Xia six times. In 1209, Cheng Jisihan besieged Zhongxing Prefecture, diverted water from the Yellow River to irrigate the city, and asked for peace from Gongzong Nanu, but was forced to surrender to Mongolia to capture the gold. After that, Xia and Jin attacked each other for more than ten years, and both sides suffered losses. It was not until 1225 that Xianzong negotiated peace with Jin.
Cheng Jisihan personally conquered Western Xia and conquered Heishui City, Ganzhou, Suzhou, Lingzhou and other places. The following year, Zhongxing Mansion was besieged and the city was running out of food supplies. Last Ruler Li Xian asked to surrender. Cheng Jisihan died of illness in the army in July of the same year. The Mongolian army followed his orders and killed Li Xian, and Western Xia was destroyed.
Li Jipeng's younger brother. In 982, he refused to return to the Song Dynasty with his elder brothers, and led his people to flee Dijinze to gather people to fight against the Song Dynasty. He surrendered to Liao Dynasty and was granted the title of King of Xia. In 1002, he captured Lingzhou. When he attacked Xiliang Prefecture the following year, he was ambushed by the Tubo leader Pan Luozhi. He was seriously injured by an arrow and died in early 1004.
Li Deming's eldest son was proficient in Tibetan and Chinese characters and was familiar with Buddhism. After he succeeded to the throne, he abandoned the surname given by the Tang and Song Dynasties, changed his surname to Wei, and called himself "Wuzi". He issued the Bald Hair Order, created writing, and established an official and military system. He proclaimed himself emperor in 1038 and defeated the Song army three times and the Liao army again. In his later years, he became jealous and lustful and was assassinated by Crown Prince.
Dangxiang nobleman, an important minister of Yuan Hao, advocated "the utility of teaching according to one's nature, and punishing and rewarding according to customs". He was ordered to create Western Xia characters, preside over Tibetan studies, translate classics such as "The Classic of Filial Piety" and "Erya" in Western Xia, and select talents. Renzong pursued the title of King Guang Hui.
A native of Huazhou in the Northern Song Dynasty, he failed in many trials and defected to Western Xia with his friend Wu Hao. He was highly used by Yuan Hao and became the prime minister of the country. He plotted to attack the Song Dynasty many times. After the Battle of Haoshuichuan, he wrote a poem to ridicule Song generals. It is said that after the Song Dynasty, candidates were no longer dismissed from palace examinations, which was related to this matter.
She was originally the wife of minister Yeli Yuqi. After Yuqi was killed by Yuan Hao, she entered the palace. She became a nun for a time, named Master Mu Zang, and gave birth to Liangzuo. After Yuan Hao's death, he and his brother Mei Cangepang supported Liang Zuo, who was only one year old, as regent as the queen mother. He was killed in 1056.
Queen Yizong, a Han nationality, was originally the daughter-in-law of Mei Cangepang. She was established as queen after assisting Yizong in killing Pang Pang. When Huizong came to the throne at a young age, she served as the Queen Mother as regent, and her younger brother Liang Yimai took over the throne. In 1081, Huizong, who wanted to kiss the Song Dynasty, was imprisoned, triggering the Song army's five-pronged expedition to Xia.
He ascended the throne at the age of three, and his mother, Xiaoliangtaihou, and his uncle, Liang Qibu, took over the throne one after another. After taking office, he rectified the official administration, restricted the power of the aristocracy, and established Chinese studies to promote Han culture. Before and after the Jin Dynasty destroyed the Liao Dynasty, he turned to the Jin Dynasty and declared himself a minister to the Jin Dynasty to protect the country. After reigning for fifty-three years, Western Xia gradually entered its prosperous age.
The son of Chongzong, he came to the throne at the age of sixteen and reigned for fifty-four years. Confucianism was greatly promoted, Confucius was respected as Emperor Xuan, he opened schools to recruit scholars, and promulgated the "Tian Sheng Law Order"; in 1170, he executed Ren Dejing, a powerful minister who planned to divide the country. During his reign, he reconciled with Jin, and Western Xia culture reached its peak.
He has been responsible for compiling the history of Western Xia for generations, is proficient in the Five Classics, translated "The Analects of Confucius" in Western Xia, and wrote "The Analects of Confucius" and "The Book of Changes". He was marginalized for many years because of his opposition to Ren Dejing's autocratic power. Ren's family had nothing to gain and had nothing to gain. After his death, Renzong ordered his portrait to be painted and worshiped in the Confucius Temple.
Originally a judge of Xi'an Prefecture in the Northern Song Dynasty, in 1137, during the fall of Xia, her daughter was presented to the palace and she was established as Queen Chongzong. His relatives were in power, and he rose to the rank of Prime Minister, and was granted the title of King of Chu. He specialized in government affairs for more than 20 years. In 1170, he forced Renzong to divide the country, but failed and was executed.
Party scholar. In 1190, a dictionary comparing Western Xia and Chinese was compiled, "The Pearl in the Palm of Fans and Chinese". Each word is juxtaposed with Western Xia, Chinese and mutual phonetic notation, which facilitates mutual learning between Western Xia and Han. This book was unearthed in Blackwater City and became the key for modern scholars to interpret Western Xia texts.
The son of Li Yanzong, King Qi of the clan, was well-versed in calligraphy and was a master of seal script. He ranked first in the imperial examination and was awarded the title of King Qi. In 1211, he launched a coup to abolish Xiangzong and establish himself on his own. During his reign, he attached himself to Mongolia to conquer gold and fought for many years, which greatly damaged the national power. In 1223, it was passed down to the second son Li Dewang, who claimed to be the emperor.