hsia 501On Dec.11, 1095, Hsia envoys to the Liao court presented a Bud-
dhist sutra written on palm leaves (Liao shih 26:2a).
In 1096, the war between Sung and Hsia started again. In the 6th
month (July/Aug.) of 1097, Hsia envoys to the Liao court announced
that Sung was fortifying strategic places. Tao-tsung sent envoys to the
Sung court, requesting it to make peace with Hsia (Liao shih 26:3a;
155:10a).
On July 2, 1098, Hsia envoys to the Liao court asked for help against
Sung. Tao-tsung sent two envoys to act as mediators between Hsia
and Sung. On Nov.26, these remonstrated with the Sung court and
urged it to make peace with Hsia. Later that year, Hsia once more
sought rescue from Liao (Liao shih 26:3b, 4a; 115:10a).
In the 1st month (Jan./Feb.) of 1099, another Liao envoy arrived
at the Sung court to mediate between Hsia and Sung (Sung shih 486:
13a).
On Mar.5, 1099, Hsia envoys to the Sung court announced the
death of the National Mother. She was the formidable grandmother
of the young ruler Ch’ien-shun. The envoys also requested peace.
This was rejected, and the envoys were not received (Sung shih 18:
13a; 486:13b).^32
On Apr.6, 1099, Liao envoys were received at the Sung court
and requested that the war against Hsia be halted. On June 11, they
returned to their court with the message that Sung was demobilizing
its troops (Sung shih 18:13a;Liao shih 26:4a; Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao 346:
24b).
On Sep.17, 1099, Hsia envoys offered peace to the Sung (Sung shih
18:14b). Soon thereafter, the war ended. On Dec.31, Hsia envoys to
the Liao court thanked for its mediation. In the 12th month (Jan./Feb.,
1100) of the Chinese year 1099, Hsia envoys presented an oath letter
to the Sung court, in which, in spite of the claim of the dynastic histo-
rians, Ch’ien-shun would not have referred to himself as a “subject”.
As a matter of fact, the Chinese agreed to resume their tribute to Hsia
(Sung shih 486:14a-14b; Liao shih 26:4b; 115:10a).
On Jan.15,1100, Hsia envoys arrived at the Sung court (Hsü Tzu-chih
t’ung-chien ch’ang-pien p.4849), probably for the New Year’s congratula-
tions of Feb.12.
(^32) 486:13b dates the reception of the envoys 9th month, but that month did
not have the cyclical characters chia-shen. If 9th month were read as 9th intercalary
month, the date would be Oct.31.