Duan Suying

"Emperor Zhaoming" redirects here. For the Liang dynasty prince, see Xiao Tong.
Emperor Zhaoming of Dali
大理昭明帝
Emperor of Dali
Reign986–1009
PredecessorDuan Sushun
SuccessorDuan Sulian
BornUnknown
Died1009
Full name
Posthumous name
Emperor Zhaoming (昭明皇帝)
DynastyDali

Duan Suying (Chinese: 段素英, died 1009), also known by his posthumous name as the Emperor Zhaoming of Dali (大理昭明帝),[1] was the sixth emperor of the Dali Kingdom. His reign lasted from 985 to 1009.[2]

He was a descendant of Duan Siliang and the son of his predecessor Duan Sushun. After his death, he was succeeded by his son Duan Sulian.[1]

He valued Confucianism and initiated the imperial examination system in Dali, likely in 1000.[3] The later claim that he authored a version of the Buddhist work Transmission of the Lamp, while not completely impossible, is considered unlikely.[4]

Diplomacy

In 989 or some time during 991–995, Duan Suying sent a letter to Emperor Taizong of Song pleading the latter to conduct the fengshan ceremony. Duan's letter is now lost, but the reply written by Wang Yucheng on the Song emperor's behalf, which rejected the proposal, has survived as "A Reply to the Nanzhao King's Request for the Eastern Feng Ceremony" (批答南詔國王請東封表). Duan likely sent the messenger to better understand the Chinese emperor.[5]

In 993, an agrarian rebellion led by Wang Xiaobo (王小波) and Li Shun (李順) engulfed the Song Xichuan Circuit (now Sichuan), and the Song huanguan (eunuch) general Wang Ji'en led an army to suppress it. Many Chinese refugees crossed the Jinsha River and entered Dali, and this likely played a major role in Duan Suying's adoption of Confucianism and the imperial examination system.[6] Between 994 and 995, after the Song recovered most of Xichuan, it sent a diplomat named Xin Yixian (辛怡顯) to the Dali capital Yangjumie as part of its counterinsurgency campaign. Xin Yixian later wrote a book titled Records of Yunnan During the Zhidao Period (至道雲南錄; zhidao referring to the years 995–997).[7]

In 996, Duan Suying sent another mission led by Duan Yuanshun (段元順) to the Song capital, where they were "warmly received". In addition, Dali sent tributes to Song in 985, 989, 991, 997, 999, 1005, and 1008.[8]

Era names

Duan Suying used at least five era names:[7]

  • Guangming (廣明, 986–988?)
  • Mingsheng (明聖, 989?–996)
  • Mingzhi (明治, 997–?)
  • Mingtong (明統, ?–1005)
  • Mingying (明應, 1006–?)

The first year of mingtong was after 1000, and mingying lasted until at least 1007.[7] These era names suggest a prosperous economy and a stable society under him.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c Li Yanfeng (李艳峰); Wang Xingyu (王兴宇) (2018). "大理国国王世系及相关问题研究" [A Study of the Royal Lineage and Other Related Issues of the Dali Kingdom]. Journal of Yuxi University (in Chinese). 34 (9): 40. Retrieved 4 March 2022 – via National Center for Philosophy and Social Sciences Documentation.
  2. ^ Theobald, Ulrich (17 August 2012). "Dali 大理". Chinaknowledge. Retrieved 4 March 2020.
  3. ^ Du; Hu, pp. 3–4.
  4. ^ Du; Hu, p. 2.
  5. ^ Wu Yanqin (吴彦勤) (2021). "北宋初年大理国王" 请东封" 考辨" [A Textual Research on King Dali's Request to Eastfeng in the Early Northern Song Dynasty]. Journal of Kunming University (in Chinese). 43 (2): 88–90. Retrieved 4 March 2022 – via National Center for Philosophy and Social Sciences Documentation.
  6. ^ Du; Hu, pp. 2–3.
  7. ^ a b c Du; Hu, p. 3.
  8. ^ Lee Yu-Min (李玉珉) (2005). "〈梵像卷〉作者與年代考" [Authorship and Dating of the "Handscroll of Buddhist Images"]. The National Palace Museum Research Quarterly (in Chinese). 23 (1): 344. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
  • Du Chenghui (杜成辉); Hu Yuping (胡玉平) (2019). "大理国开科举时间考" [On the Start Time of Imperial Examinations in Dali Kingdom]. Journal of Dali University (in Chinese). 4 (3): 1–5. Retrieved 4 March 2022 – via National Center for Philosophy and Social Sciences Documentation.