Sixteen states, also known as sixteen states of deep clouds, include Beijing, northern Tianjin, northern Hebei and northwestern Shanxi. During the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, it mainly included sixteen countries including Yan (right), Ji, Ying, Mo, Zhuo, Tan, Shun, Yun, Confucianism, Gui, Wu, Xin, Wei, Ying, Huan and Shuo.
As can be seen from the geographical division, the geographical position of sixteen states is very important. As a strategic fortress, it has always been a battleground for military strategists.
Sixteen States have always been the territory of the Central Plains Dynasty, but during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, this geomantic treasure-house called "belly" by the Yuan Dynasty changed and broke away from the rule of the Central Plains Dynasty. In 936 AD, Shi Jingtang, the founding emperor of the late Jin Dynasty, turned to Qidan for help, reached an understanding with Qidan and unanimously opposed the late Tang Dynasty.
With the help of the Khitan, Shi Jingtang gained the reputation of the later Tang Dynasty, and proclaimed himself emperor in Taiyuan, establishing the later Jin Dynasty. Shi Jingtang's goal has been achieved, and his commitment to the Khitan should be fulfilled. Then, in 938, Shi Jingtang ceded sixteen states to Liao. Since then, the sovereignty of sixteen States has been in the hands of Liao, and later Liao was destroyed by Jin, and the sovereignty was transferred to Jin.
In the Northern Song Dynasty, the Northern Expedition began in Taizong period in an attempt to recover sixteen states. Song Taizong made two northern expeditions and made personal expedition, but the northern expedition was unsuccessful, and his confidence in recovering sixteen states became less and less. Since then, several emperors in the Northern Song Dynasty have launched the Northern Expedition many times, painstakingly recovering sixteen states, but still with little effect.
In the Southern Song Dynasty, when Zhao Gou was young, Emperor Gaozong, with a passion, reused the young generals Yue Fei and Yue Fei's top gun, and promised Emperor Gaozong to recover the Central Plains within three years. But only in the past few years, Gao Zong's ambition disappeared and he began to send special envoys to seek peace. Yue Fei failed to realize his long-cherished wish to recover the Central Plains to his death, let alone sixteen states.
Why did the Emperor of Song Dynasty always have full confidence in the Northern Expedition and the recovery of sixteen states at first, but in the end they all went with the flow like a deflated ball? Most later generations think that this is because the fighting capacity of the Song Dynasty is not good, and the Song Dynasty is too weak and incompetent.
But in fact, we have been ignoring a problem. The strength of combat effectiveness is mutual. The fighting capacity of the Song Dynasty is too weak, which shows that the fighting capacity of Liao is very strong.
Liao's fighting capacity is very strong, there is no doubt about it. Liao was born a nomadic people. Soldiers are mainly warriors and horses, and horses are tall and powerful grassland horses. Song Jun is dominated by infantry, with few cavalry. The only cavalry horses are purchased through very complicated procedures.
Liao had innate advantages in arms and combat effectiveness, but this was not the key reason why Song couldn't win. One of the key reasons why Song couldn't win was the internal efforts and actions of Liao.
Liao was a minority regime established by the Qidan nationality. As early as the early Tang Dynasty, the Khitan nationality had already appeared. By the mid-Tang Dynasty, the Khitan had formed several tribes with strong fighting capacity and began to lead some tribes on the grassland.
The nation of Qidan is very good at learning. From the early Tang Dynasty, they began to learn some systems and cultures of the Han nationality in the Central Plains. As time went on, they began to imitate some systems of the Han nationality, set up counties, and captured some Han people from the Han nationality to farm.
Qidan also studied some systems of the Central Plains imperial court, such as the system of three provinces and six ministries, the system of local officials, the system of supporting the capital, the system of supervision, and the financial system. By the time of the Song Dynasty, the internal system of Liao was already perfect, no less than that of the Song Dynasty.
When Liao studied some cultures and systems in the Central Plains and the Han nationality areas, it did not copy them, but selectively improved some systems and cultures in the Han nationality areas according to its own basic national conditions and local conditions, and made rational use of them. After Liao, Jin inherited all the systems and cultures that Liao learned from the Central Plains and the Han Dynasty, and at the same time improved the achievements of Liao studies and continued to learn from the Southern Song Dynasty.
It can be seen that the regime established by the northern nationalities is no longer a regime that won by arrogance and bravery. They have a sound political system and national system, their own culture and spirit, and a national framework and structure comparable to that of the Central Plains Dynasty, which is certainly not easy to be destroyed.
If we only rely on force and fists, such a regime is easy to destroy and not easy to rebuild. Liao and Liao have existed in China for hundreds of years, not only because they are brave and good at fighting, but also because of their efforts and actions, because they are good at learning, and because of their gradually formed national spirit and culture.
Liao's force and spirit were so strong that the difficulty of the Northern Expedition in the Song Dynasty can be imagined. In addition, the Northern Expedition in Song Dynasty failed to win because the system and policies implemented by Liao Dynasty in sixteen states were not only beneficial to Liao Dynasty's rule over sixteen states, but also won the support of many China literati.
These scholars in the Han Dynasty suggested that the Liao State should keep sixteen states and develop their agriculture and trade, so as to make them the most prosperous places in the Liao State.
Extended data:
16 counties introduced:
Sixteen States, namely, northern Beijing and Tianjin (north of Haihe River), northern Hebei and northwestern Shanxi. The loss of Lingbei (the capital of Yanran's government protection in Yanran's poems) will bring disaster to Yanyun, and the loss of Yanyun will bring disaster to the Central Plains. Sixteen States are also called "Sixteen States of Thistle", and the name "Yanyun" was first seen in the historical geography of the Song Dynasty.
In 936 AD, Shi Jingtang, the founding emperor of the late Jin Dynasty in China (our time is in the east of the late Tang Dynasty), opposed the independence of the Tang Dynasty and asked Qidan for help. After the establishment of the Khitan, Emperor Taizong of Liao made an appointment with Shi Jingtang.
In the third year of Tianfu (938), Shi Jingtang ceded sixteen states to Qidan according to the requirements of Qidan, and extended the territory of Liao to the Great Wall. Later, several dynasties in the Central Plains failed to recover completely. The strategic significance of the Sixteen States has made the Northern Song regime in the Central Plains feel threatened for more than 60 years.
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