Timeline of the Tanguts

See also: Timeline of the Tang dynasty, Timeline of the Khitans, Timeline of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms, Timeline of the Jurchens, and Timeline of the Song dynasty

This is a timeline of the Tangut people and the Western Xia dynasty.

Dingnan Jiedushi

Western Xia

7th century

620s

Year	Date	Event
628		Xifeng Bulai submits to the Tang dynasty[1]

630s

Year	Date	Event
630		The Tang dynasty bestows the imperial surname, Li, upon the Tanguts living in modern Yulin, Shaanxi[2]
635		Tuoba Chizi submits to the Tang dynasty[1]

680s

Year	Date	Event
680		Tanguts flee the Kokonor region due to Tibetan pressure[3]

690s

Year	Date	Event
692		Tanguts migrate to Lingzhou and Xiazhou[4]

8th century

720s

Year	Date	Event
721		A Sogdian revolt in the Ordos region is suppressed with the help of Tanguts[4]

730s

Year	Date	Event
735		The name Tangut appears among the Orkhon inscriptions[5]

9th century

870s

Year	Date	Event
873		Li Sigong occupies Yuzhou[6]
878		Li Guochang attacks the Tanguts[6]

880s

Year	Date	Event
881		The Tangut general Li Sigong assists the Tang dynasty in putting down the Huang Chao rebellion, and as a result receives Xiazhou, Suizhou, and Yinzhou as hereditary titles under the Dingnan Jiedushi[5]

890s

Year	Date	Event
895		Li Sigong dies and his brother Li Sijian succeeds him[6]

10th century

900s

Year	Date	Event
908		Li Sijian dies and his adopted son Li Yichang succeeds him[7]
909		Li Yichang dies in a mutiny and his uncle Li Renfu succeeds him[7]

910s

Year	Date	Event
910		Li Maozhen and Li Cunxu lay siege to Xiazhou but Later Liang repels the attackers[7]

930s

Year	Date	Event
933		Li Renfu dies and his son Li Yichao succeeds him[7]
		An Congjin of the Later Tang lays siege to Xiazhou but fails[8]
		Khitans attack the Tanguts[9]
935		Li Yichao dies and his brother Li Yixing succeeds him[10]

940s

Year	Date	Event
943		Li Yimin rebels against his brother Li Yixing and is defeated[10]
948		The Yemu people rebel[10]
949		Later Han gives Qingzhou to the Dingnan Jiedushi[11]

950s

Year	Date	Event
952		The Yezhi people rebel[10]
954		Li Yixing becomes "Prince of Xiping"[12]

960s

Year	Date	Event
967		Li Yixing dies and his son Li Kerui succeeds him[12]
		The Song dynasty recognizes the Dingnan Jiedushi as an autonomous state[12]

970s

Year	Date	Event
978		Li Kerui dies and his son Li Jiyun succeeds him[13]

980s

Year	Date	Event
980		Li Jiyun dies and his brother Li Jipeng succeeds him[13]
982		Jiqian's rebellion: Li Jipeng of the Dingnan Jiedushi surrenders to the Song, but his cousin Li Jiqian rebels[14]
983		Jiqian's rebellion: Li Jiqian and his cohort flee to the northern deserts[13]
985		Jiqian's rebellion: Li Jiqian takes Yinzhou[15]
986		Li Jiqian submits to the Khitans[16]
989		Li Jiqian marries a princess of the Khitans[16]

990s

Year	Date	Event
990		Jiqian's rebellion: Li Jiqian conquers northern Shaanxi[17]
991		Jiqian's rebellion: Li Jiqian calls upon the Tanguts to rebel against the Song dynasty[18]
992		Jiqian's rebellion: Khitans attack the Tanguts[19]
993		Jiqian's rebellion: Song dynasty bans Tangut salt from entering their borders[15]
994		Jiqian's rebellion: Song dynasty deposes Li Jiqian[14]
996		Jiqian's rebellion: Li Jiqian rebels with Tanguts and raids Song supplies[14]
998		Jiqian's rebellion: Song dynasty legitimizes Li Jiqian as governor of Dingnan Jiedushi[14]

11th century

1000s

Year	Date	Event
1001		Tanguts capture Ordos[20]
1002		Dingnan Jiedushi conquers Lingzhou, renames it Xiping, and makes it their capital[21]
1004	6 January	Li Jiqian dies in battle against the Tibetan state of Xiliangfu and his son Li Deming succeeds him[17]
		Li Jipeng dies at the Song court[17]
1008		Dingnan Jiedushi attacks the Ganzhou Uyghur Kingdom[22]
1009		Dingnan Jiedushi attacks the Ganzhou Uyghur Kingdom[22]

1010s

Year	Date	Event
1010		Dingnan Jiedushi attacks the Ganzhou Uyghur Kingdom[22]
		Tanguts request famine relief from the Song[23]
1015		Dingnan Jiedushi takes Liangzhou from Xiliangfu but is ousted by the Ganzhou Uyghur Kingdom[24]
1018		Khitans attack Dingnan Jiedushi but fail[24]

1020s

Year	Date	Event
1020		The Khitans attack the Tanguts but fail[25]
1022		Li Deming moves the capital to Xingzhou[26]
1028		Dingnan Jiedushi annexes the Ganzhou Uyghur Kingdom[27]

1030s

Year	Date	Event
1032		Li Deming dies and his son Li Yuanhao succeeds him as ruler of Dingnan Jiedushi[28]
		Dingnan Jiedushi annexes Xiliangfu[22]
1034		Li Yuanhao enacts the head shaving decree, allowing crowds to kill those who have not shaved their heads within 3 days[29]
		Li Yuanhao raids Song dynasty[30]
1036		Dingnan Jiedushi annexes the Guiyi Circuit, however Shazhou remains autonomous until 1052[27][31]
1037		Li Yuanhao introduces a new Tangut script[32]
1038	10 November	Li Yuanhao declares himself Emperor Jingzong of Western Xia and renames Xingzhou to Xingqingfu[30]
1039		Western Xia attacks Song dynasty but is repulsed[33]

1040s

Year	Date	Event
1040		Song-Xia War (1040–1044): Western Xia invades Song dynasty[34]
1042		Song-Xia War (1040–1044): Western Xia conducts a full-scale invasion of Song dynasty but is repelled[35]
1043		Song-Xia War (1040–1044): Western Xia attacks the Khitans[36]
1044		Song-Xia War (1040–1044): Khitans attack Western Xia but fail[37]
		Song-Xia War (1040–1044): Western Xia and Song dynasty cease hostilities in return for an annual payment of silk, silver, and tea from the Song[38]
1048		Emperor Jingzong of Western Xia is assassinated and factional civil war ensues; his son Li Liangzuo becomes the nominal ruler Emperor Yizong of Western Xia[26]
1049		Khitans attack Western Xia[39]

1050s

Year	Date	Event
1050		Khitans attack Western Xia and exact tribute[39]
1052		Western Xia seizes Shazhou[31]

1060s

Year	Date	Event
1061		Civil war ends and Emperor Yizong of Western Xia secures the throne[40]
1064		Yizong raids: Western Xia raids Song dynasty[41]
1066		Yizong raids: Western Xia raids Song dynasty[42]
1067		Song dynasty seizes Suizhou[43]
1068		Emperor Yizong of Western Xia dies and his son Li Bingchang succeeds him as Emperor Huizong of Western Xia; Emperess Liang becomes regent[44]

1070s

Year	Date	Event
1070		Western Xia attacks the Song dynasty[45]
1076		Trade of gunpowder ingredients with the Liao dynasty and Western Xia is outlawed by the Song dynasty[46]

1080s

Year	Date	Event
1081		Song-Xia War (1081–1085): Song dynasty invades Western Xia with initial success, but the odd failure to bring siege weapons and extreme supply problems cause widespread mutiny and the invasion turns into a massive rout, however Song forces retained Lanzhou[47]
		Emperess Liang places Emperor Huizong of Western Xia under house arrest[44]
1083		Emperess Liang restores Emperor Huizong of Western Xia to the throne[44]
1086		Emperor Huizong of Western Xia dies and his son Li Qianshun becomes Emperor Chongzong of Western Xia[44]
1089		Song and Western Xia conclude a peace treaty[48]

1090s

Year	Date	Event
1092		Western Xia attacks Song dynasty but fails[49]
1097		Advance and fortify: Song dynasty conducts an advance and fortify campaign against the Western Xia[50]
1098		Advance and fortify: Western Xia retaliates against Song incursions but fails to defeat Song fortifications[51]
1099		Advance and fortify: Western Xia sues for peace[51]

12th century

1100s

Year	Date	Event
1103		Song occupation of Tsongkha: Song dynasty invades Western Xia[52]
1104		Song occupation of Tsongkha: Emperor Chongzong of Western Xia marries a Liao dynasty princess[53]
1106		Song occupation of Tsongkha: Song dynasty and Western Xia end hostilities and the war ends inconclusively[52]

1110s

Year	Date	Event
1113		Song-Xia War (1113–1119): Song dynasty invades Western Xia[52]
1119		Song-Xia War (1113–1119): The war between Song dynasty and Western Xia ends inconclusively[52]

1120s

Year	Date	Event
1122		Western Xia sends an army in the aid of the Liao dynasty against the Jurchen Jin dynasty but fails[53]
1123		Western Xia sends an army in the aid of the Liao dynasty against the Jurchen Jin dynasty but fails[53]
1124		Jin dynasty vassalizes the Western Xia[54]
1125	26 March	Emperor Tianzuo of Liao is captured by the Jin dynasty; so ends the Liao dynasty[55]

1130s

Year	Date	Event
1136		Western Xia conquers the Kokonor region[56]
1139		Emperor Chongzong of Western Xia dies and his son Li Renxiao succeeds him as Emperor Renzong of Western Xia[57]
		The earliest extant text printed using wooden movable type, the Auspicious Tantra of All-Reaching Union, is printed[58]

1140s

Year	Date	Event
1140		Khitan exiles rebel under Li Heda and are defeated[59]
1142		Famine and an earthquake strike the capital region killing tens of thousands[59]
1144		Emperor Renzong of Western Xia introduces Confucian institutions into the government[59]
1147		Western Xia starts holding imperial examinations[59]

1170s

Year	Date	Event
1170	11 October	Ren Dejing is executed for conspiring against the Western Xia[60]
1178		Western Xia attacks the Jin dynasty[61]

1190s

Year	Date	Event
1193		Emperor Renzong of Western Xia dies and his son Li Chunyu succeeds him as Emperor Huanzong of Western Xia[62]

13th century

1200s

Year	Date	Event
1205	spring	Mongol conquest of Western Xia: Temujin of the Mongols raids Western Xia[62]
1206		Emperor Huanzong of Western Xia is deposed by his cousin Li Anquan who becomes Emperor Xiangzong of Western Xia[63]
	spring	Kokochu, also known as Teb Tengri, chief shaman of the Mongols, bestows upon Temüjin the title of Genghis Khan, "Oceanic Ruler" of the Mongol Empire, at the kurultai of Burkhan Khaldun, sacred mountain of the Mongols[64]
1207		Mongol conquest of Western Xia: Mongols raid Western Xia[65]
1209	autumn	Mongol conquest of Western Xia: Mongols invade the Hexi Corridor and defeat a Tangut army before laying siege to Zhongxing, however they accidentally flood their own camp in the process of breaking the Yellow River dikes and are forced to retreat[66]

1210s

Year	Date	Event
1210		Mongol conquest of Western Xia: Emperor Xiangzong of Western Xia submits to the Mongols and hands over a daughter in marriage to Genghis Khan as well as a large supply of camels, falcons, and woven textiles[66]
1211		Emperor Xiangzong of Western Xia dies and is succeeded by his cousin Li Zunxu who becomes Emperor Shenzong of Western Xia[66]
1217		Western Xia invades Jin dynasty but is repelled[67]
1219		Western Xia refuses to send auxiliaries for the Mongol Empire's western campaigns[68]

1220s

Year	Date	Event
1223		Emperor Shenzong of Western Xia abdicates to his son Li Dewang who becomes Emperor Xianzong of Western Xia[68]
1225		Jin and Western Xia cease hostilities[69]
1226	spring	Mongol conquest of Western Xia: Genghis Khan attacks Western Xia[68]
		Emperor Xianzong of Western Xia dies and a kinsman Li Xian succeeds him as Emperor Mozhu of Western Xia[70]
1227	September	Emperor Mozhu of Western Xia surrenders to the Mongol Empire and is promptly executed; so ends the Western Xia[70]
		Tanguts flee to Kangding, Henan, and Hebei[71]

15th century

1430s

Year	Date	Event
1430 or 1432	15th day of 1st month	Tangut translation of the High King Avalokitesvara Sutra 𗣛𘟙𗯨𗙏𘝯𗖰𗚩 (Chinese: 高王觀世音經; pinyin: Gāowáng Guānshìyīn Jīng) is printed. This is the latest dated printed text in Tangut.

16th century

1500s

Year	Date	Event
1502		Two octagonal dhāraṇī pillars engraved with the Tangut version of the Dharani-Sutra of the Victorious Buddha-Crown are erected at the Temple of Promoting Goodness 𘍨𗫍𗁫 (Chinese: 興善寺; pinyin: Xīngshànsì) in Baoding. These are the latest dated texts in Tangut.

References

1. Twitchett 1994, p. 158.
2. Mote 2003, p. 170-171.
3. Twitchett 1994, p. 157.
4. Twitchett 1994, p. 159.
5. Beckwith 2009, p. 171.
6. Twitchett 1994, p. 163.
7. Twitchett 1994, p. 164.
8. Twitchett 1994, p. 165.
9. Twitchett 1994, p. 69.
10. Twitchett 1994, p. 166.
11. Twitchett 1994, p. 167.
12. Mote 2003, p. 171.
13. Mote 2003, p. 177.
14. Twitchett 2009, p. 252.
15. Twitchett 1994, p. 170.
16. Mote 2003, p. 173.
17. Mote 2003, p. 178.
18. Mote 2003, p. 174.
19. Twitchett 1994, p. 105.
20. Twitchett 2009, p. 353.
21. Beckwith 2009, p. 172.
22. Twitchett 1994, p. 176.
23. Twitchett 2009, p. 272.
24. Twitchett 1994, p. 177.
25. Mote 2003, p. 178-179.
26. Mote 2003, p. 186.
27. Skaff 2012, p. 236.
28. Mote 2003, p. 172.
29. Twitchett 1994, p. 181.
30. Twitchett 2009, p. 302.
31. Twitchett 1994, p. 179.
32. Mote 2003, p. 180.
33. Twitchett 2009, p. 305.
34. Twitchett 2009, p. 307.
35. Twitchett 2009, p. 314.
36. Mote 2003, p. 185.
37. Twitchett 1994, p. 122.
38. Twitchett 2009, p. 315.
39. Twitchett 1994, p. 123.
40. Mote 2003, p. 187.
41. Twitchett 2009, p. 343.
42. Twitchett 2009, p. 344.
43. Twitchett 1994, p. 192.
44. Mote 2003, p. 188.
45. Twitchett 2009, p. 469.
46. Andrade 2016, p. 32.
47. Twitchett 2009, p. 477.
48. Twitchett 2009, p. 507.
49. Mote 2003, p. 189.
50. Twitchett 2009, p. 550.
51. Twitchett 2009, p. 551.
52. Twitchett 2009, p. 614.
53. Mote 2003, p. 250.
54. Twitchett 1994, p. 226.
55. Twitchett 1994, p. 151.
56. Twitchett 1994, p. 180.
57. Mote 2003, p. 251.
58. Hou Jianmei (侯健美); Tong Shuquan (童曙泉) (20 December 2004). "《大夏寻踪》今展rows博" ['In the Footsteps of the Great Xia' now exhibiting at the National Museum]. Beijing Daily (《北京日报》).
59. Twitchett 1994, p. 199.
60. Twitchett 1994, p. 253.
61. Twitchett 1994, p. 205.
62. Twitchett 1994, p. 206.
63. Twitchett 1994, p. 207.
64. Twitchett 1994, p. 343.
65. Mote 2003, p. 254.
66. Twitchett 1994, p. 208.
67. Twitchett 1994, p. 259.
68. Twitchett 1994, p. 210.
69. Twitchett 1994, p. 261.
70. Twitchett 1994, p. 213.
71. Mote 2003, p. 256.

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