This article needs additional citations for verification. (December 2015) |
The Western Qin (Chinese:
Western Qin ( | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||||||||
Status | Vassal of Former Qin, Later Qin, Jin Dynasty (266–420), Northern Wei | ||||||||||||
Capital | Yongshicheng (385–388) Yuanchuan (400, 410–412) Jincheng (388–395) Xicheng (395–400) Dujianshan (409–410) Tanjiao (412) Fuhan (412–429) Dinglian (429–430) Nan'an (430–431) | ||||||||||||
Government | Monarchy | ||||||||||||
King | |||||||||||||
• 385–388 | Qifu Guoren | ||||||||||||
• 388–400, 409–412 | Qifu Qiangui | ||||||||||||
• 412–428 | Qifu Chipan | ||||||||||||
• 428–431 | Qifu Mumo | ||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||
Today part of | China |
The Western Qin was briefly discontinued in 400 after Qifu Gangui surrendered to the Later Qin before it was revived in 409. They also frequently shifted their capital from time to time, with Fuhan (
History
editBackground
editThe Qifu tribe was a western branch of Xianbei that resettled around the Longxi region during the beginning of the Western Jin dynasty around 265. Their ancestor was Rufu (如弗), who led the Qifu and three other tribes, Siyin (斯引), Chulian (
The Qifu and their followers eventually left the Yin Mountains to live north of the Hetao region. Under Qifu Youlin, they initially moved westward to an area known as Xiayuan (
After Sifan died in 376, his son, Qifu Guoren succeeded him. In 383, Guoren was meant to serve in Former Qin’s campaign against the Eastern Jin, but when his uncle, Qifu Butui (乞伏
Early rule
editAfter the Former Qin ruler, Fu Jian was killed in 385, Guoren claimed the title of Grand Chanyu, introduced a new reign era and built his capital city around Yongshi. This is often seen as the beginning of the Western Qin dynasty, but at this point, the Qifu had not yet named their state "Qin", and in 387, they became a vassal to Former Qin after Guoren accepted their title of Prince of Yuanchuan. Guoren spent his reign subjugating neighbouring tribes before dying in 388. As Guoren's son, Qifu Gongfu (乞伏
After ascending, Gangui shifted his capital to Jincheng (
In 395, Gangui claimed the title of King of Qin. Historiographers refer to his state as the Western Qin to distinguish it with the Former Qin and Later Qin. While he still kept the Grand Chanyu title and its auxiliary offices, he established a governmental structure that was similar to the Eastern Han and Cao Wei dynasties. Conflict with the Later Liang continued, which led to Gangui moving the capital to Xicheng (
In 400, Gangui moved the capital to Yuanchuan (
Restoration and final defeat
editBy 409, the Later Qin was facing mounting defeats on the battlefield along with the Helian Xia and Southern Liang breaking away. That year, Qifu Gangui restored the Western Qin at Mount Dujian, once again calling himself the King of Qin. He soon returned the capital to Yuanchuan in 410 and captured several Later Qin commanderies. Due to pressure from the Xia and Eastern Jin, Later Qin could only convince Gangui to remain as a nominal vassal by appointing him the King of Henan. Gangui then campaigned against Southern Liang and the Tuyuhun. In 412, he shifted the capital to Tanjiao (
Gangui's son, Qifu Chipan quickly defeated Gongfu and took the throne. Chipan moved the capital to Fuhan (
The situation worsened for Western Qin in 421 as the Northern Liang vanquished the Western Liang, freeing up their western frontiers and allowing them to focus on Qin. Chipan allied himself with the Northern Wei and tried to get them to attack the Xia, but he continued to suffer losses to Xia and Liang, with his worst defeat coming in 426. Internally, Western Qin was also struggling with rebellions by their Tuyuhun and Qiang subjects. Chipan died in 428, leaving behind his son and successor, Qifu Mumo an inherently dire situation.
In 429, due to pressure from Liang, Mumo was forced to move his capital to Dinglian (
Rulers of the Western Qin
editTemple name | Posthumous name | Personal name | Durations of reign | Era names |
---|---|---|---|---|
Liezu | Xuanlie | Qifu Guoren | 385–388 | Jianyi ( |
Gaozu | Wuyuan | Qifu Qiangui | 388–400, 409–412 | Taichu ( Gengshi ( |
Taizu | Wenzhao | Qifu Chipan | 412–428 | Yongkang ( Jianhong ( |
– | – | Qifu Mumo | 428–431 | Yonghong ( |
The family tree of Western Qin rulers
editWestern Qin | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Language
editQifu | |
---|---|
Ch’i-fu | |
Native to | Western Qin |
Region | southwestern Gansu |
Ethnicity | Xianbei |
Era | 5th century |
Serbi-Mongolic?
| |
Language codes | |
ISO 639-3 | None (mis ) |
Shimunek classifies the language of the Qifu as a "Serbi" (i.e., para-Mongolic) language. Shimunek's "Serbi" linguistic branch also includes Taghbach, Tuyuhun, and Khitan.[2]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Grousset, Rene (1970). The Empire of the Steppes. Rutgers University Press. pp. 59–60. ISBN 0-8135-1304-9.
- ^ Shimunek, Andrew (2017). Languages of Ancient Southern Mongolia and North China: a Historical-Comparative Study of the Serbi or Xianbei Branch of the Serbi-Mongolic Language Family, with an Analysis of Northeastern Frontier Chinese and Old Tibetan Phonology. Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz Verlag. ISBN 978-3-447-10855-3. OCLC 993110372.