Wuyue


Wuyue, 907–978, was an independent coastal kingdom founded during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period of Chinese history. It was ruled by the Qian family, whose family name remains widespread in the kingdom's former territory.

Founding

Beginning in 887, the Qian family provided military leaders to the Tang Dynasty. Qian Liu was named Prince of Yue in 902, with the title of Prince of Wu added two years later. In 907, when the Tang Dynasty fell and was replaced in the north by the Later Liang, military leaders in the south formed their own kingdoms. Qian Liu used his position to proclaim himself the King of Wuyue. This signaled the beginning of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period which would last until the founding of the Song Dynasty in 960.

Origin of name

The name Wuyue comes from the combination of Wu Kingdom and Yue Kingdom, two ancient kingdoms during the Spring and Autumn period from 770 to 476 BC.

Territorial extent

With its capital in Hangzhou, also called "Xifu", the kingdom included present-day Zhejiang, Shanghai, along with the southern portion of Jiangsu Province. It also later absorbed some of the northern part of Fujian when the Min Kingdom fell in 945. The territorial extent of Wuyue roughly corresponded to the territories of the ancient Yue, but not the ancient Wu—which led to charges by the neighboring Wu that Wuyue had designs on its territory, and the name was a source of tension for years between the two states.
In the early decades of its existence, Wuyue bordered the Min Kingdom on its south and the Southern Tang Kingdom on its west and north. With the rebellion of Yin from the Min from 943 to 945, Wuyue briefly had a third border. However, before long, Wuyue was completely encircled as both Yin and Min were absorbed by the Southern Tang.
The population was approximately 550,700 households, with many people living in commercial centers and major seaports.

Administrative divisions

Wuyue was not a large kingdom compared to many of its neighbors. Although initially 12 prefectures, it later consisted of 13 prefectures and 86 counties or sub-prefectures. Fuzhou was incorporated into Wuyue as its 13th prefecture, after the Min court declared allegiance to it as they were besieged by Southern Tang.
Prefecture州Counties縣
Hangzhou
杭州--
Hangzhou
杭州Qiantang錢塘
Hangzhou
杭州Qianjiang錢江
Hangzhou
杭州Yanguan鹽官
Hangzhou
杭州Yuhang餘杭
Hangzhou
杭州Fuchun富春
Hangzhou
杭州Tonglu桐廬
Hangzhou
杭州Yuqian於潛
Hangzhou
杭州Xindeng新登
Hangzhou
杭州Hengshan橫山
Hangzhou
杭州Wukang武康
Yuezhou
越州--
Yuezhou
越州Kuaiji會稽
Yuezhou
越州Shanyin山陰
Yuezhou
越州Zhuji諸暨
Yuezhou
越州Yuyao餘姚
Yuezhou
越州Xiaoshan蕭山
Yuezhou
越州Shangyu上虞
Yuezhou
越州Xinchang新昌
Yuezhou
越州Zhan瞻縣
Huzhou湖州--
Huzhou湖州Wucheng烏程
Huzhou湖州Deqing德清
Huzhou湖州Anji安吉
Huzhou湖州Changxing長興
Wenzhou溫州--
Wenzhou溫州Yongjia永嘉
Wenzhou溫州Rui'an瑞安
Wenzhou溫州Pingyang平陽
Wenzhou溫州Yueqing樂清
Taizhou台州--
Taizhou台州Linhai臨海
Taizhou台州Huangyan黃岩
Taizhou台州Taixing台興
Taizhou台州Yong'an永安
Taizhou台州Ninghai寧海
Mingzhou
明州--
Mingzhou
明州Yin County鄞縣
Mingzhou
明州Fenghua奉化
Mingzhou
明州Cixi慈溪
Mingzhou
明州Xiangshan象山
Mingzhou
明州Wanghai望海
Mingzhou
明州Wengshan翁山
Chuzhou
處州--
Chuzhou
處州Lishui麗水
Chuzhou
處州Longquan龍泉
Chuzhou
處州Suichang遂昌
Chuzhou
處州Jinyun縉雲
Chuzhou
處州Qingtian青田
Chuzhou
處州Bailong白龍
Quzhou衢州--
Quzhou衢州Xi'an
西安
Quzhou衢州Jiangshan江山
Quzhou衢州Longyou龍游
Quzhou衢州Changshan常山
Wuzhou
婺州--
Wuzhou
婺州Jinhua金華
Wuzhou
婺州Dongyang東陽
Wuzhou
婺州Yiwu義烏
Wuzhou
婺州Lanxi蘭溪
Wuzhou
婺州Yongkang永康
Wuzhou
婺州Wuyi武義
Wuzhou
婺州Pujiang浦江
Muzhou
睦州--
Muzhou
睦州Jiande建德
Muzhou
睦州Shouchang壽昌
Muzhou
睦州Sui'an遂安
Muzhou
睦州Fenshui分水
Muzhou
睦州Qingxi青溪
Xiuzhou
秀州--
Xiuzhou
秀州Jiaxing嘉興
Xiuzhou
秀州Haiyan海鹽
Xiuzhou
秀州Huating華亭
Xiuzhou
秀州Chongde崇德
Suzhou蘇州--
Suzhou蘇州Wu County吳縣
Suzhou蘇州Jinzhou晉洲
Suzhou蘇州Kunshan崑山
Suzhou蘇州Changshu常熟
Suzhou蘇州Wujiang吳江
Fuzhou
福州--
Fuzhou
福州Min County閩縣
Fuzhou
福州Houguan侯官
Fuzhou
福州Changle長樂
Fuzhou
福州Lianjiang連江
Fuzhou
福州Changxi長溪
Fuzhou
福州Fuqing福清
Fuzhou
福州Gutian古田
Fuzhou
福州Yongtai永泰
Fuzhou
福州Minqing閩清
Fuzhou
福州Yongzhen永貞
Fuzhou
福州Ningde寧德
Anguo Yijin Military Prefecture
安國衣錦軍
Lin'an臨安

Former Administrative Divisions
Under Qian Liu's reign, Wuyue prospered economically and freely developed its own regional culture that continues to this day. He developed the coastal kingdom's agriculture, built seawalls, expanded Hangzhou, dredged rivers and lakes, and encouraged sea transport and trade. On his death-bed he urged a benign administration of state affairs and his words were strictly followed by four succeeding kings.

Foreign diplomacy

In 935, Wuyue established official diplomatic relations with Japan. The kingdom also took advantage of its maritime location to maintain diplomatic contacts with north China, the Khitans, Bohai, and the Korean states of Later Baekje, Goryeo, and Silla. Buddhism played a large role in the diplomatic relations with Japan and Goryeo. Japanese and Korean monks traveled to Wuyue, while monks from Wuyue went to Japan and Korea as well. The rulers of Wuyue also tried to find sutras that had been lost during the turbulent final years of the Tang. In 947, Qian Zuo sent gifts to Japan and offering to buy any sutras, however none were available. In 961, Qian Chu sent fifty precious objects and a letter to Goryeo inquiring about the missing sutras, and Gwangjong sent the monk Jegwan with a complete set of Tiantai sutras.

Fall of the kingdom

In 978, in the face of certain annihilation from northern imperial Chinese troops, the last king of Wuyue, Qian Chu, pledged allegiance to the Song Dynasty, saving his people from war and economic destruction. While Qian Chu nominally remained king, Wuyue was absorbed into the Song Dynasty, effectively ending the kingdom. The last king died in 988.

Legacy

Cultural legacy

The Wuyue Kingdom cemented the cultural and economic dominance of the Wuyue region in China for centuries to come, as well as creating a lasting regional cultural tradition distinctive from the rest of China. The leaders of the kingdom were noted patrons of Buddhism, and architecture, temple decoration, and religious sculptures related to Buddhism. The cultural distinctiveness that began developing over this period persists to this day as the Wuyue region speaks a dialect called Wu, has distinctive cuisine and other cultural traits. The Baochu Pagoda, constructed during the reign of Qian Chu, was one of many temples and pagodas built under the patronage of the Wuyue kings.

Infrastructure

The physical legacy of the Wuyue Kingdom was the creation of the system of canals and dikes which allowed the region to become the most agriculturally rich region of China for many centuries. As a result, shrines to Qian Liu sprang up all across the region, and many can still be found today.

Personal legacy

Qian Liu was often known as the "Dragon King" or the "Sea Dragon King" because of his extensive hydro-engineering schemes which "tamed" the seas. The kings of Wuyue continue to enjoy positive treatment in orthodox history. They were popularly revered because of the hydro-engineering works, ensuring the economic prosperity of the region, and for finally surrendering to the Song Dynasty, which ensured both a unified Chinese nation and that the region would not be ravaged by war.
During the early Song Dynasty, the Qian royal family were treated as second only to the ruling Zhao imperial family, as reflected in the Hundred Family Surnames. Subsequently, many shrines were erected across the Wuyue region where the kings of Wuyue were memorialised, and sometimes, worshipped as dictating weather and agriculture. Many of these shrines, known as "Shrine of the Qian King" or "Temple to the Qian King", remain today, the most popularly visited example being that near West Lake in Hangzhou.
Qian Liu reputedly had more than a hundred sons born to many different wives and concubines. His progeny were posted to various parts of the kingdom. The Qian family remains very widely spread throughout the region. Several branches are considered "prominent families" in their local areas.

Rulers

submitted to the Song Dynasty in 978 and continued to reign nominally, successively as King of Huaihai, King of Hannan, King of Hanyang and Prince of Xu, and finally Prince of Deng, until his death in 988. After his death he was also posthumously created King of Qin.

Rulers family tree

Citations