Kingdom of Nanzhao

Foundation of the Kingdom

In the beginning, several tribes bai were established on the grounds surrounding the lake Erhai, not far from the town of Dali. These tribes were called Mengshe (蒙舍), Mengsui (蒙嶲), Langqiong (浪穹), Dengtan (邆賧), Shilang (施浪), and Yuexi (越析). Each one of these tribes constituted a " royaume" indicated in Chinese by the " term; zhao" (诏). In 649, the chief of the Mengshe tribe, Xinuluo (細奴邏) founds the Kingdom of Damengguo (大蒙國) close to the lake Erhai. In 737, with the support of the Chinese dynasty of the Tang, Piluoge （皮罗阁） unifies the six " zhao" and a new kingdom called establishes Nanzhao. " Nan" (南) is the Chinese word indicating the south.

The Kingdom of Nanzhao remained in close contact with the dynasty of Tang. It consisted of two ethnos groups: in addition to the Bai, the Yi, of language tibéto-Burmese. Some historians think that the majority of the population was bai, but that the elite, called " Cuan" 爨 was yi. At all events, the capital was established in 738 with Taihe 太和 (today a village in the south of Dali). Located in the middle of the valley where the lake Erhai is, the site was ideal to be defended easily against the external attacks. The kingdom was centered on a rich person cultivated grounds area.

Military expansion

In 750, Nanzhao rebels against the Tang dynasty after ambassadors of king Ge Luofeng 阁罗凤 had been maltreated by the Chinese prefect. Gu Luofeng makes kill the prefect. In reprisals, Tang sends an army against Nanzhao during the summer of 751, but this army, led by Yang Guozhong 杨国忠 and cash 80.000 men, is severely beaten with Xiaguan 下关. (The same year, Tang had also been demolished by the Arabs with the Bataille of Catholic students in Central Asia. These events weakened the dynasty as well inside as outside China). Today, the Cave of the General 将军洞 (with two kilometers in the west of Xiaguan) and the Tomb of Dix-Mille Soldats 万人冢 (in the Tianbao park) testify to the width of the combat. In 754, one second army is sent, which arrives this time by the north, but which is also overcome.

At that time, Ge Luofeng makes allegiance with the Tibetans which then have still much weight in the area. This measurement brings forty years of stability to the area. As vassal of the Tibet, king de Nanzhao is called " young person frère" of the king Tibetan Trisong Detsen (towards 755-797) that it must help militarily and financially. At the same time, it attaches to its kingdom 42 ethnicities which form part of China still today.

On the whole, starting from 680, the kingdom of Nanzhao passed under control Tibetan. The Tibetans see their suzerainty recognized after 703. Indeed, during the summer of 703, the king of the Tibet, Düsong Mangpojé resided at Oljag (Ol-byag) with Ling (Gling), on the upper part of the river of the Yangtze, before process with the invasion of Kingdom of Nanzhao. The Tibetans still reinforce their control between 750 and 794, date on which Nanzhao are retournérent against their suzerains Tibetans with the assistance of China to overcome the army Tibetan.,

Several battles took place against the Chinese generals Tsui Ning und Wei Kao, without the State being endangered. In 794, the Chinese diplomacy gains a success: king Yi Mouxun 异牟寻 changes alliance and attacks the Tibetans with Kunming with the assistance of Wei Kao.

In the neighborhoods of year 800, the Kingdom of Nanzhao had become a relatively centralized State, although one can distinguish six principal entities of settlement inside. Nanzhao imitates the political and cultural model Chinese, but also underwent Tibetans influences and Indians. In this fertile region protected by mountains, the population increases, which makes it possible the Kingdom to know a certain extension to IXe century, initially in direction of the Burma, then in the remainder of Yunnan, towards the south in the septentrional part of the Laos and the Thailand, and finally towards north in direction of the Sichuan.

One can quickly outline the stages of this extension. Towards 800, the State of Pyu, in the north of Burma, was vassal of Nanzhao. This weakening of Pyu supports the immigration of the Burmeses in this area and leads finally to the foundation of Pagan. In 832, the State pyu of Sri Ksetra, in the lower course of the Irrawaddy, is occupied. A little front, in 829, the town of Chengdu is taken and plundered, which allows the Kingdom nanzhao to assert the whole of the province of Sichuan with its abundant rice plantations. Finally, Li Deyu, Minister for the emperor Wuzong (reign 840 - 846), manage to stabilize the border of China of Tang for about thirty years. In addition to Burma and Sichuan, kings de Nanzhao were interested in North Vietnam and the Chinese province of Lingnan. The stake was the maritime trade along the coast until the Top Yangzi. Towards 861, king de Nanzhao asks to treat on an equal footing with China, in other words it wishes to be seen recognizing the title of emperor.

Decline and end of the Kingdom

Several military forwardings take place in direction of Hanoi (then called Shenglong), and of hard combat oppose, 858 with 866, the troops of Nanzhao to the Chinese prefects of this area. Nanzhao raise troops in the vassal State of Pyu. The Chinese confiscate even trading vessels to finance this war. Hanoi is several times taken and lost. Finally, the Chinese Kao Pien gains a victory and the theater of the operations moves towards Sichuan.

After a Chinese attack missed against Nanzhao (865-867), this last keeps temporarily the control of the province of Sichuan. But in 873, Nanzhao is driven out of Sichuan and fact reprocesses towards Yunnan. In 875, Kao Pien is dispatched on the spot, after which the pressure is slackened. In fact, the Kingdom knew its apogee with the catch of Chengdu and did not cease declining slowly then.

The territorial enlargings of the Kingdom of Nanzhao were of short duration. Despite everything, two kings carried the title of emperor (“Huangdi” 皇帝). In 880, Nanzhao concludes even a matrimonial alliance with China from Tang weakened by the rebellion of Huang Chao 黄巢.

In 902, the dynasty which reigned on the kingdom of Nanzhao is reversed. Three other short dynasties succeed to him quickly, until the takeover of Duan Siping 段思平 in 937, which establishes the Royaume of Dali.

Religion

The Kingdom of Nanzhao, with the image of China of Tang, was strongly impregnated of Bouddhisme, as shows it inscriptions of this period. Some say that Buddhism Acarya de Nanzhao was related with Buddhism tantric Ari of Bagan (Burma).

List kings de Nanzhao

649-674 Xinuluo
674-712 Luoshengyan
712-728 Chengluopi
728-748 Pileguo
748-778 Geluofeng
778 Fuqiaiyi
778-808 Yimouxun
808/09 Xungequan
809 Suyingequan
809-816 Quanlongcheng
816-824 Quanli
824-859 Quanfengyou
859-877/8 Shilong, Huangdi
877/8-97 Longshun, Huangdi
897/8-902/3 Shunhuazheng
902/3-903 Yeshi

See the bond with the Li Jiang kings and the Naxi.

See too

The kings Tibetans of this period:

Chinese emperors of this period:

Daizong
Dezong (Tang)
Wuzong

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