Xia (Sixteen Kingdoms)

Xia 夏
407–431
Helian Xia in 423
Capital	Tongwan (418–427) Shanggui (427–428) Pingliang (428–430)
Government	Monarchy
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 of	China

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 China ruled by the Helian clan of Xiongnu ethnicity during the Sixteen Kingdoms period. 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]

All rulers of the Xia declared themselves "emperors". Both the Tiefu and Xia were based in the Ordos Desert, and during the reign of Helian Bobo, they constructed their capital of Tongwan, 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. At its peak, the Xia also controlled the Guanzhong region in modern-day central Shaanxi. Due to their mix Xiongnu and Xianbei ethnicity, the Tiefu were initially known as a group of Wuhuan, which in the 4th century, was another term for "mixed barbarians" or "zahu" (雜胡). It was not until Helian Bobo came to power that they fully affirm their Xiongnu lineage in a bid for legitimacy by claiming descent from the ancient Xia dynasty.