578 liao
than usual, it should receive 300 ounces of gold over and above the
value of these gifts (Hsü Tzu-chih t’ung-chien ch’ang-pien p.1009).
On Dec.16, 1033, four Sung envoys to the Liao court thanked for
the condolence (Liao shih 18:4b).
On Dec.27, 1033, two Sung envoys arrived at the Liao court to
congratulate on the birthday of Hsing-tsung^123 (Liao shih 18:4b).
In the 12th month (Dec./Jan., 1034) of the Chinese year 1033,
envoys from the Liao Empress Dowager and of Hsing-tsung arrived
at the Sung court to congratulate on the New Year’s Day of Jan.23,
1034 (Hsü Tzu-chih t’ung-chien ch’ang-pien p.1019).
On Jan.15, 1034, six Sung envoys arrived at the Liao court to
congratulate on the birthday of the Empress Dowager and on the
New Year’s Day of Jan.23. One of these envoys died on Jan.28. The
Empress Dowager ordered the high officials to contribute to the
funeral expenses and Court Attendants to escort the corpse back to
Sung (Liao shih 18:4b).
On May 1, 1034, envoys from the Liao Empress Dowager and of
Hsing-tsung arrived at the Sung court to congratulate on the birthday
of Jen-tsung^124 (Hsü Tzu-chih t’ung-chien ch’ang-pien p.1026).
Subsequently, Hsing-tsung foiled an attempted coup by his mother,
the Empress Dowager, and banished her from the court. On Aug.17,
1034, he took over the government himself and immediately sent three
envoys to the Sung court to congratulate on the New Year’s Day of
Feb.11, 1035 (Sung shih 10:6a; Liao shih 18:4b, 5a).
In the 12th month (Jan./Feb.1035) of the Liao year 1034, two Sung
envoys arrived at the Liao court to congratulate on the New Year’s
Day of Feb.11, 1036, and another two envoys to congratulate on the
birthday of the Empress Dowager (Liao shih 18:5a). In spite of her
banishment, the Empress Dowager and her faction remained power-
ful, and Hsing tsung did not prevent the congratulations.
On May 20. 1035, Liao envoys arrived at the Sung court to
congratulate on the birthday of Jen-tsung^125 (Hsü Tzu-chih t’ung-chien
ch’ang-pienp.1046).
On Jan.11, 1036, four Sung envoys arrived at the Liao court to
congratulate on the birthday of the Empress Dowager and on the
New Year’s Day of Jan.31, 1036 (Liao shih 18:5b).
(^123) It fell on Apr.8, 1034.
(^124) It fell on May 4.
(^125) It fell on May 23.