30 continental south asia and the islands
Sung court that Li Lung-kan had died on Apr.27, 1211. Emperor
Ning-tsung sent envoys to condole and sacrifice. On May 12, he con-
ferred on Li Lung-kan the posthumous title of Palace Attendant. On
May 30, 1215, Li Lung-kan’s son Hao-ch’ien was appointed Military
Commissioner of the non-existant Army Which Quiets the Sea, Acting
Grand Commandant and Concurrent Grandee Secretary, and Supreme
Pillar of State, entitled Specially Advanced, and recognized as king of
Annam. He was presented a wide garment, a golden belt, 100 bolts of
fine clothing, a [silver] casket, white pongee, yellow pongee, and horse
trappings. Thereafter, relations cooled between the two countries. The
king of Annnam sent no further communications, and the Southern
Sung conferred no further titles (Sung shih 39:8b, 9a; 488:18a; Sung
hui-yao kao 10123:16a-16b; Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao 330:6b).
The Li dynasty of Annam came to end in the male line in 1224,^78
after having ruled for over two centuries. Li Hao-ch’ien had no sons,
so that his daughter Chao-sheng succeeded. She ceded the throne to
her husband Ch’en Jih-ching in 1225 (Sung shih 488:18a). But rela-
tions between Annam and Southern Sung were not restored until
Jan.9, 1236, when Ch’en Jih-ching offered gifts. In the 1st month
(Feb./Mar.) of 1236, he was presented with garments and a golden
belt. On Nov.22, 1236, the Annam State again offered presents. The
Southern Sung dispatched a return mission which presented garments
and gold and silver belts (Sung shih 42:3a, 3b, 6a).
In 1257, the Southern Sung presented the king of Annam golden
vessels, silk, aromatics, and tea, and communicated with him again
in 1258. In the 11th month (Nov./Dec.) of 1261, the Annam State
presented two elephants (Sung shih 44:10a; 488:18b).
On July 13, 1262, a letter from Ch’en Jih-ching was presented to
Southern Sung. He was appointed Acting Grand Master, Military
Commissioner of the non-existant Army Which Quiets the Sea, Act-
ing Grand Commandant, Grandee Secretary, and Supreme Pillar of
State, recognized as Great King of the Annam State, and presented
with a golden belt, [porcelain] vessels, silk, and horse trappings (Sung
shih 435:12b, 488:18b).
After Emperor Tu-tsung had ascended the Southern Sung throne
on Nov.16, 1264, the Annam State congratulated on his ascension on
Sep.24, 1266, and presented regional objects (Sung shih 46:6a).
(^78) Date according to Mathias Tchang, Synchronismes, p.392.