liao 601Sung court presented Tao-tsung’s testamentary gifts (Sung shih 19:5a,
6b;Liao shih 27:2a).
On Feb.14, 1105, an Auxiliary Academician of the Bureau of Mili-
tary Affairs and other Liao envoys to the Sung court requested that
Sung demobilize the troops attacking Hsia (Liao shih 27:4a).
On May 19, 1105, Liao envoys to Sung sought a return of territory
to Hsia and the withdrawal of troops. These envoys departed from the
Sung court on June 24 (Sung shih 20:2a; Sung hui-yao kao 5257:69b).
On July 29, 1105, two Sung envoys on a goodwill mission were
received at the Liao court (Liao shih 27:4a).
On Feb.13, 1106, T’ien-tso sent the Commissioner of Military
Affairs of the Northern Administration and the Commissioner of
Military Affairs of the Southern Administration as envoys to the the
Sung court. They were to urge Sung to return territory it had seized
from Hsia and to discuss with it the delineation of the border (Liao
shih 27:4b; 115:10b; Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao 346:24b).
On Nov.14 1106, two Sung envoys to the Liao court announced
that their state had made peace with Hsia (Liao shih 27:4b).
On Apr.15, 1109, Hsia envoys to the Liao court announced that
Sung had not returned any territory (Liao shih 27:5b).
On July 26, 1115, Sung envoys arrived at the Liao court to present
silver and silk for the support of the army (Liao shih 27:10b). This may
have been a last half-hearted attempt to support the Khitan against
the Jurchen. It would hardly have been a regular tribute payment,
since such was delivered at the border.
On Mar.11, 1118, Hui-tsung sent the Grandee of Martial Loyalty
by sea to the Jurchen to form an alliance with them against Liao
(Sung shih 21:9a).
War broke out between the Khitan and Jurchen, and the strength
of Liao was sapped by bad leadership, continuous defeats, and inter-
nal uprisings. In early 1125, T’ien-tso was captured and on Sep.3
brought before the Jurchen emperor T’ai-tsu (A-ku-ta). On Sep.6 he
was demoted to king of Hai-pin. On Oct.22, Jurchen envoys to the
Sung court announced T’ien-tso’s capture. He died a natural death,
aged 54^205 (Sung shih 22:12a; Liao shih 30:1b).
Chinese and Khitan/Liao diplomatic relations can be divided into
three distinct historical periods. The first comprised the time from Sui
(^205) Since he was born in 1075 (Liao shih 27:1a), he ought to have died in 1128.