Emperor Taizu of Jin

For other people, see Taizu of Jin (disambiguation).

"Wanyan Aguda" redirects here. For the manga artist, see F3 (manga).

Emperor Taizu of Jin 金太きんた祖そ
Emperor of the Jin dynasty
Reign	28 January 1115 – 19 September 1123
Successor	Emperor Taizong of Jin
Born	1 August 1068
Died	19 September 1123(1123-09-19) (aged 55)
Burial	Rui Mausoleum (睿陵, in present-day Fangshan District, Beijing)
Spouse	Empress Shengmu Empress Guangyi Empress Qinxian Empress Xuanxian Consort Yuan Consort Chong Dunuke
Issue	Shengguo Woben Wolibu Wuzhu others
Names Sinicised name: Wanyan Min (完かん顔がお旻みん) Jurchen name: Aguda (阿おもね骨ほね打だ) Era dates Shouguo (收おさむ國こく): 1115–1116 Tianfu (天てん輔): 1117–1123 Posthumous name Emperor Yingqian Xingyun Zhaode Dinggong Renming Zhuangxiao Dasheng Wuyuan (應おう乾いぬい興きょう運うん昭德あきのり定てい功こう仁明にんみょう莊そう孝こう大聖たいせい武たけ元もと皇帝こうてい) Temple name Taizu (太ふとし祖そ)
House	Wanyan
Dynasty	Jin
Father	Helibo
Mother	Lady Nalan

Emperor Taizu of Jin
Chinese	金太きんた祖そ
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Jīn Tàizǔ
Wanyan Aguda
Traditional Chinese	阿おもね骨ほね打だ
Simplified Chinese	阿おもね骨ほね打だ
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Āgǔdǎ
Wanyan Min
Traditional Chinese	完かん顏がお旻みん
Simplified Chinese	完かん颜旻
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Wányán Mín

Emperor Taizu of Jin (August 1, 1068 – September 19, 1123), personal name Aguda, sinicised name Min (Chinese: 旻みん; pinyin: Mín), was the founder and first emperor of the Jurchen-led Jin dynasty of China. He was originally the chieftain of the Wanyan tribe, the most dominant among the Jurchen tribes which were subjects of the Khitan-led Liao dynasty. Starting in 1114, Aguda united the Jurchen tribes under his rule and rebelled against the Liao dynasty. A year later, he declared himself emperor and established the Jin dynasty. By the time of his death, the Jin dynasty had conquered most of the Liao dynasty's territories and emerged as a major power in northern China. In 1145, he was posthumously honoured with the temple name Taizu by his descendant Emperor Xizong.

The name [Wanyan] Aguda is transcribed [Wan-yen] A-ku-ta in Wade-Giles; the alternative spelling Akutta (possibly from reconstruction of Jurchen language) appears in a very small number of books as well.

Life

Aguda was an eighth-generation descendant of Hanpu, the great progenitor of the entire Wanyan clan. His father was Helibo, the chieftain of the Wanyan clan. His mother was a daughter of the chieftain of the Nalan (拿懶 / 拏懶) tribe. He was born in 1068 near the Ashi River within present-day Harbin, Heilongjiang Province. He was well-known within his tribe for his bravery, and had participated in numerous campaigns against rival Jurchen tribes at the command of the Khitan-led Liao dynasty. In 1109, during the height of a widespread famine, Aguda assisted his father in absorbing famished warriors from other Jurchen tribes to strengthen his own tribe. Later, he fought wars against other Jurchen tribes and succeeded in unifying all Jurchens under the Wanyan tribe's leadership.

In 1113, Aguda succeeded his elder brother, Wuyashu, as the leader of his tribe. Like other Jurchens, Aguda loathed what he considered the exploitation of his tribesmen by corrupt Liao officials. In 1112, when the Liao ruler, Emperor Tianzuo, went on a fishing expedition in Jurchen territory, he ordered all the chieftains to dance for him. Aguda became famous among the Jurchens when he was the only person who defied the order.

In early 1114, Aguda sent spies into Liao territory and prepared to revolt against the Khitan regime, which he considered decadent. His chief advisors were Wanyan Zonghan and Wanyan Xiyin. In September, Aguda rallied his tribesmen (around 2,500 men) at Liushui (流水りゅうすい; near present-day Lalin River in Fuyu, Jilin Province) and openly rebelled against the Liao dynasty. His cavalry captured Ningjiangzhou (寧やすし江え州しゅう; present-day Fuyu, Jilin Province) and defeated a 7,000-strong Liao army at the Battle of Chuhedian in November. In January 1115, following a series of military successes, Aguda proclaimed himself emperor, established the Jin dynasty, and adopted the regnal name "Shouguo" (收おさむ國こく). In August, his army conquered Huanglong Prefecture (黄き龍りゅう府ふ; present-day Nong'an County, Jilin Province) and defeated 700,000 Liao troops with only 20,000 horsemen at the Battle of Hubudagang. By 1116, Aguda had completed the conquest of the entire Liaodong Peninsula. Between 1119 and 1122, his army repeatedly defeated Liao forces and captured all of the Liao dynasty's five capitals.

Since the Jin dynasty was an enemy of the Liao dynasty, the Han Chinese-led Northern Song dynasty considered the Jin dynasty to be their natural allies. In 1117, the Song dynasty sent emissaries to the Jin dynasty, ostensibly to buy horses, but in reality to negotiate an alliance against the Liao dynasty. Between 1117 and 1123, seven Song delegations visited the Jurchens, and six Jin embassies went to the Song capital, Bianjing (present-day Kaifeng, Henan Province). Between 1115 and 1123, the Jin and Song dynasties negotiated and formed the Alliance Conducted at Sea against the Liao dynasty. Under the conditions of the alliance, the Song dynasty would attack the Liao dynasty from the south, while in return, the Jin dynasty would hand over control of the Liao dynasty's Sixteen Prefectures to the Song dynasty.

During the war against the Liao dynasty, Aguda also took time to establish the new feudal governmental system based on Jurchen tribal customs. He also organised the national agriculture with a collectivist system known as the Miŋgan Moumukə (猛もう安やす謀はかりごと克かつ). Furthermore, Aguda absorbed elements of Han Chinese culture and ordered his chancellor Wanyan Xiyin to develop a unique Jurchen writing system.

Aguda died in August 1123, at the age of 56. His death came a few months after the Jin and Song dynasties signed a treaty which recognised each other as equals and required the Song to pay the Jin an annual tribute of 200,000 taels of silver and 300,000 bolts of silk. Aguda was succeeded by his younger brother, Wuqimai (Emperor Taizong). Wuqimai continued the campaign against the Liao dynasty and captured the Liao emperor, Emperor Tianzuo in 1125, thereby ending the Liao dynasty's existence. Soon after conquering the Liao dynasty, the Jin dynasty waged war against the Northern Song dynasty. Aguda was buried in the Rui Mausoleum (睿陵) at Dafangshan (大房おおふさ山さん) outside Zhongdu (中なか都と; present-day Beijing).

Commemoration

Mounted statues of Aguda and his chief commander, Wanyan Zonghan, have been erected on the grounds of the Jin Dynasty History Museum (金きむ上京じょうきょう歷史れきし博物はくぶつ馆) at the former location of the old Jin capital, Shangjing (上京じょうきょう), which is near present-day Acheng District, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province.

Family

Parents:

• Father: Helibo, posthumously honoured as Emperor Shizu
• Mother: Lady Nalan (拏懶氏し), posthumously honoured as Empress Yijian (翼つばさ簡皇后こうごう)

Consort and issue(s):

• Empress Shengmu, of Tangkuo clan (聖ひじり穆きよし皇后こうごう 唐とう括くく氏し)
  • Wanyan Zongjun, Emperor Huizong (徽宗 完かん顏がお宗そう峻たかし), 2nd or 3rd son
  • Wanyan Zongchao, Prince of Feng (豐ゆたか王おう 完かん顏がお宗むね朝あさ), 7th son
  • Wanyan Zongjie, Prince of Zhao (趙ちょう王おう 完かん顏がお宗そう傑すぐる, d. 1127)

• Empress Guangyi, of the Peiman clan (光ひかり懿皇后こうごう 裴滿氏し)
  • Wanyan Zonggan, Prince of Liao (遼りょう王おう 完かん顏がお宗そう幹みき, d. 17 June 1141), 1st son
• Empress Qinxian, of the Heseri clan (欽憲皇后こうごう 紇石烈れつ氏し)
  • Wanyan Zongwang, Prince Huansu of Song (宋そう桓肅王おう 完かん顏がお宗そう望のぞむ), 2nd son
  • Wanyan Zongjun, Prince of Chen (陳ちん王おう 完かん顏がお宗むね雋), 6th son
  • Wanyan Elu, Prince of Shen (瀋王 完かん顏がお訛なまり魯)
• Empress Xuanxian of the Pusan clan (宣せん獻けんじ皇后こうごう 僕ぼく散ち氏し)
  • Wanyan Zongyao, Emperor Ruizong (睿宗 完かん顏がお宗むね堯, 1096 – 1135), 5th son
  • Wanyan Eluduo, Prince of Bin (豳王 完かん顏がお訛なまり魯朵)
• First Consort, of the Wugulun clan (元もと妃ひ 烏がらす古いにしえ論ろん氏し)
  • Wanyan Zongbi, Prince of Liang (梁りょう王おう 完かん顏がお宗むね弼, d. 19 November 1148), 4th son
  • Wanyan Zongqiang, Prince of Wei (衛まもる王おう 完かん顏がお宗そう強つよし, d. 1142), 8th son
  • Wanyan Zongmin, Prince of Shu (蜀しょく王おう 完かん顏がお宗そう敏さとし, d. 1150), 9th son
• Consort Chong, of the Xiao clan (崇たかし妃ひ蕭しょう氏し, d. 20 September 1150)
  • Wanyan Xinilie, Prince of Ji (紀きの王おう 完かん顏がお習泥烈れつ)
  • Wanyan Ningji, Prince of Xi (息いき王おう 完かん顏がお寧やすし吉きち)
  • Wanyan Yansun, Prince of Ju (莒王 完かん顏がお燕つばめ孫まご)
• Lady Dunuke (獨どく奴やつ可か) - a slave
  • Wanyan Wohu, Prince of Ye (鄴王 完かん顏がお斡忽)
• Unknown:
  • Wanyan Wulu (完かん颜兀魯), 1st daughter
    • Married Tushan Dingge (徒と單たん定てい哥)
    • Married Tushan Gong (徒と單たん恭きょう)
  • Princess of Bi (畢國公主こうしゅ), 2nd daughter
    • Married Wugulun Elun (烏がらす古いにしえ論ろん訛なまり論ろん) and had issue (one son)
  • Unknown princess, 3rd daughter
    • married Pucha Shijianu (蒲がま察石家か奴やつ; Aguda's maternal nephew)

References

Sources

• Herbert Franke, 1997 (I): "Chinese Texts on the Jurchen (I): a Translation of the Jurchen in the San ch'ao pei-meng hui-pien. Originally published in Zantralasiatische Studien 9. Wiesbaden, 1975. Reprinted in: Herbert Franke and Hok-lam Chan, "Studies on the Jurchens and the Chin Dynasty", Variorum Collected Series Studies: CS591, Ashgate, 1997. ISBN 0-86078-645-5. (The work whose name is transcribed in Wade-Giles as San ch'ao pei-meng hui-pien is Xu Mengxin's (徐じょ夢ゆめ莘) "Collected Accounts of the Treaties with the North under Three Reigns" (三朝北盟会编, pinyin: San chao beimeng huibian). Franke translates and comments on Chapter 3 of this collection, which deals with the history and customs of the Jurchen people).
• Twitchett, Dennis; Franke, Herbert, eds. (1994). The Cambridge History of China, Volume 6: Alien Regimes and Border States, 907–1368. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-24331-5.
• Jing-shen Tao, The Jurchen in Twelfth-Century China. University of Washington Press, 1976, ISBN 0-295-95514-7.
• Guy Gavriel Kay, River of Stars is set in a fictionalized Liao China during the Jurchen invasion.