Emperor Yizong of Western Xia

Emperor Yizong of Western Xia
西夏毅宗
Emperor of the Western Xia dynasty
Reign1048 – January 1068
PredecessorEmperor Jingzong
SuccessorEmperor Huizong
BornLiangcha
(兩岔)
5 March 1047
DiedJanuary 1068(1068-01-00) (aged 20)
Burial
Anling Mausoleum (安陵, presumptively the No. 4 tomb of Western Xia mausoleums[1])
SpouseEmpress Mozang
Empress Liang
Names
Weiming Liangzuo (嵬名諒祚)[2]
Li Liangzuo (李諒祚)
Tangut name: Liangcha (兩岔)
Era dates
Yansiningguo (延嗣寧國): 1049
Tianyouchuisheng (天祐垂聖): 1050–1052
Fushengchengdao (福聖承道; Tangut: 𗼃𗼕 or 𗣼𗧯): 1053–1056
Duodu (奲都): 1057–1062
Gonghua (拱化): 1063–1067
Posthumous name
Emperor Zhaoying (昭英皇帝)
Temple name
Yizong (毅宗)
FatherLi Yuanhao
MotherEmpress Xuanmu Huiwen

Emperor Yizong of Western Xia (1047–1068), sinicized name Li Liangzuo (Chinese: 李諒祚), was the second emperor of the Western Xia dynasty of China, reigning from 1048 to 1067. Yizong was also known by his Tangut name Ningling Liangcha (寧令兩岔). "Ningling" (寧令, Tangut: 𘟙𘜶[3]) was his Tangut title, which meant "Grand Prince",[4][5] while "Liangcha" (兩岔) was his personal name.

After the death of his father, Li Yuanhao (Emperor Jingzong) in 1048, Yizong assumed the throne at the age of one, but most of the power laid in the hands of his mother the Empress Dowager. In 1049, the Liao dynasty attacked the Western Xia and forced it to become a vassal state. In 1056, the Dowager was killed and Yizong's uncle, Mozang Epang, became the regent. In 1061, Yizong's uncle and cousin plotted against him, so he had them executed and assumed direct control of the Western Xia.

Yizong expanded the central government, adding many offices. He made the armies more efficient and improved his control over faraway states. Yizong began to attack the Northern Song dynasty and raided their villages. He also forced the Turpan leader to surrender. In later years, Yizong began to improve diplomatic relationships with the Northern Song and Liao dynasties. He died suddenly in 1068.

  1. ^ "西夏王陵简介" (in Chinese (China)). 宁夏西夏陵. 2012-12-14. Archived from the original on 2014-11-29. Retrieved 2014-11-20.
  2. ^ 辞海编辑委员会 [Ci hai bian ji wei yuan hui] (2000). 辞海:1999年版缩印本 [Ci hai: 1999 nian ban suo yin ben]. Shanghai: 上海辞书出版社 [Shanghai ci shu chu ban she]. p. 2543. ISBN 7532608395. OCLC 222462793. 毅宗(嵬名谅祚)
  3. ^ Li, Fanwen (2008). 夏漢字典 [Tangut-Chinese Dictionary] (in Chinese) (2nd ed.). Beijing: 中國社會科學出版社 [Zhongguo shehui chubanshe]. p. 711. ISBN 7-5004-2113-3.
  4. ^ Zheng, Tianting (2000). 中国历史大辞典 [Zhong guo li shi da ci dian] (in Chinese). Shanghai: 上海辞书出版社 [Shanghai cishu chubanshe]. p. 870. ISBN 9787532604531.
  5. ^ Shen Kuo, Dream Pool Essays vol. 25: "寧令者,華言大王也。"