Dangchang (Chinese: 宕昌), also known as the Dangchang Qiang (宕昌羌), was a state established by the Qiang ethnic group that existed during the Northern and Southern dynasties period in China. Its area was equivalent to the southern part of present-day Gansu Province, China. Its capital was Dangchang City (now in the west of Tanchang County, Gansu). Their rulers had the surname of Liang (梁), and the first recorded leader in history was Liang Qin.
Dangchang 宕昌 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| c. 4th century–564 | |||||||||
.jpg) The kingdom of Dangchang in western China | |||||||||
| Status | Kingdom | ||||||||
| Capital | Dangchang | ||||||||
| Government | Monarchy | ||||||||
| King | |||||||||
| Historical era | c. 4th century - 564 | ||||||||
• Established | c. 4th century | ||||||||
• Disestablished | 564 | ||||||||
| |||||||||
| Today part of | China | ||||||||
History
editPrior to becoming a unified polity, the Book of Wei and Book of Zhou states that the Dangchang region had been home to various different Qiang tribes, each led by their own chieftain. These tribes rarely interacted with each other, only doing so in times of war, and there were no laws and corvées. Their people raised yaks, cattle and pigs to provide themselves with food, living in houses covered with woven yak tails and goat wool and wearing fur and brown clothings. They did not have a written language, but did record the years by waiting for the growth and fall of plants and trees. Every three years, they would kill cattle and sheep as sacrifices to the sky. When their married men died, their wives were taken by their stepfathers, uncles, brothers or brothers-in-law for themselves.[1][2]
A chieftain, Liang Qin later won the support of the Qiang nobles and unified the Dangchang Qiang, taking the title of king. The first recorded interaction between Dangchang and the neighbouring Northern and Southern dynasties was in 424, when Liang Mihu, grandson of Liang Qin, sent a petition to the Northern Wei offering his submission. To the west of them, Dangchang was threatened by the Tuyuhun of modern Qinghai. The Dangchang rulers paid tribute to the Northern Wei and the Southern dynasties of Liu Song, Southern Qi and Liang for titles and protection. According to the Book of Qi, tiger skin was a commodity in Dangchang at the time, as their people used them in funeral ceremonies.[3]
In the 6th century, as the Northern Wei collapsed and split into two, Dangchang became more hostile as they allied with the Tuyuhun to carry out regular attacks on Northern Wei and then the Western Wei. While they were willing to resubmit after each defeat, the Northern Zhou, successor of the Western Wei, eventually launched a campaign to finally conquer Dangchang after their ruler Liang Miding repeatedly raided their territory in 564. Dangchang fell that same year, and Dang province was set up in its place.
Rulers
edit| Common names in Chinese Characters | Duration of reigns |
|---|---|
| Liang Qin (梁勤) | Unknown |
| Liang Mihu (梁彌忽) | c. 424 |
| Liang Huzi (梁虎子) | Unknown |
| Liang Mizhi (梁彌治) | ?–478 |
| Liang Miji (梁彌機) | 478–485 |
| Liang Mibo I (梁彌博) | 485 |
| Liang Mixie (梁彌頡) | 485–488 |
| Liang Micheng (梁彌承) | 488–? |
| Liang Mihe (梁彌頜) | ?–502 |
| Liang Miyong (梁彌邕) | 502–? |
| Liang Mibo II (梁彌博) | c. 505 |
| Liang Mitai (梁彌泰) | Unknown |
| Liang Xianding (梁仚定) | ?–541 |
| Liang Miding (梁彌定) | 541–550 and 550–564 |
| Liang Liaogan (梁獠甘) | 550 |
References
edit- ^ (宕昌羌者，其先蓋三苗之胤，周時與庸、蜀、微、盧等八國從武王滅商，漢有先零、燒當等，世為邊患。其地東接中華，西通西域，南北數千里，姓別自為部落，酋帥皆有地分，不相統攝，宕昌即其一也。俗皆土著，居有屋宇，其屋織犛牛尾及羖羊毛覆之。國無法令，又無徭賦。惟戰伐之時，乃相屯聚，不然則各事生業，不相往來。皆衣裘褐。牧養犛牛、羊、豕以供其食。父子、伯叔、兄弟死者，即以繼母、世叔母及嫂、弟婦等為妻。俗無文字，但候草木榮落，記其歲時。三年一相聚，殺牛羊以祭天。) Wei Shu, vol.101
- ^ (宕昌羌者，其先蓋三苗之胤。周時與庸、蜀、微、盧等八國從武王滅商。漢有先零、燒當等，世為邊患。其地，東接中華，西通西域，南北數千里。姓別自為部落，各立酋帥，皆有地分，不相統攝。宕昌即其一也。俗皆土著，居有棟宇。其屋織犛牛尾及羖羊毛覆之。國無法令，又無徭賦。唯征伐之時，乃相屯聚；不然，則各事生業，不相往來。皆衣裘褐，牧養犛牛羊豕，以供其食。父子伯叔兄弟死者，即以其繼母、世叔母、及嫂〈（姊妹）〉〔弟婦〕等為妻。俗無文字，但候草木榮落，以記歲時。三年一相聚，殺牛羊以祭天。) Zhou Shu, vol.49
- ^ (俗重虎皮，以之送死，國中以為貨。) Qi Shu, vol.59
- Book of Wei, vol. 101
- Book of Zhou, vol. 49
- Book of Qi, vol. 59
- Book of Liang, vol. 54