Linhuangfu
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Linhuangfu(simplified Chinese:Lâm hoàng phủ;traditional Chinese:Lâm hoàng phủ;lit.'Linhuang Prefecture') was the primary capital city of theLiao dynastyof China, during which it was also known asShangjing(Chinese:Thượng kinh;lit.'Upper/Supreme Capital'). The city was founded in 918 by the Liao emperorYelü Abaoji,and was named Shangjing Linhuangfu in 938. Its ruins are located in present-dayBaarin Left BannerinChifeng,Inner Mongolia,China.
History
[edit]In 918, the Liao founderYelü Abaojiestablished the city ashuangdu(imperial capital) in the Liaoxi steppe, the homeland of the nomadicKhitan peoplethat established the empire. According to theHistory of Liao,the construction of the new city was overseen by Kang Moji ( khang mặc ký ), and completed within 100 days. Shangjing was modeled after theTangcapitalChang'an.The Liao took in large groups ofHan Chineserefugees, many of whom were resettled in the capital as well as neighboring towns in the steppe, together with captured soldiers and civilians from northern China. The capital saw large-scale expansion and rebuilding in 926, after the Liao conquest ofBohai,including the addition of a southern "Han City" and the completion of imperial palaces. Despite Linhuangfu being the Supreme Capital, the Khitan court maintained their mobile lifestyle, constantly traveling across the empire.[1]
Jurchensof theJin dynastyconquered Linhuangfu in 1120, destroying much of the city.[2]It was redesignated as the Northern Capital in 1138, and ceased to be one of the Jin capitals in 1150. The city was destroyed by theMongolarmies in 1214 and left abandoned afterwards.
Layout
[edit]
Shangjing was located at the southern end of theGreater KhinganRange, along the Shali River. The city consisted of an Imperial City in the north and a Han City in the south, now separated by the Shali. The former housed the imperial family and the ruling elite, while the latter was the residence of Han Chinese and other non-Khitan populations.[2]The Imperial City had an irregular square plan, and measured 1.8 kilometres (1.1 mi) by 1.6 kilometres (0.99 mi). The Han city was 1.2 kilometres (0.75 mi) by 1.6 kilometres (0.99 mi) in size. The walls of the Imperial City was up to 9 metres (30 ft) high and 15 metres (49 ft) thick, whereas the Han city had walls as high as 4 metres (13 ft) and up to 12 metres (39 ft) in thickness.[3]
The palatial district was located in the central-eastern part of the Imperial City, with a perimeter of 2.7 kilometres (1.7 mi). A large Buddhist monastery has been confirmed on the heights near the western wall of the Imperial City.[3]
References
[edit]- ^Lin, Hu (2010)."A tale of five capitals: contests for legitimacy between the Liao and its rivals".Journal of Asian History.44(2): 99–127.JSTOR41933562.
- ^abSteinhardt, Nancy (2019).Chinese Architecture: A History.Princeton University Press. pp. 192–195.ISBN9780691191973.
- ^abDong, Xilin (2020)."The Shangjing norm of the Liao dynasty and the Dongjing mode of the Northern Song dynasty".Chinese Archaeology.20(20): 179–192.doi:10.1515/char-2020-0017.