The Shatuo 沙陀 were a Turkic tribe that heavily influenced northern Chinese politics from the late ninth century through the tenth century. They are noted for founding three of the Five Dynasties and began a nearly millennium during most of which many or all Chinese were dominated by foreign powers.

Ethnic Origins and Geography

Main article: Turkic peoples

The Shatuo Turks are part of the broader Turkic group of peoples that have stretched from Inner Asia to Anatolia in modern-day Turkey. They emerged from the Chuyue tribe of the western Turks, and after a split among the tribe in the seventh century, the remaining Chuyue Turks began referring to themselves as Shatuo. The Shatuo maintained a power base in northern China around modern-day Shanxi from the late ninth century into the tenth century. This article is about the various peoples speaking one of the Turkic languages. ... This article is about the various peoples speaking one of the Turkic languages. ... The term China proper is usually used to refer to the historical heartlands of China, and to make a contrast between these heartlands and frontier regions of Outer China (Inner Asia). ... Anatolia lies east of the Bosphorus, between the Black Sea and the Mediterranean Anatolia (or Anatolian Peninsula) is a region of Southwest Asia which corresponds today to the Asiatic portion of Turkey, as opposed to the European portion, the Thrace. ... Shanxi (Chinese: 山西; Hanyu Pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Shan-hsi; Postal System Pinyin: Shansi) is a province in the northern part of the Peoples Republic of China. ... (8th century - 9th century - 10th century - other centuries) Events Beowulf might have been written down in this century, though it could also have been in the 8th century Viking attacks on Europe begin Oseberg ship burial The Magyars arrive in what is now Hungary, forcing the Serbs and Bulgars south... ( 9th century - 10th century - 11th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 10th century was that century which lasted from 901 to 1000. ...

Shatuo Turks and the Tang Dynasty

The Shatuo Turks were long important to the Tang Dynasty. The Chinese had a long history of using barbarian tribes against one another to keep them at bay. The Tang continued this long Chinese tradition. They began providing military assistance to the Tang in the 630s against other border peoples. To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

The Shatuo provided significant aid to Tang Emperor Suzong alongside the Huihe (Uygurs) during the Anshi Rebellion in the 740s. Consequently, chieftain, Zhuye Guduozhi, was conferred the title of tejin (governor) and xiaowei shang-jiangjun (colonel high general.) Uyghurs (also called Uighurs, Uygurs, or Uigurs) (Chinese: 維吾爾 or 维吾尔 in pinyin: wéiwúěr) are a Turkic ethnic group of people living in northwestern China (mainly in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, where they are the dominant ethnic group together with Han people... The Anshi Rebellion (安史之亂 pinyin: an1 shi3 zhi1 luan4) occurred in China, during the Tang Dynasty, from 756 to 763. ...

By the end of the eighth century, the Shatuo had fallen out with the Tang and had formed an alliance with the Tibetans as the Shatuo were being oppressed by the Huihe. Though the Shatuo fought alongside Tibetan armies for more than a decade against the Tang, the Tibetans were concerned about their loyalty. In 808, the Shatuo decided to leave. The Tibetans chased them all the way, fighting battles along the way. They made it to Lingzhou Prefecture, where Tang general Fan Xichao granted them asylum. Shatuo Turks who had been scattered arrived in this area of protection. A Tibetan pilgrim The Tibetans speak the Tibetan language natively and form one of the 56 ethnic groups officially recognized by the Peoples Republic of China (PRC), although in anthropological terms they include more than one ethnic group. ... Tibetan can refer to: A place or item from Tibet. ... A Tibetan pilgrim The Tibetans speak the Tibetan language natively and form one of the 56 ethnic groups officially recognized by the Peoples Republic of China (PRC), although in anthropological terms they include more than one ethnic group. ... A Tibetan pilgrim The Tibetans speak the Tibetan language natively and form one of the 56 ethnic groups officially recognized by the Peoples Republic of China (PRC), although in anthropological terms they include more than one ethnic group. ... Look up asylum in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

In the middle of the ninth century, the Shatuo rewarded the generosity of the Tang by fighting alongside them against invading Tibetans. The Shatuo played a prominent role in numerous defeats by the Tibetans. They also helped quell the Pang Xun Rebellion and the Wang Xian Zhi Rebellion. A Tibetan pilgrim The Tibetans speak the Tibetan language natively and form one of the 56 ethnic groups officially recognized by the Peoples Republic of China (PRC), although in anthropological terms they include more than one ethnic group. ... A Tibetan pilgrim The Tibetans speak the Tibetan language natively and form one of the 56 ethnic groups officially recognized by the Peoples Republic of China (PRC), although in anthropological terms they include more than one ethnic group. ...

Li Keyong

Main article: Li Keyong

Li Keyong was conferred the post of ci shi for Daizhou. He hired more than ten thousand Dadan nomads to bring back to Daizhou, but was denied admittance to en route Shiling Guan Pass. In 882, Su You and Helian Duo combined to prepare for an attack on Li. However, he launched a pre-emptive on Su’s stronghold at Weizhou. However, the Tang emperor would soon offer amnesty to assist against Huang Chao, who led a fierce rebellion against the Tang. Li Keyong was named the Prince of Jin in 895 for his loyalty to the Tang. Li Keyong (d. ... Li Keyong (d. ... Huang Chao(Chinese:黃巢)(d. ... Events Bohemia breaks away from Great Moravia Arnulf of Carinthia undertakes his second Italian campaign Approximate date of composition of the Musica enchiriadis, the beginnings of western polyphonic music Births Athelstan of England Erik Bloodaxe, king of Norway 933-935 (+954) Deaths Categories: 895 ...

Five Dynasties

Main article: Five Dynasties

The Tang Dynasty fell in 907 and was replaced by the Later Liang Dynasty. The Shatuo Turks formed their own state, called Jin, in the area now known as Shanxi. They had tense relations with the |Later Liang, and cultivated good relations with the emerging Khitan to the north. Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms (Traditional Chinese: 五代十國 Simplified Chinese: 五代十国 Hanyu pinyin: Wǔdàishíguó) (907-960) was a period of political upheaval in China, between the Tang Dynasty and Song Dynasty. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Events Oleg leads Kievan Rus in a campaign against Constantinople Yelü Abaoji establishes Liao (Khitan) dynasty Births Deaths Categories: 907 ... The Later Liang (Simplified Chinese character: 后梁, Traditional Chinese character: 後梁, Hanyu pinyin Hòu Liáng) (907-923) was one of the Five Dynasties during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period in China. ... Shanxi (Chinese: 山西; Hanyu Pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Shan-hsi; Postal System Pinyin: Shansi) is a province in the northern part of the Peoples Republic of China. ... The Later Liang (Simplified Chinese character: 后梁, Traditional Chinese character: 後梁, Hanyu pinyin Hòu Liáng) (907-923) was one of the Five Dynasties during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period in China. ... The Khitan, in Chinese Qidan (契丹 Pinyin: Qìdān), were an ethnic group which dominated much of Manchuria and was classified in Chinese history as one of the Tungus ethnic groups (東胡族 dōng hú zú). They established the Liao dynasty in 907, which was then conquered in 1125 by the...

Later Tang Dynasty

Main article: Later Tang Dynasty

Li Cunxu succeeded in destroying the Later Liang Dynasty in 923, declaring himself the emperor of the “Restored Tang”, officially known as the Later Tang Dynasty. In line with claims of restoring the Tang, Li moved the capital from Kaifeng back to Luoyang, as it was during the Tang Dynasty. The Later Tang Dynasty was a short-lived dynasty that lasted from 923 to 936 one of the five dynasties during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. ... Li Cunxu was King of Jin, China (908-923) and later became Emperor of Later Tang (923-926). ... The Later Liang (Simplified Chinese character: 后梁, Traditional Chinese character: 後梁, Hanyu pinyin Hòu Liáng) (907-923) was one of the Five Dynasties during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period in China. ... Events June 15 - Battle of Soissons: King Robert I of France is killed, King Charles the Simple is arrested by the supporters of Duke Rudolph of Burgundy. ... The Later Tang Dynasty was a short-lived dynasty that lasted from 923 to 936 one of the five dynasties during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. ...

The Later Tang controlled more territory than the Later Liang, including the Beijing area and surrounding Sixteen Prefectures and Shaanxi Province. Beijing [English Pronunciation] (Chinese: 北京 [Chinese Pronunciation]; Pinyin: BÄ›ijÄ«ng; IPA: ), a city in northern China, is the capital of the Peoples Republic of China (PRC). ... Not to be confused with the neighboring province of Shanxi Shaanxi (Simplified Chinese: 陕西; Traditional Chinese: 陝西; pinyin: Shǎnxī; Wade-Giles: Shan-hsi; Postal System Pinyin: Shensi, pronounced like Shahn-shee) is a northwestern province of the Peoples Republic of China, and includes portions...

This was the first of three Shatuo Turk dynasties, and was the first of the Conquest Dynasties, beginning nearly a millennium, during most of which a significant portion of the Chinese nation was controlled by foreigners.

Later Jin Dynasty

Main article: Later Jin Dynasty

The Later Tang Dynasty was brought to end in 936 when Shi Jingtang, also a Shatuo Turk, successfully rebelled against the Later Tang and established the Later Jin Dynasty. Shi moved the capital to Kaifeng, then called Bian. The Later Jin controlled essentially the same territory as the Later Tang except the strategic Sixteen Prefectures area, which had been ceded to the expanding Liao Empire. The Jīn Dynasty (Jurchen: Anchu; Chinese: 金朝; Pinyin: Jīn Cháo; 1115-1234), also known as the Jurchen dynasty, was founded by the Wanyan (完顏 Wányán) clan of the Jurchen, the ancestors of the Manchus who established the Qing Dynasty some 500 years later. ... Events King Taejo of Goryeo (Wanggeon) defeats Hubaekje. ... Kaifeng (Simplified Chinese: 开封; Traditional Chinese: 開封; pinyin: Kāifēng; Wade-Giles: Kai-feng), formerly known as Bianliang (汴梁; Wade-Giles: Pien-liang), is a prefecture-level city in eastern Henan province, Peoples Republic of China. ...

Later historians would denigrate the Later Jin as a puppet regime of the powerful Liao to the north. When Shi’s successor did defy the Khitan, a Khitan invasion resulted in the end of the dynasty in [946]]. A puppet state is a state whose government, though notionally of the same culture as the governed people - owes its existence (or other major debt) to being installed, supported or controlled by a more powerful entity, typically a foreign power. ...

Later Han Dynasty

The death of the Khitan emperor on his return from the raid on the Later Jin Dynasty left a power vacuum that was filled by Liu Zhiyuan, who founded the Later Han Dynasty in 947. The capital was at Bian and held the same territories as its predecessor. Liu died the next year and was succeeded by his teenage son, but only himself reigned for two years when this short-lived dynasty was ended by the Later Zhou.

Legacy of the Shatuo Turks

As the first of four major foreign groups to gain control over the heartland of Chinese civilization, they left a significant legacy. While later groups would create more innovations on how to rule the Chinese, the Shatuo Turks showed others that outsiders could go beyond simply raiding the Chinese and settling down to actually rule them. This realization would have a direct bearing on the progression of Chinese civilization over the next thousand years.

References

Mote, F.W. (1999). Imperial China: 900-1800. Harvard University Press.

LKJ. Retrieved on October 11, 2006.

5 DYNASTIES & 10 STATES. Retrieved on October 11, 2006.