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There were a total of fifteen instances of ''heqin'' marriage alliances during the Han Dynasty.
There were a total of fifteen instances of ''heqin'' marriage alliances during the Han Dynasty.


===200 B.C.-140 B.C.===
*200 B.C.: [[Emperor Gaozu of Han]] marries a Han "princess" to [[Xiongnu]] chieftain [[Modu Chanyu]]. This is the first recorded incidence of ''heqin'' marriage in Chinese history.
*200 B.C.: [[Emperor Gaozu of Han]] marries a Han "princess" to [[Xiongnu]] chieftain [[Modu Chanyu]]. This is the first recorded incidence of ''heqin'' marriage in Chinese history.
*192 B.C.: [[Emperor Hui of Han]] marries another Han "princess" to [[Xiongnu]] chieftain [[Modu Chanyu]].
*192 B.C.: [[Emperor Hui of Han]] marries another Han "princess" to [[Xiongnu]] chieftain [[Modu Chanyu]].
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*103 B.C.: [[Emperor Wu of Han]] marries [[Princess Jieyou|Princess Liu Jieyou]] (劉解憂公主), daughter of Han prince Liu Wu, Prince of Chu (楚王劉戊), to Junxumi, King of [[Wusun]] (King Liejiaomi's grandson). After King Junxumi's death in 93 B.C., Princess Jieyou, in accordance with [[Wusun]] tradition, married his successor (and younger brother), King Wengguimi. After King Wengguimi's death in 60 B.C., Princess Jieyou again remarried to his successor King Nimi (son of King Junximi and a Xiongnu princess).
*103 B.C.: [[Emperor Wu of Han]] marries [[Princess Jieyou|Princess Liu Jieyou]] (劉解憂公主), daughter of Han prince Liu Wu, Prince of Chu (楚王劉戊), to Junxumi, King of [[Wusun]] (King Liejiaomi's grandson). After King Junxumi's death in 93 B.C., Princess Jieyou, in accordance with [[Wusun]] tradition, married his successor (and younger brother), King Wengguimi. After King Wengguimi's death in 60 B.C., Princess Jieyou again remarried to his successor King Nimi (son of King Junximi and a Xiongnu princess).
*33 B.C.: [[Emperor Yuan of Han]] marries [[Wang Zhaojun]], a lady of the imperial harem, to [[Xiongnu]] chieftain Huhanye. After Huhanye's death in 31 B.C., she remarried to Huhanye's successor (his son by his first wife and thus her stepson) Fuzhuleiruodi Chanyu.
*33 B.C.: [[Emperor Yuan of Han]] marries [[Wang Zhaojun]], a lady of the imperial harem, to [[Xiongnu]] chieftain Huhanye. After Huhanye's death in 31 B.C., she remarried to Huhanye's successor (his son by his first wife and thus her stepson) Fuzhuleiruodi Chanyu.

==Sixteen Kingdoms Period==
During the [[Sixteen Kingdoms]] period, there were a total of six recorded instances of ''heqin'' marriage. ''Heqin'' marriage alliances during the Sixteen Kingdoms period differed from those practiced during the [[Han Dynasty]] in two main ways. First, they involved "real" princesses (i.e. daughters of emperors or rulers). Second, unlike during the Han Dynasty, when most ''heqin'' marriages were aimed at establishing peace with foreign nations, ''heqin'' marriages during the [[Sixteen Kingdoms]] period were made primarily to settle rivalries and maintain a balance of power between the various states in China at the time.

*[[Fú Jiān|Fú Jiān, Emperor Xuanzhao of Former Qin]], married one of his daughters to Yang Ding, ruler of the state of [[Chouchi]].
*[[Fu Deng|Fu Deng, Emperor Gao of Former Qin]], married his younger sister, Princess Dongping (東平公主) to [[Qifu Gangui|Qifu Gangui, Prince of Western Qi]].
*441 A.D.: [[Feng Ba|Feng Ba, Emperor Wencheng of Northern Yan]] married his daughter, Princess Lelang (樂浪公主), to Yujiulü Hulü, Khan Aidougai of Rouran.
*415 A.D.: [[Yao Xing|Yao Xing, Emperor Wenhuan of Later Qin]] married his daughter, [[Consort Yao|Princess Xiping]] (西平公主), to [[Emperor Mingyuan of Northern Wei]]. Because she was unable to forge a golden statue with her own hands, she was never formally created empress, but was nevertheless recognized and respected as Emperor Mingyuan's wife.
*[[Qifu Chipan|Qifu Chipan, Prince Wenzhao of Western Qin]], married his daughter, Princess Xingping (興平公主), to [[Juqu Mengxun|Juqu Mengxun, Prince of Northern Liang's]] son Juqu Xingguo.
*433 A.D.: [[Juqu Mengxun|Juqu Mengxun, Prince of Northern Liang]] married his daughter, Princess Xingping (興平公主), to [[Emperor Taiwu of Northern Wei]]. She became Emperor Taiwu's concubine.


==Tang Dynasty==
==Tang Dynasty==

Revision as of 04:51, 7 March 2011

Heqin (simplified Chinese: 和亲; traditional Chinese: 和親; pinyin: Héqīn; lit. 'peace marriage') was a term used in ancient China for an alliance by marriage. It usually referred to the Chinese Emperor marrying off a "princess" (usually a pseudo-princess or concubine whom he had never met before) to an aggressive "barbarian" chieftain or ruler. The theory was that in exchange for the marriage, the chieftain would cease all aggressive actions toward China. The best-known example of heqin involved the beauty Wang Zhaojun. The first known instance of this type of marriage occurred in 200 BC, when a pseudo-princess was offered to a Xiongnu Chanyu as suggested by Lou Jin (later given the surname Liu by the Imperial Court).

Heqin was engaged in by most dynasties in Chinese history to some extent. By contrast to their contemporaries, such as the Liao, Jin, Western Xia, Yuan and the Northern Yuan dynasties, the Song and Ming dynasties did not practice such alliances.

They were used to best effect by the Han Dynasty, Tang Dynasty, and the Manchu-led Qing Dynasty (to Mongols, etc.).

Han Dynasty

There were a total of fifteen instances of heqin marriage alliances during the Han Dynasty.

Sixteen Kingdoms Period

During the Sixteen Kingdoms period, there were a total of six recorded instances of heqin marriage. Heqin marriage alliances during the Sixteen Kingdoms period differed from those practiced during the Han Dynasty in two main ways. First, they involved "real" princesses (i.e. daughters of emperors or rulers). Second, unlike during the Han Dynasty, when most heqin marriages were aimed at establishing peace with foreign nations, heqin marriages during the Sixteen Kingdoms period were made primarily to settle rivalries and maintain a balance of power between the various states in China at the time.

Tang Dynasty

There were a total of seventeen instances of heqin marriage alliances during the Tang Dynasty.

640—690: 5 instances, to Tuyuhun, and 1 instance to Tibet.
710—745: 4 instances, to Khitan, 3 instances, to Xi, and 1 instance, to Tibet.
758—821: 7 instances, to Orkhon Uyghur (including two daughters of the Chinese Emperor, i.e. real princesses, and 3 of Tiele descent).
883: 1 occurrence, to Nanzhao (second daughter of Emperor Yizong of Tang).

During the Ming Dynasty, according to the indigeneous people of Malacca, Malaysia and descendants of Chinese immigrants there, Princess Hang Li Poh (汉丽宝公主) was given in marriage to the Malay Sultan together with 500 lady servants. Although this story is not found in Ming dynasty historical records, it was written in the Malay Annals.[2] And Malacca people generally believed the story to be true, and some Chinese there claim to be descendants of the Princess. The Chinese graves dating to the Ming dynasty in Bukit Cina and other folklores and related relics there also provide strong supporting evidence.[3] This marriage arrangement was not likely to result in practicable military alliance, however, since the Malacca Sultanate was too far away from China. Nevertheless, the Malacca Sultanate did pay tributes to China, and Chinese influence helped deterred attack from Siam.[4]

See also

References

  1. ^ Watson (1993), p. 142.
  2. ^ 汉丽宝公主
  3. ^ [1]
  4. ^ [2]
  • Cui Mingde (2005). The History of Chinese Heqin: Brief Charts of Heqin Events. Beijing: Renmin Chubanshe. pp. 648–688. ISBN 7-01-004828-2.
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