hsia 479Hsia
When the Tang-hsiang in the latter half of the 7th century migrated
into T’ang territories, the most powerful group, under chiefs of the
T’o-pa clan^1 , settled south of the Ordos steppe within the bend of the
Yellow River. This was the nucleus of the future Hsia State.^2 Emperor
T’ai-tsung of T’ang conferred on the chief T’o-pa Ch’ih-tz’u the
imperial surname of Li. At the end of T’ang, another chief, T’o-pa
Ssu-kung, supported the T’ang against the rebel Huang Ch’ao from
880 to 883. In recognition, he also was granted the imperial surname
of Li and appointed Military Commissioner of the imaginary Army
Which Fixes Difficulties. While he and his successors sported Chinese
titles, they were, in fact, independent rulers.^3
When Ssu-kung died, he was succeeded as Military Commissioner
of the Army Which Fixes Difficulties by his younger brother Li Ssu-
chien. Ssu-chien was succeeded by Ssu-kung’s grandson Li Yi-ch’ang.
Yi-ch’ang was soon killed and succeeded by his uncle Li Jen-fu. Jen-
fu was given various Chinese titles and in 924 by the Later T’ang
recognized as king of Shuo-fang. In 933, it became known at the
Later T’ang court that Jen-fu had died. He was succeeded by his son
Li Yi-ch’ao. In 935, it became known at the Later T’ang court that
Yi-ch’ao had also died. His brother Li Yi-yin succeeded as Military
Commissioner of the Army Which Fixes Difficulties.The Later Chou
appointed him Prefect of the Masters of Writing, Grand Guardian,
and Grand Tutor, and recognized him as king of Hsi-p’ing. After
T’ai-tsu had founded the Sung dynasty in 960, he appointed Yi-yin
as Grand Commandant. The Sung court henceforth refered to Yi-yin
as Yi-hsing to avoid the tabooed given name of T’ai-tsu’s father (Chiu
Wu-tai shih 31:9a-9b; Sung shih 485:2a-2b; Chin shih 134:1a).
In 960 or soon thereafter, Li Yi-yin offered 300 horses to the Sung
court. T’ai-tsu was greatly pleased with this support, personally made a
jade belt, and sent an envoy to present it (Sung shih 485:2b-3a).
(^1) Not to be confused with the T’o-pa ruling house of Northern Wei.
(^2) In the sources, the state is more often referred to as Hsia than Hsi Hsia. Although
Hsi Hsia is the common term in the West, I prefer to call it Hsia. 3
For the internal history and foreign wars of the Hsia State see Ruth Dunnel,
The Cambridge History of China, vol.6, pp.154-214.