Emperor Muzong of Liao (19 September 931 – 12 March 969), personal name Yelü Jing, infant name Shulü, was the fourth

emperor An emperor (from la, imperator, via fro, empereor) is a monarch, and usually the sovereignty, sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife (empress consort), ...

of the Khitan-led

Liao dynasty The Liao dynasty (; Khitan: ''Mos Jælud''; ), also known as the Khitan Empire (Khitan: ''Mos diau-d kitai huldʒi gur''), officially the Great Liao (), was an imperial dynasty of China that existed between 916 and 1125, ruled by the Yelü ...

of China. He was the eldest son of the second Liao emperor, Emperor Taizong. He succeeded his cousin, Emperor Shizong, after the latter was murdered in 951.

Rebellions

Emperor Muzong's reign was plagued by plots and rebellions against him from both the imperial clan and the Xiao consort clan. He fired many ministers who worked for Emperor Shizong, and used force against those who dared to rebel against him. However, his brutal use of force and repression was eventually able to restore stability and the authority of the throne.

Relations with other Chinese dynasties

The

Later Zhou dynasty Zhou, known as the Later Zhou (; ) in historiography, was a short-lived Chinese imperial dynasty and the last of the Five Dynasties that controlled most of northern China during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period. Founded by Guo Wei ( ...

took advantage of Emperor Muzong's troubles to consolidate its position in northern China, a region that had been under the influence of the

Khitans The Khitan people (Khitan small script: ; ) were a historical nomadic people from Northeast Asia who, from the 4th century, inhabited an area corresponding to parts of modern Mongolia, Northeast China and the Russian Far East. As a people desce ...

since earlier in the century. Despite this, the

Northern Han dynasty The Northern Han () was a dynastic state of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period. It was founded by Liu Min (), formerly known as Liu Chong (), and lasted from 951 to 979. Founding of the Northern Han The short-lived state of Later Ha ...

, who remained under the protection of the

were able to maintain their independence. The Later Zhou dynasty attacked Liao positions in 958 in an attempt to regain the

Sixteen Prefectures The Sixteen Prefectures () comprise a historical region in northern China along the Great Wall in present-day Beijing, Tianjin, and northern Hebei and Shanxi. Name It is more specifically called the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun or the Six ...

. This provoked Emperor Muzong to lead a large army to the southern capital (present-day

Beijing } Beijing ( ; ; ), alternatively romanized as Peking ( ), is the capital of the People's Republic of China. It is the center of power and development of the country. Beijing is the world's most populous national capital city, with over 21 ...

). Military confrontation was averted with the death of the Later Zhou emperor Chai Rong. Early the next year, Emperor Muzong returned to the capital. Midway through Emperor Muzong's reign, the

Northern Song dynasty Northern may refer to the following: Geography * North, a point in direction * Northern Europe, the northern part or region of Europe * Northern Highland, a region of Wisconsin, United States * Northern Province, Sri Lanka * Northern Range, a ra ...

had supplanted the last of the

Five Dynasties The Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period (), from 907 to 979, was an era of political upheaval and division in 10th-century Imperial China. Five dynastic states quickly succeeded one another in the Central Plain, and more than a dozen conc ...

, the Later Zhou dynasty. Relations between the Liao dynasty and Northern Song dynasty were peaceful during the reign of Emperor Muzong. Despite this peace, there were two issues outstanding between the two states that would result in war after Emperor Muzong's reign: those of the

and the Northern Han dynasty. Neither of these issues would be resolved during the reign of Emperor Muzong. The two states began exchanging annual visits during the Chinese New Year. Profitable trade also continued to grow between the two sides.

Ancestry

In popular culture

*Portrayed by Li Ning in the 2020 Chinese TV series ''

The Legend of Xiao Chuo ''The Legend of Xiao Chuo'' () is a 2020 Chinese television series based on the novel Yan Yun Tai by Jiang Shengnan. It stars Tiffany Tang in the title role, along with Shawn Dou, Charmaine Sheh and Jing Chao. The series chronicles the life of leg ...

''.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Muzong Of Liao 931 births 969 deaths Liao dynasty emperors 10th-century Chinese monarchs 10th-century rulers in Asia Murdered Chinese emperors 10th-century Khitan rulers