chin 667cated emperors, to each other, with three exceptions. Chin did not
announce the murder of Hsi-tsung in 1150, the murder of the Dismissed
Emperor in 1161, and the overthrow and assassination of the King of
Wei-shao in 1213. While condolences otherwise were a routine, the
Southern Sung did not condole on these three occasions. It did not
have to do so, since it had not been officially informed of the deaths.
With the same three exceptions, Southern Sung and Chin presented
the testamentary gifts of all emperors to each other. The only unex-
plained omission is therefore the congratulation on the enthronement
of Ning-tsung in 1194.
This far, Southern Sung and Chin largely followed the protocol
established in Liao times. There was, however, a sharp difference
when it came to announcing the death of an Empress Dowager or
Grand Empress Dowager. The protocol of Sung-Liao times had been
based on reciprocity. That of Southern Sung and Chin was not. The
Southern Sung announced the death of Grand Empresses Dowager
in 1197 and 1207, and of an Empress Dowager in 1200.^85 The Chin
made not a single corresponding announcement. This means that
the traffic was distinctly one-sided. Southern Sung was deferential,
Chin was not. Another change of protocol was the fact that Chin at
no time held official mourning for Southern Sung. The latter, on the
other hand, suspended the New Year celebration on Jan.14, 1124,
because of T’ai-tsu’s death on Sep.19, 1123. It therefore held official
mourning for Chin on at least this occasion.
All missions discussed so far had chiefly, but not exclusively, ritual
purposes. Others were concerned with border delineations and ter-
ritorial concessions, espionage, peace negotiations, release of prisoners
of war, thanks for condolences, goodwill, congratulations on the move
of an imperial residence, dates when birthdays were to be celebrated,
and the like.
The intense diplomatic traffic between Southern Sung and Chin
did not disguise the fact that Southern Sung was the lesser partner.
During all the years of their coexistance, the Southern Sung never
offered honorific or posthumous titles to the Chin emperors, knowing,
no doubt, that these would not be accepted. The titles confered by
T’ai-tsung on Hui-tsung and Ch’in-tsung in 1128, Duke of Stupified
(^85) I exclude titular empresses, who had not been legitimate empresses in their
lifetimes.