490 hsia
On Sep.28, 1044, another Hsia mission was received at the Liao
court. The authorities once more concluded that the envoys were
untruthful (Liao shih 19:6a; 70:17b).
In the 6th month (June/July) of 1044, Hsing-tsung sent the Com-
misioner of the Yen-ch’ang Palace as envoy to the Sung court to again
announce that he intented to attack Hsia (Liao shih 19:5b-6a).
When Hsing-tsung took personal command against Hsia, a Sung
envoy presented parting gifts on Oct.3, 1044 (Liao shih 19:6a).
On Oct.25, 1044, peace was concluded between Sung and Hsia.
An oath letter^15 from Jen-tsung was handed to Yüan-hao in which
Sung promised annually to pay 255,000 units of silver, silk, and tea
(Sung shih 11:8a-8b; 485:19b-20a). In other words, peace was bought
by the Sung. Even though the Chinese dynastic historian bravely
states that the units were annual “bestowals”, the appropriate word
is “tribute”.
On Nov.1, 1044, envoys from Yüan-hao to the Liao court announced
his willingness to back down, and on Nov.3, he promised that the rebel-
lious Tang-hsiang tribes would be abandoned to Liao. On Nov. 15, his
envoys offered regional objects. However, the envoys were detained
and the war continued. On Nov.16, Yüan-hao offered peace which
was rejected. In the previous fighting, Hsing-tsung’s brother-in-law had
been captured by the Hsia forces. On Nov.21, Yüan-hao proposed
an exchange of prisoners. The detained Hsia envoys were thereupon
released. On Nov.28, Hsing-tsung left the army. Subsequently, the
Liao forces withdrew for lack of provisions (Sung shih 485:20b-21a;
Liao shih 19:6a-6b; 115:8a-8b).
On Dec.29, 1044, Jen-tsung of Sung appointed a Supernumerary
Gentleman of the Bureau of Sacrifices of the Masters of Writing and
an Audience Usher as envoys for presenting Yüan-hao with a belt of
real gold, silver horse trappings, 20,000 ounces of silver, 20,000 bolts of
pongee, 30,000 catties of tea, a lacquered bamboo tablet, and a silver
seal washed in gold, 2.1 inches square, with the inscription “Ruler of
the Hsia State” (Sung shih 11:8b; 485:20a-20b).
In the 12th month (Dec./Jan., 1045) of the Liao year 1044, Hsing-
tsung’s brother-in-law returned to Liao, and Hsia envoys offered gifts
(Liao shih 155:8b).
On Feb.8, 1045, Liao envoys informed the Sung court that the war
against Hsia had been concluded (Sung shih 11:9a).
(^15) An oath letter took the place of a signed treaty.