View source for Later Zhao

{{Short description|Dynasty in northern China (319–351)}}
{{More citations needed|date=December 2015}}
{{Infobox country
| native_name            = 趙
| conventional_long_name = Zhao
| common_name            = Later Zhao
| era                    = <!--- Use: "Napoleonic Wars", "Cold War", etc. --->
| status                 = Empire
| status_text            = <!--- A free text to describe status the top of the infobox. Use sparingly. --->
| empire                 = <!--- The empire or country to which the entity was in a state of dependency --->
| government_type        = [[Monarchy]]

<!--- Rise and fall, events, years and dates --->
<!-- only fill in the start/end event entry if a specific article exists. Don't just say "abolition" or "declaration"-->| year_start             = 319
| year_end               = 351
| year_exile_start       = <!--- Year of start of exile (if dealing with exiled government - status="Exile") --->
| year_exile_end         = <!--- Year of end of exile (leave blank if still in exile) --->
| event_start            = <!--- Default: "Established" --->
| date_start             = <!--- Optional: Date of establishment, enter dates in this format 1 January 1801--->
| event_end              = <!--- Default: "Disestablished" --->
| date_end               = <!--- Optional: Date of disestablishment --->
| event1                 = Destruction of [[Han-Zhao]]
| date_event1            = 329
| event2                 = [[Shi Le]]'s claim of imperial title
| date_event2            = 330
| event3                 = [[Shi Hu]]'s seizing the throne from [[Shi Hong]]
| date_event3            = 335
| event4                 = [[Ran Min]]'s establishment of Ran Wei
| date_event4            = 350
| event_pre              = <!--- Optional: A crucial event that took place before before "event_start"--->
| date_pre               = 
| event_post             = <!--- Optional: A crucial event that took place before after "event_end"--->
| date_post              = <!--- Flag navigation: Preceding and succeeding entities p1 to p5 and s1 to s5 --->
| p1                     = Han-Zhao
| flag_p1                = <!--- Default: "Flag of {{{P1}}}.svg" (size 30) --->
| image_p1               = <!--- Use: [[File:Sin escudo.svg|20px|Image missing]] --->
| p2                     = Jin dynasty (266–420)
| flag_p2                = 
| p3                     = 
| flag_p3                = 
| p4                     = 
| flag_p4                = 
| p5                     = 
| flag_p5                = 
| s1                     = Ran Wei
| flag_s1                = <!--- Default: "Flag of {{{S1}}}.svg" (size 30) --->
| image_s1               = <!--- Use: [[File:Sin escudo.svg|20px|Image missing]] --->
| s2                     = Former Qin
| flag_s2                = 
| s3                     = Former Yan
| flag_s3                = 
| s4                     = Jin dynasty (266–420)
| flag_s4                = 
| s5                     = Duan Qi
| flag_s5                = 
| image_flag             = <!--- Default: Flag of {{{Common_name}}}.svg --->
| flag                   = <!--- Link target under flag image. Default: Flag of {{{Common_name}}} --->
| flag_type              = <!--- Displayed text for link under flag. Default "Flag" --->
| image_coat             = <!--- Default: Coat of arms of {{{Common_name}}}.svg --->
| symbol                 = <!--- Link target under symbol image. Default: Coat of arms of {{{Common_name}}} --->
| symbol_type            = <!--- Displayed text for link under symbol. Default "Coat of arms" --->
| image_map              = Sixteen Kingdoms 338 AD (2).jpg
| image_map_caption      = Later Zhao in northern China
| image_map2             = <!-- If second map is needed - does not appear by default -->
| image_map2_caption     = 
| capital                = [[Xingtai|Xiangguo]] (319–335, 350–351)<br>[[Ye (Hebei)|Yecheng]] (335–350)
| capital_exile          = <!-- If status="Exile" -->
| latd                   = 
| latm                   = 
| latNS                  = 
| longd                  = 
| longm                  = 
| longEW                 = 
| national_motto         = 
| national_anthem        = 
| common_languages       = [[Jie language|Jie]]
| languages              = 
| religion               = 
| currency               = ||<!--- Titles and names of the first and last leaders and their deputies --->
| leader1                = [[Shi Le]]
| leader2                = [[Shi Hong]]
| leader3                = [[Shi Hu]]
| leader4                = [[Shi Shi (emperor)|Shi Shi]]
| leader5                = [[Shi Zun]]
| leader6                = [[Shi Jian]]
| leader7                = [[Shi Zhi]]
| year_leader1           = 319–333
| year_leader2           = 333–334
| year_leader3           = 334–349
| year_leader4           = 349
| year_leader5           = 349
| year_leader6           = 349–350
| year_leader7           = 350–351
| title_leader           = Emperor
| representative1        = <!--- Name of representative of head of state (eg. colonial governor) --->
| representative2        = 
| representative3        = 
| representative4        = 
| year_representative1   = <!--- Years served --->
| year_representative2   = 
| year_representative3   = 
| year_representative4   = 
| title_representative   = <!--- Default: "Governor"--->
| deputy1                = <!--- Name of prime minister --->
| deputy2                = 
| deputy3                = 
| deputy4                = 
| year_deputy1           = <!--- Years served --->
| year_deputy2           = 
| year_deputy3           = 
| year_deputy4           = 
| title_deputy           = <!--- Default: "Prime minister" --->

<!--- Legislature --->| legislature            = <!--- Name of legislature --->
| house1                 = <!--- Name of first chamber --->
| type_house1            = <!--- Default: "Upper house"--->
| house2                 = <!--- Name of second chamber --->
| type_house2            = <!--- Default: "Lower house"--->

<!--- Area and population of a given year --->| stat_year1             = 329 est.<ref name="Taagepera">{{cite journal|last1=Taagepera|first1=Rein|title=Size and Duration of Empires: Growth-Decline Curves, 600 B.C. to 600 A.D|journal=Social Science History|date=1979|volume=3|issue=3/4|page=121|doi=10.2307/1170959|jstor=1170959}}</ref>
| stat_area1             = 2500000
| stat_pop1              = <!--- population (w/o commas or spaces), population density is calculated if area is also given --->
| stat_year2             = 
| stat_area2             = 
| stat_pop2              = 
| stat_year3             = 
| stat_area3             = 
| stat_pop3              = 
| stat_year4             = 
| stat_area4             = 
| stat_pop4              = 
| stat_year5             = 
| stat_area5             = 
| stat_pop5              = 
| footnotes              = <!--- Accepts wikilinks --->
| today                  = [[China]]
}}
'''Zhao''', briefly known officially as '''Wei''' (衛) in 350 AD, known in historiography as the '''Later Zhao''' ({{Zh|s=后赵|t=後趙|p=Hòu Zhào}}; 319–351) or '''Shi Zhao''' (石趙), was a [[Dynasties of China|dynasty of China]] ruled by the Shi family of [[Jie people|Jie]] ethnicity during the [[Sixteen Kingdoms]] period. Among the Sixteen Kingdoms, the Later Zhao was the second in territorial size to the [[Former Qin|Former Qin dynasty]] that once unified northern China under [[Fu Jian (337–385)|Fu Jian]]. In historiography, it is given the prefix of "Later" to distinguish it with the [[Han-Zhao]] or Former Zhao, which changed its name from "Han" to "Zhao" just before the Later Zhao was founded.

When the Later Zhao was founded by former Han-Zhao general [[Shi Le]],<ref name=Rene>{{Cite book |last=Grousset |first=Rene |title=The Empire of the Steppes |publisher=Rutgers University Press |year=1970 |isbn=0-8135-1304-9 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/empireofsteppesh00prof/page/57 57–58] |url=https://archive.org/details/empireofsteppesh00prof/page/57 }}</ref> the capital was at Xiangguo (襄國, in modern [[Xingtai]], [[Hebei]]), but in 335 [[Shi Hu]] moved the capital to [[Ye (Hebei)|Yecheng]] (鄴城, in modern [[Handan]], [[Hebei]]), where it would remain for the rest of the state's history (except for [[Shi Zhi]]'s brief attempt to revive the state at Xiangguo). After defeating the Han-Zhao in 329, the Later Zhao ruled a significant portion of northern China and vassalized the [[Former Liang]] and [[Dai (Sixteen Kingdoms)|Dai]]; only the [[Former Yan]] in [[Liaoning]] remained fully out of their control. For roughly twenty years, it maintained a stalemate with the [[Jin dynasty (266–420)|Eastern Jin]] dynasty in the south before its rapid collapse in 349 following the death of Shi Hu.

== History ==

=== Background ===
[[Shi Le]] was a [[Jie people|Jie]] chieftain from [[Shangdang Commandery]] in [[Bingzhou|Bing province]]. The Jie was one of the miscellaneous ''[[Hu (people)|hu]]'' (胡; "barbarian") tribes; these tribes did not fall under the umbrella of the major ethnic groups like the [[Xiongnu]] or [[Xianbei]]. In 303, when a great famine broke out in Bing that displaced many of the Jie and other ''[[Hu (people)|hu]]'' tribes in the region, the provincial inspector, [[Sima Teng]], had these people captured and sold into slavery to fund his army. The Jie and ''hu'' people were scattered throughout [[Hebei]] and [[Shandong]], including Shi Le who was sold to a wealthy family in Shandong but soon attained his freedom. 

By 305, Shi Le had made a name for himself by becoming a bandit, and raised a personal army with his friend, [[Ji Sang]]. Taking advantage of growing resentment against the Jin government, the two joined the rebel general [[Gongshi Fan]] to avenge the Prince of Chengdu, [[Sima Ying]] and later took leadership after Fan’s death, going as far as to sacking the city of [[Ye (Hebei)|Ye]] in 307. After their defeat, Shi Le led his forces to join the [[Xiongnu]]-led Han state in Bing province.

Under Han, Shi Le quickly rose through the ranks, attracting many Jie and ''hu'' tribes in Hebei to his cause. Like many rebel generals who joined the state, he had full control over his army as the Han court had little actual power to assert their authority. With his peers, he raided the [[North China Plain]], plundering the local counties and commanderies although never capturing them and staying there for long. In 311, he massacred the 100,000 strong Jin imperial army in the [[Battle of Ningping]], allowing Han forces to capture [[Luoyang]] in the [[Disaster of Yongjia]].

Shortly after, Shi Le assassinated his rival peer, [[Wang Mi]], and absorbed his army. The Han court, fearing that he would rebel, could only reprimand and appease him. With Wang Mi’s death, Shi Le essentially controlled the eastern parts of the empire, with the exception of Shandong. In 312, Shi Le departed from his practice of leading a roving army to cultivate a base in Xiangguo. He also expanded his territory by defeating the Jin governors, [[Wang Jun (Pengzu)|Wang Jun]] and [[Liu Kun (Jin dynasty)|Liu Kun]]. In 318, he joined forces with the prince, [[Liu Yao]], in quelling the coup of [[Jin Zhun]], who massacred the emperor and imperial family in [[Linfen|Pingyang]].

=== Reign of Shi Le ===
During the campaign, Liu Yao was instated as emperor, so Shi Le sent an envoy to congratulate him. However, Liu Yao, believing that Shi Le's rebellion was already in motion, had the envoy killed instead. Shi Le promptly declared independence as Liu Yao moved the capital to his base in [[Chang'an|Chang’an]], splitting the empire into two. In 319, Shi Le proclaimed himself the King of Zhao, a title he was supposed to receive before his envoy was killed. Prior to that, Liu Yao had also renamed the state from Han to Zhao. To distinguish the two states, historiographers refer to Liu Yao’s state as [[Former Zhao]] and Shi Le’s state as Later Zhao.

In his early reign, Shi Le expanded eastwards while Liu Yao dealt with matters in the west. By 323, he defeated [[Duan Pidi]], one of the last remaining Jin powers in the north and conquered Shandong from the warlord, [[Cao Ni]]. War between the two Zhaos only broke out in 324, and in 328, Shi Le and Liu Yao led their armies to face each other in the pivotal [[Battle of Luoyang (328–329)|Battle of Luoyang]]. Liu Yao was captured during the battle and later executed, while the remaining Former Zhao forces was destroyed in 329. Thus, the Later Zhao became the hegemonic power in northern China, though some areas were still out of their control; the [[Former Liang]], [[Dai (Sixteen Kingdoms)|Dai]] and [[Duan tribe|Duan-Liaoxi]] states partially retained their independence through vassalage, while the [[Xianbei]] [[Murong]] tribe in [[Liaodong Peninsula|Liaodong]] remained loyal to the [[Jin dynasty (266–420)|Eastern Jin dynasty]].

To consolidate his rule, Shi Le enacted several policies with the help of Han Chinese ministers such as [[Zhang Bin (Later Zhao)|Zhang Bin]]. Among others, he re-introduced the [[Nine-rank system|Nine Ranks System]], promoted agriculture and emphasized education. He also continued the separate governance system between the Han Chinese and non-Chinese people from the [[Han-Zhao|Han-Zhao dynasty]]. He adopted the Grand Chanyu title, tasked with managing the tribes, while also introducing new offices that specifically dealt with litigations and population movements of the tribes. He banned the word “''hu''”, opting to use “''guoren''” (國人; countryman) instead, and forbid the tribes from oppressing the Han Chinese scholar-officials. Various ethnic group from conquered places were relocated to live around his capital, as to better control them and restore agricultural output in the north. [[Buddhism]] was also given a platform to grow as the [[Kucha|Kuchean]] monk, [[Fotu Cheng]], held a high-ranking position within Shi Le's court.

Shi Le and his family had an unusual practice of adopting people into their clan, the earliest example being [[Shi Hu]], a distant cousin who was adopted by Shi Le's father during their tribal years. He continued this practice after taking the throne, and his adopted relatives, especially Shi Hu, became important princes and military commanders. Near the end of his reign, Shi Le prepared his biological son, [[Shi Hong]] to take the throne in accordance with the Chinese rule of succession and handpicked his circle of retainers. However, Shi Hu, citing his vast contributions to the state's founding, was angered by Shi Le's decision as he saw himself having more claim to the throne.

=== Reign of Shi Hu ===
[[File:Saturnism.jpg|thumb|A bronze [[The Buddha|Buddha]] statue created under the Later Zhao in 338. It is the earliest known Buddha sculpture produced in China.]]
In 333, Shi Le died and was succeeded by Shi Hong. Almost immediately, Shi Hu launched a coup and took over the government, facing very little resistance from most of the Zhao gentry and military. Shi Le's family and allies were swiftly eliminated by Shi Hu, and in 334, he took the throne by forcing Shi Hong to abdicate before also having him executed. When he first ascended, Shi Hu took the title of Regnant Heavenly King and later elevated it to Heavenly King in 337. He also moved the capital from Xiangguo to his base in [[Ye (Hebei)|Ye]] in 335.

Records describe Shi Hu as a violent tyrant who spent his time indulging in women and alcohol. He took on several grand building projects in Ye and greatly expanded his harem at the expense of the common people, who were forced into construction work and often had their women taken away from them. On the other hand, he showed leniency towards his ministers, rarely punishing them to maintain their loyalty. The empire remained largely intact throughout his reign, with rebellions being swiftly dealt with. Shi Hu reaffirmed Buddhism by continuining to show reverence to Fotu Cheng and promoting religious freedom, thus allowing it to flourish in northern China. He also continued Shi Le's policy of relocating people to live around the capital, such as the [[Di (Five Barbarians)|Di]] and [[Qiang (historical people)|Qiang]] people from [[Guanzhong]].

Shi Hu had ambitions to expand the state and heavily conscripted his subjects, but his campaigns yielded very minimal success. In 338, he carried out a joint campaign with the Murong-led [[Former Yan]] to conquer the Duan-Liaoxi. After the campaign, he turned on Yan but was defeated in the [[Battle of Jicheng (338)|Battle of Jicheng]]. In 339, provoked by Eastern Jin movements along the border, he sent his generals to launch an early attack, capturing a few cities before withdrawing. In 346, he invaded the [[Former Liang]] but was repelled, although he captured their territory south of the [[Yellow River]].

His reign was also troubled by a succession crisis that would lead to the empire's downfall. On two occasions, his crown princes attempted to kill him and usurp the throne, which led to him executing them in brutal fashion. In 349, shortly before his death, Shi Hu chose his 10-year-old son, [[Shi Shi (emperor)|Shi Shi]] to be the new Crown Prince and took the title of Emperor. In addition to the displeasure of his other sons, many of the military generals were also not pleased with his decision as he bestowed power to a regent and the soon-to-be [[empress dowager]].

=== Ran Min disturbance and fall ===
After Shi Shi ascended the throne, his half-brother, [[Shi Zun]] conspired with the generals to depose him, and among these generals was Shi Hu's adopted Han Chinese grandson, [[Ran Min|Shi Min]]. Shi Min was a powerful commander and favoured grandson of Shi Hu, who had adopted his father Shi Zhan, originally named [[Ran Zhan]]. To convince him into joining the plot, Shi Zun offered Shi Min the position of Crown Prince, which he accepted. Just a month into his reign, Shi Zun's forces overthrew Shi Shi, his regent and the empress dowager at Ye. However, after ascending the throne, Shi Zun reneged on his promise and appointed another nephew as the Crown Prince. Shi Zun even planned to assassinate Shi Min, but after the plan leaked, Shi Min led his troops to depose him. He installed Shi Zun's half-brother, [[Shi Jian]] to the throne, but real power in Ye was held by himself and his ally, [[Li Nong]]. In the old capital, Xiangguo, another son of Shi Hu, [[Shi Zhi]], began rallying a coalition to fight Shi Min.

While controlling Shi Jian, Shi Min survived three attempts on his life, which made him deeply wary of his followers. Seeing that the Jie and other tribespeople in Ye refused to submit, he decreed an infamous culling order, calling on his Han Chinese subjects to kill any ''hu'' person they find. Shi Min personally led his army to massacre the tribes in Ye, while also ordering his generals to purge their armies of tribespeople. The Jie and ''hu'' were identified by their high noses and full beards, but many of the people killed were also mistakenly-identified Han Chinese. In total, around 200,000 people were killed.

Shi Min killed Shi Jian and declared himself Emperor of [[Ran Wei|Wei]] in 350, changing his name to [[Ran Min]]. In response, Shi Zhi proclaimed himself the new Emperor of Zhao. At this point, the Later Zhao was on the verge of collapse. The Di general, [[Fu Hong]] led his forces west to occupy the Guanzhong, where his son [[Fu Jian (317–355)|Fu Jiàn]] founded the [[Former Qin|Former Qin dynasty]] in 351. The Xianbei general, [[Duan Kan]], also founded his short-lived state of [[Duan Qi]] in Shandong. From the northeast, the Former Yan began an invasion to establish themselves on the [[Zhongyuan|Central Plains]], while the Eastern Jin launched a series of northern expeditions to reclaim lost territory from the south.

For most of his reign, Shi Zhi was [[Ran Wei–Later Zhao War|besieged at Xiangguo]] by Ran Min's army. He was forced to make an alliance with the Former Yan and demoted his own title to King of Zhao. Despite eventually lifting the siege, he and his family were soon betrayed and slaughtered by his general, [[Liu Xian (Later Zhao)|Liu Xian]] in 351. The last member of the Shi clan, [[Shi Kun]] fled to the Eastern Jin at [[Jiankang]], where he was put to death.

== Cultural influences ==
[[Xie Fei (inventor)|Xie Fei]] and [[Wei Mengbian]] were two [[Mechanical engineering|mechanical]] [[Engineer|engineers]] under the Later Zhao who built a [[south-pointing chariot]] (also called ''south-pointing carriage''), a directional [[compass]] vehicle that apparently did not use [[magnetic]] principle, but was operated by use of [[Differential (mechanical device)|differential]] gears (which apply an equal amount of [[torque]] to driving wheels rotating at different speeds), or a similar angular differential principle.<ref>J. Needham (1986), ''"Science and Civilization in China"'', Taipei, Caves Books, Ltd, Volume 4, Part 2, Part 2, pp. 40 and 287, {{ISBN|978-0-521-05803-2}}</ref> For the great ingenuity shown in the construction of the device, Shi Hu granted Xie Fei the noble title of ''[[Hou (title)|hou]]'' without land possessions and rewarded him generously.<ref name="Taskin2">{{cite book |last=Taskin |first=V. S. |publisher=[[Nauka (publisher)|Nauka]] |year=1990 |isbn=5-02-016543-3 |series=Материалы по истории кочевых народов в Китае III-V вв. [Materials on the history of nomadic peoples in China. 3rd–5th cc. AD] |volume=2 |location=Moscow |language=ru |script-title=ru:Цзе |trans-title=Jie}}</ref>{{rp|99}}<ref>Fang Xuanling, ''Book of Jin'', supra, Vol. 106</ref>

==Rulers of the Later Zhao==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! [[Temple name]]
! [[Posthumous name]]
! Personal name
! Durations of reign
! [[Chinese era name|Era name]]s 
|-
| Gaozu 
| Ming 
| [[Shi Le]] 
| 319–333
| Zhaowang (趙王) 319–328<br>Taihe (太和 Tàihé) 328–330<br>Jianping (建平) 330–333<br>
|-
| colspan=2|–
| [[Shi Hong]]
| 333–334
| Yanxi (延熙) 334<br>
|-
| Taizu 
| Wu 
| [[Shi Hu]]
| 334–349
| Jianwu (建武) 335–349<br>Taining (太寧) 349<br>
|-
| colspan=2|–
| [[Shi Shi (emperor)|Shi Shi]] 
| 349
| –
|-
| colspan=2|–
| [[Shi Zun]] 
|  349
| –
|-
| colspan=2|–
| [[Shi Jian]] 
| 349–350
| Qinglong (青龍) 350
|-
| colspan=2|–
| [[Shi Zhi]]
| 350–351
| Yongning (永寧) 351
|}

==Rulers family tree==
{{Later Zhao monarchs family tree}}

==See also==
{{Portal bar|History|China}}
*[[Jie people]]
*[[Five Barbarians]]
*[[Fotu Cheng]]
*''[[Canjunxi]]''
*[[Xie Fei (inventor)]]
*[[Ran Wei–Later Zhao War]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{-}}
{{16 Kingdoms}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Zhao}}
[[Category:Later Zhao]]
[[Category:319 establishments]]
[[Category:351 disestablishments]]
[[Category:Dynasties of China]]
[[Category:Former countries in Chinese history]]
[[Category:4th-century establishments in China]]