Western Xia

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"Xi Xia" redirects here. For the Chinese general whose name may be transliterated as Xi Xia, see Xi Qia.
Western Xia
Western Xia 2.svg
China 11a.jpg
Location of Western Xia in 1111 (green in north west)
Capital Xingqing
Languages Tangut, Chinese
Religion Primary:
Dharma Wheel.svg Buddhism
Yin and Yang.svg Taoism
Black Confucian symbol.PNG Confucianism
Chinese lu symbol - 禄.svg Chinese folk religion
Allah-green.svg Islam
Government Monarchy
 -  1038–1048 Emperor Jingzong
 -  1206–1211 Emperor Xiangzong
 -  1226–1227 Emperor Modi
Historical era Postclassical Era
 -  Li Jiqian rebels against Song Dynasty 984
 -  Dynasty established by Emperor Jingzong 1038
 -  Subjugated by Mongol Empire 1210
 -  Destroyed by Mongol Empire after rebellion 1227
 -  1142 est. 800,000 km² (308,882 sq mi)
 -  peak est. 3,000,000 
Today part of  China
History of China
History of China
Neolithic c. 8500–c. 2100 BCE
Xia dynasty c. 2100–c. 1600 BCE
Shang dynasty c. 1600–c. 1046 BCE
Zhou dynasty c. 1045–256 BCE
 Western Zhou
 Eastern Zhou
   Spring and Autumn
   Warring States
Qin dynasty 221–206 BCE
Han dynasty 206 BCE – 220 CE
  Western Han
  Xin dynasty
  Eastern Han
Three Kingdoms 220–280
  Wei, Shu and Wu
Jin dynasty 265–420
  Western Jin
  Eastern Jin 16 Kingdoms
Southern and Northern Dynasties
Sui dynasty 581–618
Tang dynasty 618–907
  (Second Zhou 690–705)
5 Dynasties and
10 Kingdoms

Liao dynasty
Song dynasty
  Northern Song W. Xia
  Southern Song Jin
Yuan dynasty 1271–1368
Ming dynasty 1368–1644
Qing dynasty 1644–1911
Republic of China 1912–1949
People's Republic
of China

Republic of
China on Taiwan


The Western Xia (Chinese: 西; pinyin: Xī Xià; Wade-Giles: Hsi Hsia) also known as the Tangut Empire and to the Tanguts and the Tibetans as Minyak,[1] was an empire which 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.[2][3][4] The state suffered from devastating destruction by the Mongols who founded the Mongol Empire, 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".[5] 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 land and water.[6]


The full title of the Western Xia as named by their own state is "Western Xia 2.svg" reconstructed as /*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).[1][7]

"Western Xia" is the literal translation of the state's Chinese name "Xi Xia" (西夏). It is 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 southeast. The English reference of "Tangut" comes from the Mongolian name for the country, Tangghut (Taŋɣud), believed to reflect the same word as "Dangxiang" (党項) found in Chinese literature.


The Mongolian Tuoba clan of the Xianbei people from the Tuyuhun Kingdom founded the Tangut-Western Xia. After the Tibetans destroyed the Tuyuhun Kingdom in 670, its famous prince, Tuoba Chici, who controlled the "Dangxiang Qiang" submitted to the Tang Dynasty, which "bestowed" upon him the royal name of Li (李). Towards the end of the Tang Dynasty, the Tuoba brought troops to suppress the Huang Chao Rebellion (874–884) 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 dynasty 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 Jiqian. However, only in 1038 did the Tangut chieftain Li Yuanhao (son of Li Deming, who also ordered the creation of a Tangut writing system and the translation of Chinese classics into Tangut) namee himself emperor of Da Xia, and demand of the Song emperor recognition as an equal. The Song court recognised Li Yuanhao as "governor", but not as "emperor", a title it regarded as 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[edit]


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 attacked and took parts of the northern territories from the Song Dynasty, initiating the Southern Song period, Western Xia also attacked and took several thousands square miles of land. 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.[1][8]

Conquest by the Mongols[edit]











Rulers of Western Xia[edit]

Temple Name Posthumous Name Personal Name Reign Dates
Xiànzōng 獻宗 none Lǐ Déwàng 李德旺 1223–1226
Mòdì 末帝 none Lǐ Xiàn 李晛 1226–1227

See also[edit]




  7. ^ Dorje (1999), p. 444.
  10. ^ a b c d May, Timothy (2012). The Mongol Conquests in World History. London: Reaktion Books. p. 1211. ISBN 9781861899712. 
  12. ^ a b de Hartog, Leo (2004). Genghis Khan: Conqueror of the World. New York City: I.B. Tauris. p. 59. ISBN 1860649726. 
  14. ^ Rossabi, William (2009). Genghis Khan and the Mongol empire. Seattle: University of Washington Press. p. 156. ISBN 9622178359. 
  16. ^ Man, John (2004). Genghis Khan: Life, Death, and Resurrection. New York City: St. Martin's Press. p. 133. ISBN 9780312366247. 
  17. ^ Kessler, Adam T. (2012). Song Blue and White Porcelain on the Silk Road. Leiden: Brill Publishers. p. 91. ISBN 9789004218598. 
  18. ^ a b Kohn, George C. (2007). Dictionary of Wars (3rd ed.). New York City: Infobase Publishing. p. 205. ISBN 9781438129167. 
  19. ^ Man, John (2004). Genghis Khan: Life, Death, and Resurrection. New York City: St. Martin's Press. p. 160. ISBN 9780312366247. 
  20. ^ a b c Ebrey, Patricia Buckley (2012). East Asia: A Cultural, Social, and Political History (3rd ed.). Stamford, Connecticut: Cengage Learning. p. 199. ISBN 9781133606475. 
  21. ^ Emmons, James B. (2012). "Genghis Khan". In Li, Xiaobing. China at War: An Encyclopedia (Santa Barbara, California: ABC-CLIO). p. 139. ISBN 9781598844153. 
  22. ^ Man, John (2004). Genghis Khan: Life, Death, and Resurrection. New York City: St. Martin's Press. p. 212. ISBN 9780312366247. 
  23. ^ Mote, Frederick W. (1999). Imperial China: 900-1800. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press. pp. 255–256. ISBN 0674012127. 
  24. ^ Man, John (2004). Genghis Khan: Life, Death, and Resurrection. New York City: St. Martin's Press. pp. 212–213. ISBN 9780312366247. 
  25. ^ Man, John (2004). Genghis Khan: Life, Death, and Resurrection. New York City: St. Martin's Press. p. 213. ISBN 9780312366247. 
  26. ^ a b c Man, John (2004). Genghis Khan: Life, Death, and Resurrection. New York City: St. Martin's Press. p. 214. ISBN 9780312366247. 
  27. ^ Hartog 2004, pg. 134
  28. ^ Tucker, Spencer C., ed. (2010). A Global Chronology of Conflict: From the Ancient World to the Modern Middle East: From the Ancient World to the Modern Middle East. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-CLIO. p. 276. ISBN 1851096728. 
  29. ^ de Hartog, Leo (2004). Genghis Khan: Conqueror of the World. New York City: I.B. Tauris. p. 135. ISBN 1860649726. 
  30. ^ Man, John (2004). Genghis Khan: Life, Death, and Resurrection. New York City: St. Martin's Press. p. 219. ISBN 9780312366247. 
  31. ^ Man, John (2004). Genghis Khan: Life, Death, and Resurrection. New York City: St. Martin's Press. pp. 219–220. ISBN 9780312366247. 
  32. ^ a b c de Hartog, Leo (2004). Genghis Khan: Conqueror of the World. New York City: I.B. Tauris. p. 137. ISBN 1860649726. 
  33. ^ Lange, Brenda (2003). Genghis Khan. New York City: Infobase Publishing. p. 71. ISBN 9780791072226. 
  34. ^ Man, John (2004). Genghis Khan: Life, Death, and Resurrection. New York City: St. Martin's Press. p. 238. ISBN 9780312366247. 
  35. ^ Sinor, D.; Shimin, Geng; Kychanov, Y. I. (1998). "The Uighurs, the Kyrgyz and the Tangut (Eighth to the Thirteenth Century)". In Asimov, M. S.; Bosworth, C. E.. Age of Achievement: A.D. 750 to the End of the Fifteenth Century 4 (Paris: UNESCO). p. 214. ISBN 9231034677. 
  36. ^ Mote, Frederick W. (1999). Imperial China: 900-1800. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press. p. 256. ISBN 0674012127. 
  37. ^ Boland-Crewe, Tara and Lea, David, ed. (2002). The Territories of the People's Republic of China. London: Europa Publications. p. 215. ISBN 9780203403112. 
  38. ^ Man, John (2004). Genghis Khan: Life, Death, and Resurrection. New York City: St. Martin's Press. pp. 116–117. ISBN 9780312366247. 
  40. ^ Mote 1999, pg. 256
  41. ^ Mote, Frederick W. (1999). Imperial China: 900-1800. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press. pp. 256–257. ISBN 0674012127. 

External links[edit]