Min (Ten Kingdoms)

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Five Dynasties &
Ten Kingdoms
Five Dynasties
Later Liang Dynasty
Later Tang Dynasty
Later Jin Dynasty
Later Han Dynasty
Later Zhou Dynasty
Ten Kingdoms
Wu
Wuyue
Min
Nanping
Chu
Southern Tang
Southern Han
Northern Han
Former Shu
Later Shu
Others
Yan
Qi
Chengde Jiedushi
Yiwu Jiedushi
Dingnan Jiedushi
Qingyuan Jiedushi
Wuping Jiedushi
Yin
See also
History of China

Min 閩 was one of the Ten Kingdoms which was in existence between the years of 909 and 945. It existed in a mountainous region of modern day Fujian province and had a history of quasi-independent rule. Its capital was Fuzhou 福州. It was founded by Wang Shenzhi (王审知).

Contents

[edit] Founding

Wang Shenzhi’s father was given the title of Surveillance Commissioner in 892. Wang Shenzhi himself was named military commissioner, and in 909, in the wake of the collapse of the Tang Dynasty two years earlier, named himself the Prince of Min. Wang Shenzhi’s son declared himself the Emperor of Min in 933. At that point, his father was posthumously named Min Taizu.

[edit] Territorial Extant

The capital of the Min Kingdom was Changle, now known as Fuzhou. The kingdom was essentially limited to modern-day Fujian Province in China’s southeast.

[edit] Admistration

The territory of the Min was relatively isolated and rugged, thus not as economically prosperous as other regions of the Chinese realm. The Min court attempted to attract scholars that would assist in constructing an effective bureaucratic and tax system to bring the kingdom up to contemporary standards. Maritime trade developed over this period of time. This would set the stage for a successful regional maritime trade that could continue during future Chinese dynasties.

[edit] Yin Kingdom

In 943, one of Wang Shenzhi’s sons rebelled and declared independence from the Min in the northwest of the territory of the kingdom. The Min court asked the Southern Tang for assistance in quelling the rebellion in Yin. Rather than assisting the Min government, the Southern Tang came in and absorbed the territory into its own holdings.

[edit] Fall of the Min

Seeing the threat posed by the Southern Tang, the Min court declared its allegiance to the Wuyue kingdom to its north. However, this did not stop the Southern Tang from marching in and incorporating the remainder of the Min Kingdom into its holdings in 945

[edit] Rulers

Sovereigns in Min (Ten Kingdoms) Kingdom 909-945 (including Yin (943-945)
Temple Names ( Miao Hao 廟號 miao4 hao4) Posthumous Names ( Shi Hao 諡號 ) Personal Names Period of Reigns Era Names (Nian Hao 年號) and their according range of years
太祖 tai4 zu3 忠懿王 zhong1 yi4 wang2 王審知 wang2 shen3 zhi1 909-925 Did not exist
Did not exist Did not exist 王延翰 wang2 yan2 han4 925-926 Did not exist
Tai Zong (太宗 tai4 zong1) Hui Di (惠帝 hui4 di4) 王延鈞 wang2 yan2 jun1 926-935 Longqi (龍啟 long2 qi3) 933-935

Yonghe (永和 yong3 he2) 935

Kang Zong (康宗 kang1 zong1) Too tedious thus not used when referring to this sovereign 王繼鵬 wang2 ji4 peng2 935-939 Tongwen (通文 tong1 wen2) 936-939
Jing Zong (景宗 jing3 zong1) Too tedious thus not used when referring to this sovereign 王延羲 wang2 yan2 xi1 939-944 Yonglong (永隆 yong3 long2) 939-944
Did not exist Tian De Di (天德帝 tian1 de2 di4) (as Emperor of Yin) 王延政 wang2 yan2 zheng4 943-945 Tiande (天德 tian1 de2) 943-945

[edit] Reference

Mote, F.W. (1999). Imperial China (900-1800). Harvard University Press, 15-16. ISBN 0674012127.

Min 閩. Chinese History - The Ten Kingdoms 十國 (902-979). Retrieved on 18 May 2005.

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