Like a hurricane blowing from the northeast, its rise is a legend, rising rapidly and becoming powerful. It quickly integrates into advanced civilization and becomes a shower of rain, nourishing the restructuring of the Heavenly Family and the Three Treaties of Dading. However, it was so short-lived that its newly consolidated foundation was unexpectedly defeated and turned into a fleeting smoke, drifting away in the time and space of history. This is the dynasty established by the Jurchen tribe called Dajin, leaving endless emotions for future generations.
In 1125 AD, a special team was marching northward, with the most eye-catching being an emperor. However, by this time, he had become a prisoner, and his former glory and extravagance were exchanged for endless humiliation after being captured. He was the last emperor of the Liao Dynasty, Emperor Tianzuo, and his capture marked the downfall of the Liao Dynasty.
Jin Shangjing Site, Harbin City, Heilongjiang Province
Just two years later, in 1127 AD, another team marched from south to north, with a larger scale than before, reaching tens of thousands of people. The most notable of them were two emperors, one was Emperor Huizong of Song, and the second was his son Emperor Qinzong of Song. They had also become prisoners of war, with greater honor and luxury than Emperor Tianzuo, and they suffered far more humiliation than Emperor Tianzuo. At the same time, many of their concubines were also humiliated. Both teams escorted the fallen ruler to the same destination, which was Jin. Go to the capital in the morning and listen to the disposal of one person. This person was the second emperor of the Jin Dynasty, Emperor Taizong of the Jin Dynasty, who continuously destroyed two dynasties, making this politician the greatest achievement of the Jin Dynasty during his twelve year reign. Emperor Taizong of Jin, Wanyan Sheng, was the younger brother of the founding emperor of the Jin Dynasty, Wanyan Aguda. After ascending to the throne, he fulfilled Wanyan Aguda’s last wish and rapidly expanded the territory of the Jin Dynasty. During the war, the Jin Dynasty’s soldiers had fighting spirit, were able to endure hardship, and each had a spirit of martial arts. They launched attacks like knives, quickly annihilating the Liao Dynasty and Northern Song Dynasty, and continued to advance forward. At this time, the Jin Dynasty had already ruled most of northern China, stretching from the Sea of Japan and the Sea of Okhotsk to the northeast, the Outer Khingan Mountains to the north, bordering Mongolia to the northwest, Hetao to the west, Hengshan in Shaanxi, the eastern part of Gansu and the border with Western Xia, and the Qinling and Huai Rivers to the south.
Sitting Dragon Statue in Harbin, Heilongjiang Province
This is a seated dragon statue located in Acheng District, Harbin City, Heilongjiang Province. It has become a symbol of Harbin and even Heilongjiang Province, but its origin is not well-known to many people. The copper original of this seated dragon is collected in the Heilongjiang Provincial Museum and has always been regarded as a treasure of the museum. The reason why it is so precious is because it is the earliest dragon shaped cultural relic discovered in the Jin Dynasty so far.
Yang Haipeng, Deputy Director of the History Department of the Heilongjiang Provincial Museum: As for the Jurchen people, he is a hunting and fishing ethnic group. When hunting, he often takes his dog with him. Therefore, dogs are a very loyal companion for Jurchen people. When Jurchen people shape their dragon, they use the image of a sitting dog.
Although the country established by this fishing and hunting ethnic group has rapidly ruled the northern regions of China, years of war have seriously damaged the local social and economic conditions. With a large number of Han and Khitan people becoming subjects of the Jin Dynasty, the backward way of governing the country by the Jurchen people is completely unsuitable. How to govern this vast and fertile land is a difficult problem that the rulers of the Jin Dynasty must overcome.
Professor Li Guizhi from Central University for Nationalities: Some of the minority tribes in northern China have established a tribal system of government. Strictly speaking, their characteristics actually belong to this tribal system of governance. In the traditional sense, the country mentioned in Chinese classical literature is equivalent to a tribe, and a tribe can be called a country. Of course, that tribal group can also be called a country, and a tribe can be called a country. However, its meaning and system are different from those of the country in the Central Plains region.
In 1135 AD, Emperor Taizong of Jin passed away, and at the age of only sixteen, Wanyan Dan succeeded him to the throne. He was the legitimate eldest grandson of Wanyan Aguda and was also known as Emperor Xizong of Jin. During the early period of Emperor Xizong’s reign, the assistant minister held absolute power, and the monarch had no real name. At that time, the Jin Dynasty was completely controlled by two powerful ministers. During the reign of Emperor Taizong of Jin, the Privy Council was established in Yanjing and Yunzhong, respectively under the control of Wanyan Zonghan and Wanyan Zongwang. The Jin people referred to them as the Eastern and Western imperial courts, and their power could almost resist the imperial court. After the death of Wanyan Zongwang, Wanyan Zonghan took the opportunity to merge the two major Privy Councils and become the most powerful minister of the Taizong Dynasty.
Professor Li Guizhi from Central University for Nationalities: What about the imperial court? After all, the imperial power has not been absolutely established yet, so the local generals are on the front line, and they have military power. That is certain. Do you not give military power to those who call people to fight? He has military strength, but at the same time, in this military conquered area, they also have to manage the people. Therefore, the military campaigns in this area are under the jurisdiction of the generals, and the handling of civil affairs is also under the jurisdiction of the generals. Therefore, in the situation at that time, there were two people, Zong Han and Zong Wang. One was the Eastern Court, and the other was the Western Court, which means they were the court.
After Emperor Xizong ascended the throne, he sought to establish a sound political system and strengthen the rule centered on imperial power. He adopted the advanced management experience of the Han people and actively established a centralized system. However, at that time, Wanyan Zonghan, who held great power, became the biggest obstacle in front of Emperor Jin Xizong. Wanyan Zonghan was powerful, but Jin Xizong did not act rashly. He used the reason of reforming the official system to give Wanyan Zonghan the position of Taibao, transferred him back to the court from the Central Plains, relieved his military power, and then transferred all his confidants back to the central government to gain control. When the time was ripe, Jin Xizong, with the support of other Jurchen powers such as Wanyan Zongpan, dealt a heavy blow to the power of Wanyan Zonghan, and Wanyan Zonghan died of melancholy.
Associate Researcher of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences – Zhou Feng: In order to consolidate his political power, Jin Xizong killed some royal ministers, including his own close relatives, including Wanyan Zongpan, Wanyan Chang, Wanyan Jun, and others.
At this time, Emperor Xizong had already paved the way for political reform. He was no longer satisfied with the reform carried out by Emperor Taizong of the Jin Dynasty, imitating the Han official system of the Liao Dynasty. Instead, he appointed Song Dynasty ministers who had surrendered to the Jin Dynasty and established the system of assistant officials, imitating the old system of the Tang and Song Dynasties. In view of the lessons learned from the rule of powerful officials, this restructuring abolished the old system of the Jurchen tribe, implemented a three province and six department system in the central government, incorporated the old system of the Tang and Song dynasties, and established a centralized system centered on Han law, which determined the political direction of the Jin dynasty for over a hundred years. The war between the Jin Dynasty and the Southern Song Dynasty continued for several years, with each side having its own victories and defeats. In 1142 AD, the Jin Dynasty and the Southern Song Dynasty signed the Shaoxing Peace Treaty, which stipulated that the border between the two countries was divided by the middle flow of the Huai River to the east and the Dashan Pass to the west. The Song Dynasty ceded most of the Tang and Deng provinces, as well as the Shang and Qin provinces, to the Jin Dynasty. The Song Dynasty presented an annual tribute of 250000 taels of silver and 250000 pieces of silk, similar to the Jin Dynasty. As a result, both sides had a period of peace and stability. The Jin Dynasty not only received tribute from the Southern Song Dynasty, but also developed its economy comprehensively domestically. The northern economy continued to prosper. Emperor Jin Xizong further implemented comprehensive reforms and issued unified laws and regulations. Expanding the capital, establishing etiquette, and creating new characters, the comprehensive national strength of the Jin Dynasty rapidly improved, presenting a brand new atmosphere.
Professor Li Guizhi from Central University for Nationalities: Jin Xizong received education in Han culture in the imperial court, so he had a certain understanding of some of the etiquette and systems in the Han region and the Central Plains region. Therefore, for him, implementing Han law is a very natural and logical thing.
However, there seemed to be various risks hidden in the seemingly smooth development. The power struggle among the aristocrats of the Jin Dynasty was complex and varied, and Jin Xizong was ultimately unable to control the situation. His promotion of the Han official system faced numerous obstacles, and he himself was also killed.
Jin Shang Jing Hui Ning Fu Ruins, Acheng District, Harbin City, Heilongjiang Province
This is the ruins of Huining Mansion in Jin Shangjing, located in Acheng District, Harbin City, Heilongjiang Province. It was the capital of the early Jin Dynasty, and it was from here that this great dynasty prospered. Today, it is covered in thick snow, and it is difficult to find the ruins of the past. The reason why it is difficult to find is not because of long-term disrepair or war damage, but because the fourth emperor of the Jin Dynasty, Prince Hailing, Wanyan Liang, not only committed suicide after his cousin Jin Xizong, but also declared himself emperor. In 1153 AD, a large fire was set on fire, destroying the entire city and palace of Jin Shangjing. He moved the capital to Yanjing, which is now Beijing, and Beijing became the capital of the dynasty for the first time.
Professor Li Guizhi from Central University for Nationalities: However, from the perspective of governance, the scope of his rule has become larger and the number of officials and institutions has also increased. The area in Shangjing is located in a corner, and water transportation is inconvenient, making it difficult to supply food and salaries. In this case, of course, it is necessary to consider a place with convenient transportation and access to food and salary supplies. At the same time, the focus of his rule is also on his ideal of ruling the whole country, which is to unify the whole country. Shangjing is too far away, so he must move to a more central and developed area.
As the capital city, the most memorable period for everyone is probably the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties. Today, Beijing has become an international metropolis and a national political and cultural center. However, the capital city of the Jin Dynasty has almost been forgotten by people. Where is the earliest capital city of Beijing? Finding the ruins of the Jin Dynasty capital has become a common aspiration of archaeologists in Beijing. Qixin, who had previously served as the director of the Beijing Archaeological Institute and was also one of many archaeologists, spent almost her entire life searching for the ruins of the capital city of the Jin Dynasty. In 1990, they made a significant discovery in a remote area of Fengtai District.
Liaojin City Wall Museum, Fengtai District, Beijing
Qi Xin, President of the Beijing Archaeological Society: This is the Shuiguan site of the Jin Dynasty. The Jin Dynasty and Jin Dynasty refer to the dynasties established by the Jurchen tribe. The flowing culvert under the southern wall of the Jin Dynasty’s capital over 800 years ago is also called Shuidou or Shuiguan.
Now, relying on this site, the Liaojin City Wall Museum has been established here. According to the judgment of the existing relics, a large amount of building materials such as wood, stone, iron, and sand were used to build the Shuiguan at that time. Only 1800 wooden stakes were driven, and from this grand project, one can imagine the prosperity of the Jin Dynasty capital in the 12th century. As an archaeologist, Qi Xin does not want to rely on the remaining Shuiguan site to imagine the prosperity of the past.
Jin Dynasty Cemetery, Fangshan District, Beijing
According to historical records, in order to prevent the Jurchen nobility from returning to the capital, the King of Hailing also moved the imperial tomb to Beijing. Archaeological work in search of the Jin Dynasty imperial tomb also began. After more than ten years of effort, the site of the Jin Mausoleum was finally found near Jiulong Mountain in Fangshan District. This is the first imperial tomb in the northern capital area, which was finally presented to the world. In 1153 AD, Prince Hailing of China, Wanyan Liang, believed that the Jin Dynasty had a vast territory and a corner of the capital was out of place. With the support of most Han officials, he planned to move the capital from Shangjing to Yanjing. However, Prince Hailing’s move was strongly opposed by the Jurchen nobility at the time. They were unwilling to leave their homeland, and conflicts were imminent. King Hailing swiftly cut through the chaos and moved the tombs of ten emperors below his ancestors to the Dafangshan area near Yanjing. At the same time, he leveled the Huining Prefecture of the Jin Dynasty. This practice prevented the Jin royal family and nobles from returning to Shangjing and could only follow King Hailing to Yanjing. From then on, Yanjing was renamed Zhongdu, which is now Beijing. The ruling center of the Jin Dynasty moved from the northeast to the Han region, making it the capital of the dynasty for the first time in Beijing’s history, thus placing both the Jurchen and Han regions under his control.
Hailing King Statue, Qunli Branch of Heilongjiang Provincial Museum
In order to strengthen his rule, King Hailing focused on the unfinished business of Emperor Xizong, strengthened centralization, and achieved the unification of political orders. In 1156 AD, King Hailing ordered the abolition of the Central Secretariat and the two subordinate provinces in the three province system, leaving only the Shangshu Province as the highest administrative organ, with the left and right prime ministers of the Shangshu Province as prime ministers and the Privy Council in charge of court politics. He also abolished the north-south elections set up in the early Jin Dynasty based on different customs, and specifically used ci to select officials and improve the mechanism for selecting officials. In terms of local administration, he established the political district pattern of the Jin Dynasty, which was governed by the Five Capitals and the 14 Prefectures, and governed 19 local administrative regions. He also abolished the Xingtai Shangshu Province established by the Jin Dynasty to appease the people of the Central Plains. The removal of Xingtai led to the abolition of the Hailing King. The complete control of Hebei, Henan, and the Central Plains, the most developed regions in terms of production, put an end to the dispersion of the Jin Dynasty’s political power and ultimately achieved centralization of the Jin Dynasty.
Strengthening centralization and achieving the unification of political orders was a political means of strengthening the monarchy’s autocracy in the strategy of the Hailing King. The strategic goal was to overthrow the Southern Song Dynasty and achieve national unity. In order to achieve his own goals, he carried out a second capital relocation, moving the capital to Bianjing, which is now Kaifeng.
President of the Beijing Archaeological Society – Qi Xin: He has the idea of unifying the world, so I am not satisfied with being in this North China region. I have to go to Jiangnan to unify the world. Of course, the more I go, the closer I go to Henan, which is closer to the south. Therefore, I need to move because it is easier for me to rule, manage, and concentrate power. So he quickly sent people to repair the palaces in Bianjing and so on. In the end, he went to fight the Southern Song Dynasty in the south because he still had to go to war. Why didn’t he know the timing? He just moved the capital in 1513, moved the tomb again in 1155, and destroyed his capital in 1157. He didn’t rest for a series of times and soon went south to repair Bianjing. Then he had to send troops to fight. In this situation, his strength was not well enriched economically, right? Therefore, he underestimated the situation.
Not long after, the Prince of Hailing disregarded the exhaustion of national strength and the aspirations of the people, and acted unilaterally. He launched a full-scale military campaign against the Southern Song Dynasty. The excessive military tactics of the Prince of Hailing resulted in the abandonment of land, a sharp decline in population, an economic depression, and various consequences that greatly lost the people’s hearts. This intensified social conflicts and led to uprisings in various regions. The praying mantis catching cicadas and yellow sparrows were at the rear, and at the same time as the King of Hailing attacked the Southern Song Dynasty, a mutiny occurred in the rear. The Prince of Hailing, who vowed to unify the north and south, died tragically at the hands of his generals on the front line of Guazhou, and ended up with arrows piercing through his body.
Associate Researcher of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences – Zhou Feng: I believe that in the life of Wanyan Liang, his achievements should outweigh his faults. Including him, many of his measures, including relocating the capital and tombs, and moving south to Meng’an, I think these reforms in the official system and various systems are equivalent to laying the foundation for the prosperous era of Dading in the future. Therefore, Wanyan Liang should also be an emperor whose achievements outweigh his faults.
Jinzhongdu Model Capital Museum
After the untimely death of Wanyan Liang, the new emperor who launched the campaign to seize the throne will rectify the chaos and lead the Jin Dynasty to its peak. He is Jin Shizong Wanyan Yong, who, on the advice of his ministers, once again moved the capital to Zhongdu, now Beijing. Jin Shizong used Zhongdu as the ruling center, commanding the world, inheriting and improving the centralized system of the Hailing King period. While appointing new officials, he continued to retain some of the upper level officials of the Hailing King period, and even disregarded past grievances by appointing ministers who had previously opposed him. He also paid great attention to appointing non imperial Jurchen officials and Khitan, Bohai, and Han officials. His generosity was generous. The magnanimous style has won the support of various forces, and the central government has smoothly transitioned, resulting in a harmonious situation for the ruling class.
Professor Li Guizhi from Central University for Nationalities: Society cannot always be in a state of war. After he reversed this situation, he began to rectify the governance of officials, and he himself set an example. First of all, he searched everywhere and personally learned about the problems in society and the achievements of local officials. He could personally go to that place to learn about them, and then educate them at any time on how to govern the country well and how to maintain integrity. This is something he has been persistently doing since his accession to the throne until the end.
In view of the negative consequences brought by the Hailing King’s attack on Song, Emperor Jin Shizong was determined to create a peaceful neighboring relationship. He took the initiative to negotiate peace with Song. Although the Southern Song launched the Northern Expedition, the Jin army did not continue their southern invasion after winning. The two sides eventually reached the Longxing Peace Agreement, also known as the Qiandao Alliance. As a result, both the Jin and Song dynasties further determined that the Great Shanguan was to the west and the Huai River was to the east, stabilizing the territory of the Jin and Song dynasties. In the following forty years, there was no major war between the two sides, and the national strength of the Jin Dynasty also reached its peak in peace and stability. Dading was the reign title of Emperor Shizong of Jin. During his reign, Emperor Shizong continued to strengthen centralized rule, select and appoint talents, and have clear rewards and punishments, resulting in a prosperous situation of courtiers holding their positions and maintaining peace between the upper and lower levels. In history, for a few years, the warehouses were abundant, the people were wealthy, and the four barbarians were well received, leading to a peaceful period of thirty years in Dading. In history, this period was called Dading Renzheng, while Emperor Shizong of Jin was known as Xiao Yao and Shun.
Professor Li Guizhi from Central University for Nationalities: Jin Shizong was known as the Little Yao and Shun in the history of the Jin Dynasty. He was also known as the Little Yao and Shun. Of course, he made his own contribution to the Jin regime, or rather to Chinese history. He aimed to maintain a stable order and continue to develop production on the original basis. He was able to end the state of war and make the development of production and social stability his governance goal. This led to the development of society on the right track.
Although Jin Shizong had entered the Central Plains region and lived peacefully with his neighbors, the situation within the region was stable. However, he always maintained a strong sense of crisis. He continued to follow the trend of history, allowing a large number of Jurchen people to migrate to Han, drawing on the advanced ideas of the Han and even Khitan ethnic groups, strengthening the rule of the royal dynasty, promoting social development, and not forgetting the advantages of the Jurchen people themselves, especially maintaining the national tradition of martial courage. For this reason, he ordered the establishment of the Jurchen Jinshi Academy, the Jurchen Guozi Academy, and the Jurchen Imperial Academy, stipulating that Jurchen nobles could not read the Jurchen scriptures and could not inherit the Meng’an Moke tradition. At the same time, he also demanded that his descendants must practice martial arts. In 1185 AD, the elderly Emperor Jin Shizong personally went to the capital to entertain the royal family, ministers, and the elderly. During the banquet, Emperor Jin Shizong passionately sang a Jurchen song, lamenting the difficulties of great achievements. When he sang the song, he felt as if he could see his ancestors, and the achievement of a generation of great achievements was limitless. He generously mourned, unable to speak, and was moved by his enthronement. This was not only his nostalgia for the past, but also his contemplation of the future. Decades later, the fact proved that Emperor Jin’s contemplation was not unreasonable.
Professor Li Guizhi from Central University for Nationalities: Due to his stable social order and development of production, Emperor Jin Shizong accumulated considerable social wealth. After the accumulation of social wealth, the spirit of bravery, fighting spirit, and hard work of the original Jurchen was to some extent influenced.
In 1189 AD, Emperor Zhangzong of Jin, Wanyan Jing, succeeded to the throne and changed his reign to Mingchang. Zhangzong was the grandson of Emperor Shizong, who had studied Chinese classics since childhood. He himself admired Confucianism and elegance. At that time, many famous scholars emerged, and the ruling ministers were talented and knowledgeable. During the reign of Emperor Zhangzong of Jin, the Jin dynasty was deeply influenced by the culture of the Central Plains. At the same time, Emperor Zhangzong inherited his grandfather’s political strategy, starting with rectifying the governance of officials, appointing virtuous and capable officials, orderly rewards and punishments, and eliminating redundant personnel. He also restricted the frequent movement of officials and continued to improve the centralized system.
Copper Sitting Dragon Capital Museum
This is a special exhibition held by the Capital Museum to celebrate the 860th anniversary of the founding of the capital city of Jin Dynasty. Among the large number of cultural relics exhibited during the Jin Dynasty, one is extremely unique. It is the Copper Sitting Dragon unearthed in Baizhifang, Beijing, which is very different from the Copper Sitting Dragon unearthed at the Jin Shangjing site. Although the Copper Sitting Dragon at this time was still in a distance sitting style, it absorbed more of the dragon shaped characteristics of the Central Plains region and added wings. During the reign of Emperor Zhangzong of Jin, he absorbed a large amount of management concepts from the Central Plains. During his twenty years in office, he was able to regulate rituals and music, amend criminal laws, establish official systems, and preserve cultural relics. The Jin Dynasty seemed to have reached its peak, but crises were also brewing.
Associate Researcher of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences – Zhou Feng: Because Jin Zhangzong was one of the emperors who closely followed Jin Shizong, the national strength of the Jin Dynasty had reached its peak at that time, including the entire government and the public. Some were not proactive, and the whole society pursued luxury and extravagance, which was a social atmosphere.
Jin Dynasty Mural Paintings at Yanshan Temple in Fanzhi County, Shanxi Province
Disasters have successively hit the northern land, causing three breaches of the Yellow River embankment. The people have been severely affected and displaced, while the powerful officials of the Jin Dynasty only glorified peace and used their power for personal gain, leading to increasingly corrupt governance and rampant corruption. Such a regime is bound to face numerous crises, exacerbate social conflicts, and intensify ethnic conflicts. At the same time, the external enemies were already strong, and the intensification of internal and external troubles indicated that the Jin Dynasty was beginning to decline. The rising Mongols were destined to be a strong opponent of the Jin Dynasty. As early as the reigns of Emperor Xizong and Emperor Shizong, Mongols frequently harassed the northern border. In the sixth year of the Taihe reign of Emperor Zhangzong of Jin, Genghis Khan established the Great Mongol State. With the gradual strengthening of the Mongol aid led by Genghis Khan, the successors of Emperor Zhangzong faced greater danger. In 1209 AD, before his death, Emperor Zhangzong of Jin issued a decree appointing Wanyan Yongji as the new emperor. Wanyan Yongji was also known as the King of Wei Shao, and historical records describe him as weak, intelligent, and lacking in great abilities. When the Mongol army besieged the capital city of Western Xia, Western Xia sought help from Jin, but King Wei Shao refused to send troops. Therefore, he ordered Jin to resist Mongolia and changed it to Fu Meng to resist Jin. As an important force for the Jin Dynasty to contain the Mongols, the Western Xia Empire, originally known as Kaiyi, has now become an ally of the Mongols in attacking the Jin Dynasty due to the short-sighted view of King Wei Shao, making the situation even worse for the Jin Dynasty. And during the reign of King Wei Shao for five years, he was coerced out of the palace by his generals and later killed. At this time, the Jin Dynasty was already surrounded by chaos, and the Mongol army had almost crossed the territory of the Jin Dynasty north of the Yellow River. This made Jin Xuanzong, who had just ascended the throne, restless and prepared to move the capital again.
Professor Li Guizhi from Central University for Nationalities: Because he is not familiar with the situation, he himself does not have the ability to make decisive decisions like the King of Hailing. Therefore, under the pressure of the Mongols, the situation of the Mongols besieging the city became a negotiation, a peace negotiation, and finally, the Mongols withdrew their troops. However, he does not believe that the Mongols can really stop coming. What should I do next time? So, he did not organize military and civilian forces to protect the capital, but rather left the capital to escape the military pressure of the Mongols.
Qingming Shanghe Garden, Kaifeng City, Henan Province
In 1214 AD, Emperor Xuanzong of the Jin Dynasty moved his capital to Bianjing, now Kaifeng. The so-called capital relocation actually meant fleeing south. As soon as Emperor Xuanzong left, his people’s hearts disintegrated and the central capital quickly fell. An unprecedented uprising broke out in the Shandong and Hebei regions of the Jin Dynasty. Emperor Xuanzong attempted to develop southward and then engaged in a war with the Southern Song Dynasty. He thought the Southern Song Dynasty was vulnerable, but he did not expect that the Jin army was no longer what it used to be. The soldiers who had been comfortable for a long time and lost their martial spirit were clearly powerless. Although there were slight victories, the two sides were always in a tug of war in the battle for the city. Emperor Xuanzong attempted to force the Southern Song Dynasty to negotiate. However, the Southern Song Dynasty was even more hostile towards the Jin Dynasty, with enemies everywhere around it. At this time, many forces formed strongholds to protect themselves in various northern regions. The Jin Dynasty attempted to use their power to attack the Mongol army, restore their homeland, and enfeoffed nine people as dukes, known as the Nine Duke Feudalism in history. But this method of acknowledging local separatism did not have much effect. Soon, the ideal of restoring the homeland of Jin Xuanzong was shattered like a soap bubble, and Jin Xuanzong died of illness in Bianjing. The fate of the Jin Dynasty was also about to come to an end.
President of the Beijing Archaeological Society – Qi Xin: The Jin Dynasty was in the capital for forty or thirty-eight years, and it was sixty-two years before it arrived in Beijing. It should have been about twenty years since it arrived in Bianjing. At that time, why was it completely impossible to give him silver during the reign of Emperor Xuanzong? The Southern Song Dynasty gave him no more silver. Originally, he was supposed to pay tribute, and the Shaoxing peace negotiations were supposed to give him tribute. Now he’s not giving it anymore. At this time, the Southern Song Dynasty has also risen, and I won’t give it to you. In addition, Mongolia has entered, so it has become economically weak in all aspects.
In 1123 AD, Emperor Aizong of Jin succeeded to the throne. When he first ascended to the throne, he attempted to reverse this situation. At that time, Genghis Khan was busy with the war in the Western Regions, giving the Jin Dynasty a brief respite. Jin Aizong first stopped the war of aggression against the Southern Song Dynasty, and at the same time negotiated peace with the Western Xia, and appointed some advantageous generals to resist Mongolia. These were all commendable actions. However, when the situation changed slightly, Jin Aizong lived a peaceful life and quickly indulged in the pursuit of comfort and pleasure. The atmosphere of palace politics, imperial family profiteering, bribery and corruption continued to spread in both the court and the public.
The Mongolian army is still growing, just like the army during the reign of Jin Taizu Wanyan Aguda, and now the Mongolian cavalry is galloping unstoppably on the battlefield. After the Mongol leader Wokuotai ascended to the throne as the Great Khan, he launched his final attack on the Jin Dynasty. At Sanfeng Mountain in Yuzhou, Henan, the main force of the Jin army was defeated by the Mongol army led by Tore, and the Jin Dynasty was in decline. In the spring of 1232 AD, the Mongol army captured Luoyang and besieged Bianjing. Jin Aizong had no fighting spirit and only spent his days with his concubine, shedding tears and wanting to commit suicide several times. When the plague broke out in the city, Jin Aizong handed over the defense to the minister and fled with his own guards, causing Bianjing to quickly fall.
Professor Li Guizhi from Central University for Nationalities: After Jin Aizong came to power, he still had an idea to salvage this situation. So, did he first adjust his relationship with Western Xia? This way, he could at least reduce some of the pressure, but at that time, it was already a leaning building that was difficult to support alone.
Caizhou Ancient City, Runan County, Henan Province
This is Caizhou in Henan Province, which became the last hiding place of Emperor Ai of Jin Dynasty at that time. In 1234 AD, the last stronghold of the Jin Dynasty, Caizhou, was surrounded by the Mongol and Southern Song allied forces for three months. The city was destroyed and the country fell, and the life of Emperor Ai of Jin also came to an end. At this time, Jin Aizong had no way to escape. However, before his death, he preserved the original integrity of the Jurchen. His ministers advised him to commit suicide, but Jin Aizong angrily said, “The fallen ruler always suffers from shame, and I will never do so. I have made up my mind, and then he hanged himself in Youlan Pavilion amidst crying at the age of only 37.”.
Jin won the country with his army, but also lost the country with his army. Wanyan Aguda rose rapidly with tens of thousands of troops, which was related to the successive victories of the Jin army. Although it was related to the corruption and incompetence of the rulers of the Liao and Song dynasties, the heroic and skilled character of the Jurchen people was also crucial. However, after relocating the Jurchen’s fierce Anmouke to agricultural areas to engage in farming, the changes in production and lifestyle, as well as the spread of the social atmosphere of pursuing comfort and pleasure, gradually caused them to lose their spirit of martial arts and bravery. In this way, under the impact of the massive Mongolian iron cavalry, the combat effectiveness declined day by day, and the Jin Dynasty was soon defeated.
The Jin Dynasty was a period of rapid changes in the world, with rapid glory and rapid decline. Compared with the Liao and Western Xia dynasties, the Jin Dynasty was the most powerful and short-lived dynasty. It sternly and vigorously destroyed the Liao Dynasty, which had outstanding martial arts achievements, and the Northern Song Dynasty, which had excellent cultural governance. However, it only lasted for 120 years. It has successfully integrated into advanced civilization, but has not been able to absorb its most positive spirit to strengthen the country and maintain long-term stability. More importantly, when it completely loses itself, it loses its own advantages and loses them forcefully. At the time of purification, the ultimate failure was bound to come quickly, which was the fate arranged by history for the Jin Dynasty.
90 Seconds of History: Liao Jin Culture
In the early years of the Republic of China, a private school director named Lian from the Right Banner of Bahrain, in order to pay teachers a salary, led his students to excavate the Yongxing Mausoleum of Liao. Inside, he discovered a huge tombstone with a mysterious writing on it, which was both similar to and different from Chinese characters, and no one could recognize it. This is the Khitan script. It was once the official script of the Liao Dynasty, but disappeared for hundreds of years until it reappeared in the Republic of China. These melancholic inscriptions written in Khitan and Chinese characters will also help us unravel the secrets of Khitan script and delve into the history of the Khitan Dynasty, which has been buried underground for nearly a thousand years. In northern China from the 10th to the 13th century, the Khitan people established the vast Liao Dynasty, while the Jurchen people established the flourishing Jin Dynasty. The cultures of the Khitan and Jurchen ethnic groups were widely integrated with the Central Plains culture, and soon achieved tremendous development. During that era, Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism all developed to varying degrees, with calligraphy, painting, music, drama, and architecture each displaying magnificent colors. The cultures of the Khitan and Jurchen ethnic groups, along with other ethnic groups, were flourishing. Create a brilliant and dazzling Liao Jin culture.
