Xia (Sixteen Kingdoms)

Xia (Chinese: 夏; pinyin: Xià), known in historiography as Hu Xia (胡夏), Northern Xia (北夏), Helian Xia (赫連夏) or the Great Xia (大夏), was a dynastic state of Xiongnu origin established by Helian Bobo during the Sixteen Kingdoms period in northern China. Prior to establishing the Xia, the imperial clan existed as a tribal entity known as the Tiefu (simplified Chinese: 铁弗; traditional Chinese: 鐵弗; pinyin: Tiěfú).[5]

This article is about the state during the Sixteen Kingdoms period. For other dynasties named Xia, see Xia.
Xia
夏
407–431
Helian Xia in 423
CapitalTongwan (418–427)
Shanggui (427–428)
Pingliang (428–430)
GovernmentMonarchy
Emperor 
• 407–425
Helian Bobo
• 425–428
Helian Chang
• 428–431
Helian Ding
History 
• Established
407
• Helian Bobo's claim of imperial title
418
• Fall of Tongwan
11 July 427[1][2]
• Disestablished
431
• Helian Ding's death
13 May 432[3][4]
Preceded by		Succeeded by
Later Qin
Western Qin
Northern Wei
Tuyuhun
Liu Song dynasty
Today part ofChina

Although the Xia only lasted from 407 to 431, its capital Tongwan situated in the Ordos Desert was a heavily fortified and state-of-the-art city that served as a frontier garrison until the Song dynasty. Its ruins were discovered during the Qing dynasty and can still be seen in present-day Inner Mongolia.

The Book of Wei also records that Liu Kuren's tribe, the Dugu, were descended from the Xiongnu. Yao Weiyuan (姚薇元) suggested in the past that 'Dugu' was an alternate form of 'Tuge' (屠各), the Xiongnu aristocratic clan that had adopted the Han Chinese surname of Liu (劉), members of which also ruled the Former Zhao state. This writer further suggests that 'Tuge' is an alternate form of 'Tuhe' (徒河), which is the branch of the Xianbei from which the Murong (慕容) were descended. The Liu (Dugu) were also known as 'Tiefu' (鐵弗), a term which meant that they had Xiongnu fathers and Xianbei mothers. Thus it is reasonable to say that the Dugu were at least half Xianbei.

All rulers of the Xia declared themselves "emperors".

Chieftains of the Tiefu and rulers of the Xia
Temple namePosthumous namesPersonal nameDurations of reignEra names
Chieftains of the Tiefu
–Liu Qubei 劉去卑260–272–
–Liu Gaoshengyuan 劉誥升爰272–309–
–Liu Hu 劉虎309–341–
–Liu Wuheng 劉務恆341–356–
–Liu Eloutou 劉閼陋頭356–358–
–Liu Xiwuqi 劉悉勿祈358–359–
–Liu Weichen 劉衞辰359–391–
–Liu Bobo391–407–
Rulers of the Xia
ShizuWulieHelian Bobo
(same person as Liu Bobo)		407–425Longsheng (龍升) 407–413
Fengxiang (鳳翔) 413–418
Changwu (昌武) 418–419
Zhenxing (眞興) 419–425
–Helian Chang425–428Chengguang (承光) 425–428
–Helian Ding428–431Shengguang (勝光) 428–431

Rulers family tree

See also

References
  1. "中央研究院網站".
  2. Zizhi Tongjian, vol. 120.
  3. "中央研究院網站".
  4. Zizhi Tongjian, vol. 122.
  5. Grousset, Rene (1970). The Empire of the Steppes. Rutgers University Press. pp. 61. ISBN 0-8135-1304-9.
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