View source for Northern Han

{{Short description|Dynastic state of China in the Ten Kingdoms period}}
{{for|the state also known as "Northern Han" during the [[Sixteen Kingdoms]] period|Han-Zhao}}
{{Infobox country
|native_name            = {{nobold|{{lang|zh|漢|nocat=true}}}}
|conventional_long_name = Han
|common_name            = Han
|era                    = Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period
|status                 = Empire
|status_text            = 
|empire                 = Later Han (Five Dynasties) 
|government_type        = Monarchy
|
|year_start             = 951
|year_end               = 979
|
|year_exile_start       = 
|year_exile_end         = 
|
|event_start            = Established
|date_start             =
|event_end              = Ended by the [[Song dynasty]]
|date_end               =
|
|event1                 = 
|date_event1            = 
|event2                 = 
|date_event2            = 
|event3                 = 
|date_event3            = 
|event4                 = 
|date_event4            = 
|
|event_pre              = 
|date_pre               = 
|event_post             = 
|date_post              = 
|
|p1                     = Later Han (Five Dynasties)
|s1                     = Song dynasty
|
|image_flag             = 
|flag                   = 
|flag_type              = 
|
|image_coat             = 
|symbol                 = 
|symbol_type            = 
|
|image_map              = Northern Han Kingdom, 951.svg
|image_map_caption      = The Northern Han in 951
|
|capital                = [[Taiyuan]]
|capital_exile          = 
|latd= |latm= |latNS= |longd= |longm= |longEW= 
|
|national_motto         = 
|national_anthem        = 
|common_languages       = [[Chinese language|Chinese]]
|religion         = [[Buddhism]], [[Taoism]], [[Confucianism]], [[Chinese folk religion]]
|currency         = [[Cash (Chinese coin)|Chinese cash]], [[Ancient Chinese coinage|Chinese coin]], [[copper coins]] etc.
|
|leader1                = [[Liu Chong|Emperor Shizu]]
|leader2                = [[Liu Jun (Northern Han)|Emperor Ruizong]]
|leader3                = [[Liu Ji'en|Emperor Shaozhu]]
|leader4                = [[Liu Jiyuan|Emperor Yingwu]]
|year_leader1           = 951–954
|year_leader2           = 954–968
|year_leader3           = 968
|year_leader4           = 968–979
|title_leader           = [[#Rulers|Emperor]]
|deputy1                = 
|deputy2                = 
|deputy3                = 
|deputy4                = 
|year_deputy1           = 
|year_deputy2           = 
|year_deputy3           = 
|year_deputy4           = 
|title_deputy           = 
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|stat_year1             = 
|stat_area1             = 
|stat_pop1              = 
|stat_year2             = 
|stat_area2             = 
|stat_pop2              = 
|stat_year3             = 
|stat_area3             = 
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|stat_year4             = 
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|stat_year5             = 
|stat_area5             = 
|stat_pop5              = 
|footnotes              = 
|today                  = [[China]]
}}

The '''Northern Han''' ({{lang-zh|t=北漢|s=北汉|p=Běi Hàn}}) was a [[Dynasties in Chinese history|dynastic state of China]] and one of the [[Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period#Ten Kingdoms|Ten Kingdoms]] during the [[Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period]]. It was founded by [[Liu Chong|Liu Min]] (Emperor Shizu) as a continuation of the [[Later Han (Five Dynasties)|Later Han dynasty]] founded by his brother [[Liu Zhiyuan]] (Emperor Gaozu). The Northern Han lasted from 951 to 979, when it was conquered by the [[Song dynasty#Northern Song, 960–1127|Northern Song dynasty]].

==Founding of the Northern Han==
The short-lived state of [[Later Han (Five Dynasties)|Later Han]] fell in 950 because of [[Guo Wei]], a powerful military governor's ''de facto'' coup.  [[Liu Chong|Liu Min]] founded the Northern Han Kingdom, sometimes referred to as the Eastern Han, in 951 claiming that he was the legitimate heir to the imperial throne of [[Later Han (Five Dynasties)|Later Han]].  Liu Min immediately restored the traditional relationship with the [[Khitan people|Khitans]], who had founded the [[Liao dynasty]].

Sources conflict as to the origin of the Later Han and Northern Han emperors; some indicate [[Shatuo|sinicized Shatuo]] ancestry<ref>{{cite book |first=Endymion Porter |last = Wilkinson |title = Chinese History: A Manual |year=2000 |page=12 |publisher = Harvard Univ Asia Center |isbn = 9780674002494 |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=ERnrQq0bsPYC&q=northen+han+shatuo&pg=PA12 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Mote |first=Frederick W. |title = Imperial China 900-1800 |year=2003 |pages=67–68 |publisher=Harvard University Press |isbn=9780674012127 |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=SQWW7QgUH4gC&q=Imperial+China:+900%E2%80%931800&pg=PA3 }}</ref> while some [[24 Histories|traditional historical sources]] claim that the emperors claimed patrilineal Han Chinese ancestry.{{NoteTag|According to ''[[Old History of the Five Dynasties]]'', [[:zh:s:舊五代史/卷99|vol. 99]], and ''[[New History of the Five Dynasties]]'', [[:zh:s:新五代史/卷10|vol. 10]]. [[Liu Zhiyuan]] was of Shatuo origin. According to ''[[Wudai Huiyao]]'', [https://archive.org/stream/06049337.cn#page/n30/mode/2up vol. 1] Liu Zhiyuan's great-great-grandfather Liu Tuan (劉湍) (titled as Emperor Mingyuan posthumously, granted the temple name of Wenzu) descended from Liu Bing (劉昞), [[Kingdom of Huaiyang|Prince of Huaiyang]], a son of [[Emperor Ming of Han]].}}

==Territorial extent==
The Northern Han was a small kingdom located in [[Shanxi]] with its capital located at [[Taiyuan]]. Shanxi had been a traditional base of power since the fading days of the [[Tang dynasty]] in the late ninth century and early tenth century. It was wedged between the two major powers of the day, the [[Liao dynasty]] to the north and the [[Later Zhou|Later Zhou dynasty]] (then the [[Northern Song (960–1127)|Northern Song dynasty]]) to the south.

==Wedge between Liao and Song==
The existence of the Northern Han was one of the two major thorns in relations between the Liao Dynasty and Later Zhou's successor Northern Song, the other being the continued possession of the [[Sixteen Prefectures]] by the Liao Dynasty.  The Northern Han had placed itself under the protection of the Liao.<ref name=HFD59>''History of the Five Dynasties'', [[:zh:s:舊五代史/卷59|vol. 59]].</ref>

Emperor [[Emperor Taizu of Song|Taizu]] of Song was successful in nearly completing the incorporation of the southern kingdoms into the [[Song Dynasty]] by his death in 976.  His younger brother, Emperor [[Emperor Taizong of Song|Taizong]] wished to emulate his older brother's successes.  [[Wuyue]] was brought into the realm in 978.

==Fall of the Northern Han==
Emboldened by his success to the south, Emperor Taizong decided to embark on a campaign to finally destroy the Northern Han.  Leading the army himself, he brought his forces to the Northern Han capital of Taiyuan, which was laid under siege in June.  An initial relief force sent by the Liao was easily defeated by Song.  After a two-month siege of the capital, the emperor of the Northern Han surrendered and the kingdom was incorporated into the Northern Song.

==Rulers==

{| class="wikitable"
|+ Sovereigns in Northern Han Kingdom 951–979
|-
! Temple Names ([[Miao Hao]] {{lang|zh|廟號}})
! Posthumous Names ([[Shi Hao]] {{lang|zh|諡號}})
! Personal Names
! Period of Reigns
! Era Names ([[Nian Hao]] {{lang|zh|年號}}) and their according range of years
|-
|-
| Shi Zu|{{lang|zh|世祖}} {{Transliteration|zh|Shìzǔ}}
| Shen Wu Di|{{lang|zh|神武帝}} {{Transliteration|zh|Shénwǔdì}}
| [[Liu Chong|Liu Min]] ({{lang|zh|劉旻}})
| 951–954
| Qiányòu ({{lang|zh|乾祐}}) 951–954
|-
| Rui Zong|{{lang|zh|睿宗}} {{Transliteration|zh|Ruìzōng}}
| Xiao He Di|{{lang|zh|孝和帝}} {{Transliteration|zh|Xiàohédì}}
| [[Liu Jun (Northern Han)|Liu Jun]] ({{lang|zh|劉鈞}})
| 954–968
| Qiányòu ({{lang|zh|乾祐}}) 954–957<br>
Tiānhuì ({{lang|zh|天會}}) 957–968
|-
| Shao Zhu|{{lang|zh|少主}} {{Transliteration|zh|Shàozhǔ}}
| Did not exist
| [[Liu Ji'en]] ({{lang|zh|劉繼恩}})
| 968
| Did not exist
|-
| Did not exist
| Ying Wu Di|{{lang|zh|英武帝}} {{Transliteration|zh|Yīngwǔdì}}
| [[Liu Jiyuan]] ({{lang|zh|劉繼元}})
| 968–979
| Guǎngyùn ({{lang|zh|廣運}}) 968–979
|-
|}

==The family tree of the Later Han and Northern Han rulers==
{{chart top|width=75%|The family tree of the Later Han and Northern Han rulers}}
{{Color sample|border=#03C03C|white; border-width:3px}} - Later Han emperors; {{Color sample|border=#FFA500|white; border-width:3px}} - Northern Han emperors 
{{tree chart/start|align=center|style=font-size:112%;|summary=Boxes and lines diagram with 13 boxes}}
{{tree chart|border=1| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |:|ado  | | | | | ado=''adopted''| boxstyle_ado=border-width:0px}}
{{tree chart|border=1| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |P|Ma   | | | | | Ma=''Marriage''| boxstyle_Ma=border-width:0px}}
{{tree chart|border=1| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | }}
{{tree chart|border=1| | | | | | Tia | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Tia=<small>Liu Tian 劉琠</small><br>Xianzu 显祖}}
{{tree chart|border=1| |,|-|-|-|-|^|-|-|-|-|.| | | | | | | | | | | | | }}
{{tree chart|border=1|Gao  | | | | | | | |Shi  | | | | | | | | | | | | | Gao=<small>Liu Zhiyuan 劉知遠 895–948</small><br>'''[[Liu Zhiyuan|Gaozu]] 高祖<br />''' 947–948| boxstyle_Gao=border-width:2px; border-color:#03C03C| Shi=<small>Liu Min 劉旻 895–954</small><br>'''[[Liu Chong|Shizu]] 世祖'''<br /> 951–954| boxstyle_Shi=border-width:2px; border-color:#FFA500}}
{{tree chart|border=1| |!| | | | |,|-|-|-|-|+|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|.| | | | | }}
{{tree chart|border=1|Min  | | |Yu   | | |Jun  | | Xue |m| Mrs |m| Mhe | Min={{nowrap|<small>Liu Chengyou 劉承祐 931–951 </small><br>'''[[Liu Chengyou|Yindi]] 隱帝'''<br /> 948–951}}| boxstyle_Min=border-width:2px; border-color:#03C03C| Yu='''[[Liu Yun (governor)|Liu Yun]]''' 劉贇<br /><small>d.951; r.950</small>| boxstyle_Yu=border-width:2px| Jun={{nowrap|<small>Liu Jun 劉钧 926–968 </small><br>'''Ruizong 睿宗'''<br /> 954–968}}| boxstyle_Jun=border-width:2px; border-color:#FFA500| Xue=Xue Zhao<small> <br />薛钊</small>| Mrs=Lady Liu<small> <br />劉氏</small>| Mhe=Mr. He<small><br /> 何某</small>}}
{{tree chart|border=1| | | | | | | | | | | |L|~|~|~|~|V|t|~|~|7|!| | | }}
{{tree chart|border=1| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Jie  | |Jiy  | | | Jie={{nowrap|<small>Liu Jien 劉继恩 d. 968</small><br>'''Shaozhu 少主'''<br />968}}| boxstyle_Jie=border-width:2px; border-color:#FFA500| Jiy={{nowrap| <small>Liu Jiyuan 劉继元 d. 992</small><br>'''[[Liu Jiyuan|Yingwudi]] 英武帝'''<br />968–979}}| boxstyle_Jiy=border-width:2px; border-color:#FFA500}}
<!-- Unused parameters: -->
{{tree chart| LHa=''LATER HAN''| boxstyle_LHa=border-width:0px| Nha=''NORTHERN HAN''| boxstyle_Nha=border-width:0px}}
{{tree chart/end}}
{{chart bottom}}

== Notes ==
{{NoteFoot}}

== References ==
=== Citations ===
{{Reflist}}

=== Sources ===
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite book |title=[[Imperial China: 900-1800]] |last=Mote |first = F.W. |publisher=[[Harvard University Press]] |year=1999 |pages=16, 106–108 |isbn = 0-674-01212-7 }}
{{refend}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Han}}
[[Category:Northern Han| ]]
[[Category:Later Han (Five Dynasties)]]
[[Category:Dynasties of China]]
[[Category:Former countries in Chinese history]]
[[Category:Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms]]
[[Category:951 establishments]]
[[Category:10th-century establishments in China]]
[[Category:970s disestablishments]]
[[Category:10th-century disestablishments in China]]
[[Category:States and territories established in the 950s]]
[[Category:States and territories disestablished in the 970s]]
[[Category:Northern China]]
[[Category:Former kingdoms]]