Western Xia
Encyclopedia
The Western Xia Dynasty or the Tangut Empire, was known to the Tanguts and the Tibetans as Minyak.
The state existed from 1038 to 1227 AD in what are now the northwestern Chinese provinces of Ningxia
, Gansu
, eastern Qinghai
, northern Shaanxi
, northeastern Xinjiang
, southwest Inner Mongolia
, and southernmost Outer Mongolia
, measuring about eight hundred thousand square kilometers. The state suffered from devastating destruction by the Mongols
who founded Yuan Dynasty
(1271–1368), including most of its written records and architecture. Its founders and history therefore remained controversial until recent research conducted both in the West and within China. They occupied the area of important trade route between North China and Central Asia
, the Hexi Corridor
. The Western Xia made significant achievements in literature, art, music, and architecture, which was characterized as “shining and sparkling”. Their extensive stance among the other empires of the Liao
, Song
, and Jin was attributable to their effective military organizations that integrated cavalry, chariots, archery, shields, artillery (cannons carried on the back of camels), and amphibious troops for combats on the land and water
Its reference as “Western Xia” came from the Chinese record of “Xi-Xia” (西夏), literally "Western Xia", and thus that name is often used in Sinological literature. It was derived from its location on the western side of the Yellow River
, in contrast to the Liao
(916–1125) and Jin (1115–1234) on its east, and the Song Dynasty
in the south. The English reference of "Tangut" comes from the Mongolian
name for the country, Tangghud , believed to reflect the same word as “Dangxiang” found in Chinese literature.
Xianbei
from the Tuyühu (often misspelled as Tuyuhun) Empire. After Tuyühu Empire was destroyed by the Tibetans in 670, its famous prince, Tuoba
Chici, who controlled the “Dangxiang Qiang” submitted under the Tang Dynasty
and was “bestowed” with the royal name of “Li”. In the end of the Tang Dynasty, the Tuoba
brought troops to suppress the Huangchao Rebellion on behalf of the Tang
court and took control of the Xia State, or Xia Zhou, in northern Shaanxi
in 881. After the Tang fell in 907, the Tuoba
descendants formally declared resistance against the expanding Northern Song in 982 and proclaimed independence to establish the Western Xia or Tangut, in 1038.
The foundation of Western Xia goes back to the year 982 under Li Deming
(李德明). However, it would not be until 1038 that the Tangut chieftain Li Yuanhao
(李元昊), Li Deming's son, who also ordered the creation of a Tangut writing system and the translation of Chinese classics into Tangut, named himself emperor of Da Xia, and demanded of the Song
emperor recognition as an equal. The Song court accepted the recognition of Li Yuanhao as 'governor', but not 'emperor
', a title considered exclusive to the Song emperor. After intense diplomatic contacts, in 1043 the Tangut state accepted the recognition of the Song emperor as emperor in exchange for annual gifts, which implied tacit recognition on the part of the Song of the military power of the Tangut.
's death (1048), Yizong
became the emperor at the age of two. His mother became the regent and during Yizong's reign, Liao Dynasty launched an invasion of Western Xia, causing Western Xia to submit to Liao Dynasty as a vassal state. After Yizong's death, Huizong was put under house arrest by his mother, and she attacked Song Dynasty. The attack was a failure, and Huizong took back power from his mother. After Chongzong became emperor, his grandmother (Huizong's mother) became regent again and launched invasion of Liao Dynasty and Song Dynasty. Again, both campaigns ended in defeat and Chongzong took direct control of Western Xia. He ended wars with both Liao and Song and focused on domestic reform.
In 1115, Jurchen Jin Dynasty was set up and Liao emperor fled to Western Xia in 1123. Chongzong submitted to the Jin demand of the Liao emperor and Western Xia became a vassal state of Jin. After Jin Dynasty destroyed Northern Song Dynasty, Western Xia attacked and took several thousands square miles of land from Northern Song. Immediately following Renzong's coronation, many natural disasters occurred and Renzong worked to stabilize the economy.
The kingdom developed a script to write its own Tibeto-Burman language.
's death, Emperor Huanzong of Western Xia
came into power and Western Xia's power began to fail. After Genghis Khan
unified the northern grasslands of Mongolia
, the Xianbei
who resided near Mt. Yin self proclaimed to be “White Mongols
” and joined them. They received the same treatment as the Mongols and partook in their westward conquests in Central Asia
and Europe. During this period, the Mongol troops led by Genghis carried out six rounds of attacks against Western Xia over a period of twenty-two years (1202, 1207, 1209–10, 1211–13, 1214–19, 1225–26).
In 1206, Xiangzong (Li An-chuan) initiated a coup d'état against Huanzong and killed him, installing himself as emperor. In 1207 Li An-ch'uan submitted to the Mongols, and gave his daughter to Genghis Khan
in marriage. Xiangzong then began a decade-long campaign against the Jin Empire, significantly weakening both empires. Also during Xiangzong's reign, corruption rose to new heights, and the peasants were in poverty. The Western Xia army was also untrained and ill-equipped. Xiangzong abdicated after Shenzong started a coup d'état and seized power, and Xiangzong died in the same year, 1211.
The Mongols asked their allies and tributaries for military aid in the campaign against the Islamic countries in 1216. Although the Tangut emperor Shenzong
was willing, his court and, in particular, his general Aša-gambu, recommended against it. When Genghis Khan returned from his campaign the new emperor Xianzong pled with him, but the general Aša-gambu challenged Genghis Khan. The emperor Xianzong died during the fighting and was succeeded by Modi (Li Xian), the last of the Tangut rulers. Modi sued for peace, which was accepted, but he was then executed by Tolui
, the son of Genghis Khan
. (cf. Kwanten 1974).
In 1221–1222 (time of Karma Pakshi
) a Karma Kagyu
Lama, Tsangpa Tungkhur-wa, was invited to Minyak, which by this time had become largely Buddhist and Tibetanized. He was still there when Genghis Khan died in 1227 and he received an edict of approval from the queen.
During the last round of the Mongol attacks, Genghis died in Western Xia. The official account of the Mongol history attributed his death to an illness, whereas legends accounted that he died from a wound inflicted in the battles. After the Western Xia capital was overrun in 1227, the Mongols devastating its buildings and written records, killing the last emperor and massacring tens of thousands of civilians—effectively bringing the state to an end.
Thereafter, the Western Xia troops were incorporated into the Mongol army in their subsequent military conquests in central and southern China. Due to the fierce resistance of the Xia against the Mongol attacks, especially in causing the death of Genghis, the Tanguts were initially suppressed in the Yuan Dynasty
(1271–1368). Toward the middle and later phases of the Yuan, they received equivalent treatment as the ruling Mongols and attained highest offices in the Central Court. After the Yuan fell, a substantial number of the Tanguts followed the Mongols into the northern grassland. Other communities remained in China, in modern Anhui surviving well into the Ming dynasty. Members of the royal clan emigrated to western Sichuan, northern Tibet, even possibly northeast India, in some instances becoming local rulers.
The state existed from 1038 to 1227 AD in what are now the northwestern Chinese provinces of Ningxia
Ningxia
Ningxia, formerly transliterated as Ningsia, is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China. Located in Northwest China, on the Loess Plateau, the Yellow River flows through this vast area of land. The Great Wall of China runs along its northeastern boundary...
, Gansu
Gansu
' is a province located in the northwest of the People's Republic of China.It lies between the Tibetan and Huangtu plateaus, and borders Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, and Ningxia to the north, Xinjiang and Qinghai to the west, Sichuan to the south, and Shaanxi to the east...
, eastern Qinghai
Qinghai
Qinghai ; Oirat Mongolian: ; ; Salar:) is a province of the People's Republic of China, named after Qinghai Lake...
, northern Shaanxi
Shaanxi
' is a province in the central part of Mainland China, and it includes portions of the Loess Plateau on the middle reaches of the Yellow River in addition to the Qinling Mountains across the southern part of this province...
, northeastern Xinjiang
Xinjiang
Xinjiang is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China. It is the largest Chinese administrative division and spans over 1.6 million km2...
, southwest Inner Mongolia
Inner Mongolia
Inner Mongolia is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China, located in the northern region of the country. Inner Mongolia shares an international border with the countries of Mongolia and the Russian Federation...
, and southernmost Outer Mongolia
Outer Mongolia
Outer Mongolia was a territory of the Qing Dynasty = the Manchu Empire. Its area was roughly equivalent to that of the modern state of Mongolia, which is sometimes informally called "Outer Mongolia" today...
, measuring about eight hundred thousand square kilometers. The state suffered from devastating destruction by the Mongols
Mongols
Mongols ) are a Central-East Asian ethnic group that lives mainly in the countries of Mongolia, China, and Russia. In China, ethnic Mongols can be found mainly in the central north region of China such as Inner Mongolia...
who founded Yuan Dynasty
Yuan Dynasty
The Yuan Dynasty , or Great Yuan Empire was a ruling dynasty founded by the Mongol leader Kublai Khan, who ruled most of present-day China, all of modern Mongolia and its surrounding areas, lasting officially from 1271 to 1368. It is considered both as a division of the Mongol Empire and as an...
(1271–1368), including most of its written records and architecture. Its founders and history therefore remained controversial until recent research conducted both in the West and within China. They occupied the area of important trade route between North China and Central Asia
Central Asia
Central Asia is a core region of the Asian continent from the Caspian Sea in the west, China in the east, Afghanistan in the south, and Russia in the north...
, the Hexi Corridor
Hexi Corridor
Hexi Corridor or Gansu Corridor refers to the historical route in Gansu province of China. As part of the Northern Silk Road running northwest from the bank of the Yellow River, it was the most important route from North China to the Tarim Basin and Central Asia for traders and the military. The...
. The Western Xia made significant achievements in literature, art, music, and architecture, which was characterized as “shining and sparkling”. Their extensive stance among the other empires of the Liao
Liao Dynasty
The Liao Dynasty , also known as the Khitan Empire was an empire in East Asia that ruled over the regions of Manchuria, Mongolia, and parts of northern China proper between 9071125...
, Song
Song Dynasty
The Song Dynasty was a ruling dynasty in China between 960 and 1279; it succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period, and was followed by the Yuan Dynasty. It was the first government in world history to issue banknotes or paper money, and the first Chinese government to establish a...
, and Jin was attributable to their effective military organizations that integrated cavalry, chariots, archery, shields, artillery (cannons carried on the back of camels), and amphibious troops for combats on the land and water
Name
The full title of the Western Xia was called their own state "phiow¹-bjij²-lhjij-lhjij²" which translates as "The Great Xia State of the White and the Lofty" (白高大夏國), or called "mjɨ-njaa" or "khjɨ-dwuu-lhjij" (萬秘國). The region was known to the Tanguts and the Tibetans as Minyak (彌藥).Its reference as “Western Xia” came from the Chinese record of “Xi-Xia” (西夏), literally "Western Xia", and thus that name is often used in Sinological literature. It was derived from its location on the western side of the Yellow River
Yellow River
The Yellow River or Huang He, formerly known as the Hwang Ho, is the second-longest river in China and the sixth-longest in the world at the estimated length of . Originating in the Bayan Har Mountains in Qinghai Province in western China, it flows through nine provinces of China and empties into...
, in contrast to the Liao
Liao Dynasty
The Liao Dynasty , also known as the Khitan Empire was an empire in East Asia that ruled over the regions of Manchuria, Mongolia, and parts of northern China proper between 9071125...
(916–1125) and Jin (1115–1234) on its east, and the Song Dynasty
Song Dynasty
The Song Dynasty was a ruling dynasty in China between 960 and 1279; it succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period, and was followed by the Yuan Dynasty. It was the first government in world history to issue banknotes or paper money, and the first Chinese government to establish a...
in the south. The English reference of "Tangut" comes from the Mongolian
Mongolian language
The Mongolian language is the official language of Mongolia and the best-known member of the Mongolic language family. The number of speakers across all its dialects may be 5.2 million, including the vast majority of the residents of Mongolia and many of the Mongolian residents of the Inner...
name for the country, Tangghud , believed to reflect the same word as “Dangxiang” found in Chinese literature.
Foundations
The founder of the Tangut-Western Xia was the TuobaTuoba
Tuoba, or Tabgach, were a clan of Xianbei people of ancient China.-Xianbei Tuoba:Tuoba was a clan of the Xianbei people in the early centuries of the 1st millennium AD. They established the State of Dai from 310 to 376 AD, and the Northern Wei Dynasty from 386 to 536 AD...
Xianbei
Xianbei
The Xianbei were a significant Mongolic nomadic people residing in Manchuria, Inner Mongolia and eastern Mongolia. The title “Khan” was first used among the Xianbei.-Origins:...
from the Tuyühu (often misspelled as Tuyuhun) Empire. After Tuyühu Empire was destroyed by the Tibetans in 670, its famous prince, Tuoba
Tuoba
Tuoba, or Tabgach, were a clan of Xianbei people of ancient China.-Xianbei Tuoba:Tuoba was a clan of the Xianbei people in the early centuries of the 1st millennium AD. They established the State of Dai from 310 to 376 AD, and the Northern Wei Dynasty from 386 to 536 AD...
Chici, who controlled the “Dangxiang Qiang” submitted under the Tang Dynasty
Tang Dynasty
The Tang Dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was founded by the Li family, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire...
and was “bestowed” with the royal name of “Li”. In the end of the Tang Dynasty, the Tuoba
Tuoba
Tuoba, or Tabgach, were a clan of Xianbei people of ancient China.-Xianbei Tuoba:Tuoba was a clan of the Xianbei people in the early centuries of the 1st millennium AD. They established the State of Dai from 310 to 376 AD, and the Northern Wei Dynasty from 386 to 536 AD...
brought troops to suppress the Huangchao Rebellion on behalf of the Tang
Tang Dynasty
The Tang Dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was founded by the Li family, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire...
court and took control of the Xia State, or Xia Zhou, in northern Shaanxi
Shaanxi
' is a province in the central part of Mainland China, and it includes portions of the Loess Plateau on the middle reaches of the Yellow River in addition to the Qinling Mountains across the southern part of this province...
in 881. After the Tang fell in 907, the Tuoba
Tuoba
Tuoba, or Tabgach, were a clan of Xianbei people of ancient China.-Xianbei Tuoba:Tuoba was a clan of the Xianbei people in the early centuries of the 1st millennium AD. They established the State of Dai from 310 to 376 AD, and the Northern Wei Dynasty from 386 to 536 AD...
descendants formally declared resistance against the expanding Northern Song in 982 and proclaimed independence to establish the Western Xia or Tangut, in 1038.
The foundation of Western Xia goes back to the year 982 under Li Deming
Li Deming
Li Deming was the eldest son of Li Jiqian, the founder of the Western Xia dynasty. When his father died in battle in 1004, Li Deming became leader of the Tangut people, and over the next twenty years he considerably expanded the territory controlled by the Tanguts. In 1028 he named his son Li...
(李德明). However, it would not be until 1038 that the Tangut chieftain Li Yuanhao
Emperor Jingzong of Western Xia
Emperor Jingzong of Western Xia , born Li Yuanhao , or Tuoba Yuanhao , was the first emperor of the Western Xia Empire located in northwestern China, reigning from 1038 to 1048...
(李元昊), Li Deming's son, who also ordered the creation of a Tangut writing system and the translation of Chinese classics into Tangut, named himself emperor of Da Xia, and demanded of the Song
Song Dynasty
The Song Dynasty was a ruling dynasty in China between 960 and 1279; it succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period, and was followed by the Yuan Dynasty. It was the first government in world history to issue banknotes or paper money, and the first Chinese government to establish a...
emperor recognition as an equal. The Song court accepted the recognition of Li Yuanhao as 'governor', but not 'emperor
Emperor of China
The Emperor of China refers to any sovereign of Imperial China reigning between the founding of Qin Dynasty of China, united by the King of Qin in 221 BCE, and the fall of Yuan Shikai's Empire of China in 1916. When referred to as the Son of Heaven , a title that predates the Qin unification, the...
', a title considered exclusive to the Song emperor. After intense diplomatic contacts, in 1043 the Tangut state accepted the recognition of the Song emperor as emperor in exchange for annual gifts, which implied tacit recognition on the part of the Song of the military power of the Tangut.
Early history
After JingzongEmperor Jingzong of Western Xia
Emperor Jingzong of Western Xia , born Li Yuanhao , or Tuoba Yuanhao , was the first emperor of the Western Xia Empire located in northwestern China, reigning from 1038 to 1048...
's death (1048), Yizong
Emperor Yizong of Western Xia
Emperor Yizong of Western Xia was Emperor of the Western Xia from 1048 to 1067. After his father's death in 1048, Yizong assumed the throne at the age of one, but most of the power laid in the hands of the Dowager. In 1049, the Liao Dynasty attacked Western Xia and forced it to become a vassal...
became the emperor at the age of two. His mother became the regent and during Yizong's reign, Liao Dynasty launched an invasion of Western Xia, causing Western Xia to submit to Liao Dynasty as a vassal state. After Yizong's death, Huizong was put under house arrest by his mother, and she attacked Song Dynasty. The attack was a failure, and Huizong took back power from his mother. After Chongzong became emperor, his grandmother (Huizong's mother) became regent again and launched invasion of Liao Dynasty and Song Dynasty. Again, both campaigns ended in defeat and Chongzong took direct control of Western Xia. He ended wars with both Liao and Song and focused on domestic reform.
In 1115, Jurchen Jin Dynasty was set up and Liao emperor fled to Western Xia in 1123. Chongzong submitted to the Jin demand of the Liao emperor and Western Xia became a vassal state of Jin. After Jin Dynasty destroyed Northern Song Dynasty, Western Xia attacked and took several thousands square miles of land from Northern Song. Immediately following Renzong's coronation, many natural disasters occurred and Renzong worked to stabilize the economy.
The kingdom developed a script to write its own Tibeto-Burman language.
The Tanguts and the Mongols
After RenzongRenzong
Renzong may refer to:* Emperor Renzong of Song * Emperor Renzong of Western Xia * Emperor Renzong of Western Liao , a sovereign of the Kara-Khitan Khanate...
's death, Emperor Huanzong of Western Xia
Emperor Huanzong of Western Xia
Emperor Huanzong of Western Xia lived from 1177 to 1206 and reigned from 1193 to 1206.He was the son of Emperor Renzong, and tried to follow the policies dictated by his father. However, the high-ranking officials in the Western Xia government became more corrupt as time passed, starting the...
came into power and Western Xia's power began to fail. After Genghis Khan
Genghis Khan
Genghis Khan , born Temujin and occasionally known by his temple name Taizu , was the founder and Great Khan of the Mongol Empire, which became the largest contiguous empire in history after his death....
unified the northern grasslands of Mongolia
Mongolia
Mongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest...
, the Xianbei
Xianbei
The Xianbei were a significant Mongolic nomadic people residing in Manchuria, Inner Mongolia and eastern Mongolia. The title “Khan” was first used among the Xianbei.-Origins:...
who resided near Mt. Yin self proclaimed to be “White Mongols
Mongols
Mongols ) are a Central-East Asian ethnic group that lives mainly in the countries of Mongolia, China, and Russia. In China, ethnic Mongols can be found mainly in the central north region of China such as Inner Mongolia...
” and joined them. They received the same treatment as the Mongols and partook in their westward conquests in Central Asia
Central Asia
Central Asia is a core region of the Asian continent from the Caspian Sea in the west, China in the east, Afghanistan in the south, and Russia in the north...
and Europe. During this period, the Mongol troops led by Genghis carried out six rounds of attacks against Western Xia over a period of twenty-two years (1202, 1207, 1209–10, 1211–13, 1214–19, 1225–26).
In 1206, Xiangzong (Li An-chuan) initiated a coup d'état against Huanzong and killed him, installing himself as emperor. In 1207 Li An-ch'uan submitted to the Mongols, and gave his daughter to Genghis Khan
Genghis Khan
Genghis Khan , born Temujin and occasionally known by his temple name Taizu , was the founder and Great Khan of the Mongol Empire, which became the largest contiguous empire in history after his death....
in marriage. Xiangzong then began a decade-long campaign against the Jin Empire, significantly weakening both empires. Also during Xiangzong's reign, corruption rose to new heights, and the peasants were in poverty. The Western Xia army was also untrained and ill-equipped. Xiangzong abdicated after Shenzong started a coup d'état and seized power, and Xiangzong died in the same year, 1211.
The Mongols asked their allies and tributaries for military aid in the campaign against the Islamic countries in 1216. Although the Tangut emperor Shenzong
Shenzong
Shenzong is the temple name of several Chinese, Korean or Vietnamese emperors. It may refer to:* Emperor Shenzong of Song China * Wanli Emperor of the Ming Dynasty * Emperor Shenzong of Western Xia...
was willing, his court and, in particular, his general Aša-gambu, recommended against it. When Genghis Khan returned from his campaign the new emperor Xianzong pled with him, but the general Aša-gambu challenged Genghis Khan. The emperor Xianzong died during the fighting and was succeeded by Modi (Li Xian), the last of the Tangut rulers. Modi sued for peace, which was accepted, but he was then executed by Tolui
Tolui
Tolui, was the youngest son of Genghis Khan by his chief khatun Börte...
, the son of Genghis Khan
Genghis Khan
Genghis Khan , born Temujin and occasionally known by his temple name Taizu , was the founder and Great Khan of the Mongol Empire, which became the largest contiguous empire in history after his death....
. (cf. Kwanten 1974).
In 1221–1222 (time of Karma Pakshi
Karma Pakshi
Karma Pakshi was the 2nd Gyalwa Karmapa. He was a child prodigy who had already acquired a broad understanding of Dharma philosophy and meditation by the age of ten. His teacher, Pomdrakpa, had received the full Kagyu transmission from Drogon Rechen, the first Karmapa's spiritual heir...
) a Karma Kagyu
Karma Kagyu
Karma Kagyu , or Kamtsang Kagyu, is probably the largest and certainly the most widely practiced lineage within the Kagyu school, one of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism. The lineage has long-standing monasteries in Tibet, China, Russia, Mongolia, India, Nepal, and Bhutan, and current...
Lama, Tsangpa Tungkhur-wa, was invited to Minyak, which by this time had become largely Buddhist and Tibetanized. He was still there when Genghis Khan died in 1227 and he received an edict of approval from the queen.
During the last round of the Mongol attacks, Genghis died in Western Xia. The official account of the Mongol history attributed his death to an illness, whereas legends accounted that he died from a wound inflicted in the battles. After the Western Xia capital was overrun in 1227, the Mongols devastating its buildings and written records, killing the last emperor and massacring tens of thousands of civilians—effectively bringing the state to an end.
Thereafter, the Western Xia troops were incorporated into the Mongol army in their subsequent military conquests in central and southern China. Due to the fierce resistance of the Xia against the Mongol attacks, especially in causing the death of Genghis, the Tanguts were initially suppressed in the Yuan Dynasty
Yuan Dynasty
The Yuan Dynasty , or Great Yuan Empire was a ruling dynasty founded by the Mongol leader Kublai Khan, who ruled most of present-day China, all of modern Mongolia and its surrounding areas, lasting officially from 1271 to 1368. It is considered both as a division of the Mongol Empire and as an...
(1271–1368). Toward the middle and later phases of the Yuan, they received equivalent treatment as the ruling Mongols and attained highest offices in the Central Court. After the Yuan fell, a substantial number of the Tanguts followed the Mongols into the northern grassland. Other communities remained in China, in modern Anhui surviving well into the Ming dynasty. Members of the royal clan emigrated to western Sichuan, northern Tibet, even possibly northeast India, in some instances becoming local rulers.
Rulers of Western Xia
| Temple Name Temple name Temple names are commonly used when naming most Chinese, Korean , and Vietnamese royalty. They should not be confused with era names. Compared to posthumous names, the use of temple names is more exclusive... | Posthumous Name Posthumous name A posthumous name is an honorary name given to royalty, nobles, and sometimes others, in East Asia after the person's death, and is used almost exclusively instead of one's personal name or other official titles during his life... | Personal Name | Reign Dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jǐngzōng Emperor Jingzong of Western Xia Emperor Jingzong of Western Xia , born Li Yuanhao , or Tuoba Yuanhao , was the first emperor of the Western Xia Empire located in northwestern China, reigning from 1038 to 1048... 景宗 |
Wǔlièdì 武烈帝 | Lǐ Yuánhào 李元昊 | 1038–1048 |
| Yìzōng Emperor Yizong of Western Xia Emperor Yizong of Western Xia was Emperor of the Western Xia from 1048 to 1067. After his father's death in 1048, Yizong assumed the throne at the age of one, but most of the power laid in the hands of the Dowager. In 1049, the Liao Dynasty attacked Western Xia and forced it to become a vassal... 毅宗 |
Zhāoyīngdì 昭英帝 | Lǐ Liàngzuò 李諒祚 | 1048–1067 |
| Huìzōng Emperor Huizong of Western Xia Huizong was Emperor of Western Xia .After his father's sudden death, Huizong assumed the throne at the young age of six. His mother became the regent for the rest of Huizong's reign. In 1076, Huizong turned sixteen, and was supposed to assume direct control of the throne, but was stopped by the... 惠宗 |
Kāngjìngdì 康靖帝 | Lǐ Bǐngcháng 李秉常 | 1067–1086 |
| Chóngzōng Emperor Chongzong of Western Xia Emperor Xixia Chongzong of Western Xia , or Li Qianshun , was a Tangut emperor of Western Xia from 1086 until 1139. Where Chongzong is his temple name and Li Qianshun his living name, Shèngwéndì is his posthumous name... 崇宗 |
Shèngwéndì 聖文帝 | Lǐ Qiánshùn 李乾順 | 1086–1139 |
| Rénzōng Emperor Renzong of Western Xia Emperor Renzong , born Li Renxiao, was the 5th emperor of the Western Xia dynasty .Li Renxiao was the eldest son of Emperor Chongzong, and succeeded him at the age of sixteen. After ascending into the throne, Renzong made friendly overtures to the Jin Dynasty... 仁宗 |
Shèngzhēndì 聖禎帝 | Lǐ Rénxiào 李仁孝 | 1139–1193 |
| Huánzōng Emperor Huanzong of Western Xia Emperor Huanzong of Western Xia lived from 1177 to 1206 and reigned from 1193 to 1206.He was the son of Emperor Renzong, and tried to follow the policies dictated by his father. However, the high-ranking officials in the Western Xia government became more corrupt as time passed, starting the... 桓宗 |
Zhāojiǎndì 昭簡帝 | Lǐ Chúnyòu 李純佑 | 1193–1206 |
| Xiāngzōng Emperor Xiangzong of Western Xia Emperor Xiangzong of Western Xia lived from 1170 to 1211, and reigned from 1206 to 1211.Xiangzong came into power after a coup d'état with his cousin Renzong's empress against Renzong. Many historians regarded him as incompetent. Xiangzong attacked the Jin Empire, destroying the years of peace... 襄宗 |
Jìngmùdì 敬穆帝 | Lǐ Ānquán 李安全 | 1206–1211 |
| Shénzōng Emperor Shenzong of Western Xia Shenzong, né Li Zunxu, was emperor of Western Xia from 1211 to 1223. He lived from 1163 to 1226.Shenzong took power after a coup d'état and continued Xiangzong's policy of invading Jin Empire. He started many campaigns against Jin before the Jin Emperor counterattacked, killing many Western Xia... 神宗 |
Yīngwéndì 英文帝 | Lǐ Zūnxū 李遵頊 | 1211–1223 |
| Xiànzōng Emperor Xianzong of Western Xia Emperor Xianzong of Western Xia lived from 1181 to 1226. He reigned for three years and was the second son of Emperor Shenzong.Xianzong changed his predecessor's policy and decided to ally with Jin. However, the Jin Empire was under a barrage of assault from the Mongol Empire and was unable to help... 獻宗 |
none | Lǐ Déwàng 李德旺 | 1223–1226 |
| Mòdì 末帝 | none | Lǐ Xiàn 李晛 | 1226–1227 |
See also
- Tanguts
- History of ChinaHistory of ChinaChinese civilization originated in various regional centers along both the Yellow River and the Yangtze River valleys in the Neolithic era, but the Yellow River is said to be the Cradle of Chinese Civilization. With thousands of years of continuous history, China is one of the world's oldest...
- Ethnic groups in Chinese historyEthnic groups in Chinese historyEthnic groups in Chinese history refer to various or presumed ethnicities of significance to the history of China, gathered through the study of Classical Chinese literature, Chinese and non-Chinese literary sources and inscriptions, historical linguistics, and archaeological research.Among the...
- Khara-KhotoKhara-KhotoKhara-Khoto was a Tangut city in the Ejin khoshuu of Alxa League, in western Inner Mongolia, near the former Gashun Lake. It has been identified as the city of Etzina, which appears in The Travels of Marco Polo.-History:...