Northern Han

Han
漢
Han 漢
951–979
	The Northern Han in 951
Capital	Taiyuan
Common languages	Chinese
Religion	Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, Chinese folk religion
Government	Monarchy
Emperor
• 951–954	Emperor Shizu
• 954–968	Emperor Ruizong
• 968	Emperor Shaozhu
• 968–979	Emperor Yingwu
Historical era	Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period
• Established	951
• Ended by the Song dynasty	979
Currency	Chinese cash, Chinese coin, copper coins etc.
Preceded by	Succeeded by
	Later Han (Five Dynasties)
Song dynasty
Today part of	China

The Northern Han (simplified Chinese: 北汉; traditional Chinese: 北漢; pinyin: Běi Hàn) was a dynastic state of China and one of the Ten Kingdoms during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period. It was founded by Liu Min (Emperor Shizu) as a continuation of the Later Han dynasty founded by his brother Liu Zhiyuan (Emperor Gaozu). The Northern Han lasted from 951 to 979, when it was conquered by the Northern Song dynasty.

Founding of the Northern Han

The short-lived state of Later Han fell in 950 because of Guo Wei, a powerful military governor's de facto coup. Liu Min founded the Northern Han Kingdom, sometimes referred to as the Eastern Han, in 951 claiming that he was the legitimate heir to the imperial throne of Later Han. Liu Min immediately restored the traditional relationship with the Khitans, who had founded the Liao dynasty.

Sources conflict as to the origin of the Later Han and Northern Han emperors; some indicate sinicized Shatuo ancestry^[1]^[2] while some traditional historical sources claim that the emperors claimed patrilineal Han Chinese ancestry.^{[note 1]}

Territorial extent

The Northern Han was a small kingdom located in Shanxi with its capital located at Taiyuan. Shanxi had been a traditional base of power since the fading days of the Tang dynasty in the late ninth century and early tenth century. It was wedged between the two major powers of the day, the Liao dynasty to the north and the Later Zhou dynasty (then the Northern Song dynasty) to the south.

Wedge between Liao and Song

The existence of the Northern Han was one of the two major thorns in relations between the Liao Dynasty and Later Zhou's successor Northern Song, the other being the continued possession of the Sixteen Prefectures by the Liao Dynasty. The Northern Han had placed itself under the protection of the Liao.^[3]

Emperor Taizu of Song was successful in nearly completing the incorporation of the southern kingdoms into the Song Dynasty by his death in 976. His younger brother, Emperor Taizong wished to emulate his older brother's successes. Wuyue was brought into the realm in 978.

Fall of the Northern Han

Emboldened by his success to the south, Emperor Taizong decided to embark on a campaign to finally destroy the Northern Han. Leading the army himself, he brought his forces to the Northern Han capital of Taiyuan, which was laid under siege in June. An initial relief force sent by the Liao was easily defeated by Song. After a two-month siege of the capital, the emperor of the Northern Han surrendered and the kingdom was incorporated into the Northern Song.

Rulers

Sovereigns in Northern Han Kingdom 951–979
Temple Names (Miao Hao 廟號)	Posthumous Names (Shi Hao 諡號)	Personal Names	Period of Reigns	Era Names (Nian Hao 年號) and their according range of years
世祖 Shìzǔ	神武帝 Shénwǔdì	Liu Min (劉旻)	951–954	Qiányòu (乾祐) 951–954
睿宗 Ruìzōng	孝和帝 Xiàohédì	Liu Jun (劉鈞)	954–968	Qiányòu (乾祐) 954–957 Tiānhuì (天會) 957–968
少主 Shàozhǔ	Did not exist	Liu Ji'en (劉繼恩)	968	Did not exist
Did not exist	英武帝 Yīngwǔdì	Liu Jiyuan (劉繼元)	968–979	Guǎngyùn (廣運) 968–979

The family tree of the Later Han and Northern Han rulers

- Later Han emperors; - Northern Han emperors

adopted

Marriage

Liu Tian 劉琠
Xianzu 显祖

Liu Zhiyuan 劉知遠 895–948
Gaozu 高祖
947–948

Liu Min 劉旻 895–954
Shizu 世祖
951–954

Liu Chengyou 劉承祐 931–951
Yindi 隱帝
948–951

Liu Yun 劉贇
d.951; r.950

Liu Jun 劉钧 926–968
Ruizong 睿宗
954–968

Xue Zhao
薛钊

Lady Liu
劉氏

Mr. He
何某

Liu Jien 劉继恩 d. 968
Shaozhu 少主
968

Liu Jiyuan 劉继元 d. 992
Yingwudi 英武帝
968–979

Notes

^ According to Old History of the Five Dynasties, vol. 99, and New History of the Five Dynasties, vol. 10. Liu Zhiyuan was of Shatuo origin. According to Wudai Huiyao, vol. 1 Liu Zhiyuan's great-great-grandfather Liu Tuan (劉湍) (titled as Emperor Mingyuan posthumously, granted the temple name of Wenzu) descended from Liu Bing (劉昞), Prince of Huaiyang, a son of Emperor Ming of Han.

References

Citations

^ Wilkinson, Endymion Porter (2000). Chinese History: A Manual. Harvard Univ Asia Center. p. 12. ISBN 9780674002494.
^ Mote, Frederick W. (2003). Imperial China 900-1800. Harvard University Press. pp. 67–68. ISBN 9780674012127.
^ History of the Five Dynasties, vol. 59.

Sources

Mote, F.W. (1999). Imperial China: 900-1800. Harvard University Press. pp. 16, 106–108. ISBN 0-674-01212-7.

[3] According to Old History of the Five Dynasties, vol. 99, and New History of the Five Dynasties, vol. 10. Liu Zhiyuan was of Shatuo origin. According to Wudai Huiyao, vol. 1 Liu Zhiyuan's great-great-grandfather Liu Tuan (劉湍) (titled as Emperor Mingyuan posthumously, granted the temple name of Wenzu) descended from Liu Bing (劉昞), Prince of Huaiyang, a son of Emperor Ming of Han.

[1] Wilkinson, Endymion Porter (2000). Chinese History: A Manual. Harvard Univ Asia Center. p. 12. ISBN 9780674002494.

[2] Mote, Frederick W. (2003). Imperial China 900-1800. Harvard University Press. pp. 67–68. ISBN 9780674012127.

[HFD59-4] History of the Five Dynasties, vol. 59.

[1]

[2]

[note 1]

[3]

v t e Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period (Timeline)
Five Dynasties	Later Liang Jin / Later Tang Later Jin Later Han Later Zhou
Ten Kingdoms (Ten States)	Wu Former Shu Chu Wuyue Min (Yin) Southern Han Jingnan Later Shu Southern Tang Northern Han
Other states	Qi Zhao Yan
De facto independent entities	Yiwu Circuit Dingnan Jiedushi Qingyuan Prefecture Jinghai Prefecture Wuping Prefecture [zh] Guiyi Prefecture Lulong Circuit
Neighboring states	Balhae Ganzhou Uyghur Kingdom Liao dynasty Tibetan kingdoms Dali Đại Việt
Histories	Old History of the Five Dynasties Historical Records of the Five Dynasties Spring and Autumn Annals of the Ten Kingdoms Wudai Huiyao

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