Heqin - Tang Dynasty

Tang Dynasty

During the Tang Dynasty, heqin marriage alliances were aimed primarily at five major states that bordered the Tang Empire: The Tuyuhun Kingdom, Tibet, the Khitans, Orkhon Uyghur, and the Kingdom of Nanzhao.

There were a total of twenty-one instances of heqin marriage alliances during the Tang Dynasty:

• 640 A.D.: Emperor Taizong of Tang marries Princess Honghua (弘化公主) to Murong Nuohebo, Khan of Tuyuhun.
• 641 A.D.: Emperor Taizong of Tang marries Princess Wencheng to Songtsän Gampo, King of Tibet.
• 642 A.D.: Emperor Taizong of Tang marries his fifteenth daughter, Princess Xinxing (新興公主), to Zhenzhu Khan, Khan of Xueyantuo. Marriage was call off, she later married Zhangsun Xi. (Proposed but never occurred)
• 664 A.D.: Emperor Gaozong of Tang marries Lady Jincheng (金城縣主), the third daughter of Li Dao'en, Prince of Guiji (會稽郡王李道恩), to Prince Sudumomo of Tuyuhun (吐谷渾王子蘇度摸末).
• 664 A.D.: Emperor Gaozong of Tang marries Lady Jinming (金明縣主), the daughter of a Tang imperial clansman, to Prince Talumomo of Tuyuhun (吐谷渾王子闥盧摸末).
• 698 A.D.: A daughter of Qapaghan Qaghan, Khagan of the Second Eastern Turkic Khaganate marries Empress Wu Zetian's great-nephew Wu Chengsi, Prince of Huaiyang (淮陽王武延秀).
• 703: A daughter of Qapaghan Qaghan, Khagan of the Second Eastern Turkic Khaganate marries Li Dan, Crown Prince's eldest son Li Chengqi, Prince of Song.
• 709 A.D.: Empress Wu Zetian marries her great-granddaughter Princess Jincheng (金城公主), the daughter of her grandson Li Shouli, Prince of Bin, to Me Agtsom, Emperor of Tibet.
• 712 A.D.: Emperor Ruizong of Tang marries his granddaughter, Princess Jinshan (金山公主), the daughter of his son Li Chengqi, to Qapaghan Qaghan, Khagan of the Second Eastern Turkic Khaganate.
• 715 A.D.:
• 717 A.D.: Emperor Xuanzong of Tang marries Princess Yongle (永樂公主), the daughter of Yang Yuansi (楊元嗣) and a daughter of Li Xu, Prince of Dongping (東平王李續) (son of Li Shen, Prince of Ji, the seventeenth son of Emperor Taizong of Tang), to Li Shihuo (李失活), leader of the Khitans.
• 717 A.D.: Princess Jianghe (交河公主), the daughter of Ashina Nahuaidao, 10th Khagan of the Western Turkic Khaganate marries Sulu Khan, Khagan of Turgesh.
• 722 A.D.: Emperor Xuanzong of Tang marries Princess Yanjun (燕郡公主) (surname Murong (慕容)), a Tang "princess", to Khitan prince Li Yuyu (李郁於).
• 726 A.D.: Emperor Xuanzong of Tang marries his niece, Princess Donghua (東華公主) (surname Chen (陳)), to Khitan prince Li Shaogu (李邵固).
• 726 A.D.: Emperor Xuanzong of Tang marries Princess Dongguang (東光公主), the daughter of Emperor Xuanzong's first cousin Li Jijiang, Princess Cheng'an (成安公主李季姜) (eighth daughter of Emperor Zhongzong of Tang) and Wei Jie (韋捷), to Li Lusu (李魯甦), ruler of Kumo Xi.
• 744 A.D.: Emperor Xuanzong of Tang marries Princess Heyi (和義公主), a daughter of Li Can, Magistrate of Gaocheng (告城縣令李參), to Axilan Dagan (阿悉爛達干), King of Ningyuan (寧遠國王) in the Fergana Valley.
• 745 A.D.: Emperor Xuanzong of Tang marries his granddaughter, Princess Jingle (靜樂公主) (the daughter of his fifteenth daughter Princess Xincheng (信成公主) and Dugu Ming (獨孤明)), to Khitan prince Li Huaixiu (李懷秀).
• 745 A.D.: Emperor Xuanzong of Tang marries Princess Yifang (宜芳公主), daughter of Princess Changning (長寧公主) (daughter of Emperor Zhongzong of Tang) and Yang Shenjiao (楊慎交), to Khitan prince Li Yanchong (李延寵)
• 756 A.D.: Princess Pijia (毗伽公主), daughter of Bayanchur Khan, Khagan of the Uyghur Khaganate, marries Li Chengcai, Prince of Dunhuang (敦煌王李承採), son of Li Shouli, Prince of Bin.

There were a total of seventeen instances of heqin marriage alliances during the Tang Dynasty.

640—690: 5 instances, to Tuyuhun, and 1 instance to Tibet.

710—745: 4 instances, to Khitan, 3 instances, to Xi, and 1 instance, to Tibet.

758—821: 7 instances, to Orkhon Uyghur (including two daughters of the Chinese Emperor, i.e. real princesses, and 3 of Tiele descent).

883: 1 occurrence, to Nanzhao (second daughter of Emperor Yizong of Tang).

During the Ming Dynasty, according to the indigenous people of Malacca, Malaysia and descendants of Chinese immigrants there, Princess Hang Li Poh (汉丽宝公主) was given in marriage to the Malay Sultan together with 500 lady servants. Although this story is not found in Ming dynasty historical records, it was written in the Malay Annals. And Malacca people generally believed the story to be true, and some Chinese there claim to be descendants of the Princess. The Chinese graves dating to the Ming dynasty in Bukit Cina and other folklores and related relics there also provide strong supporting evidence. This marriage arrangement was not likely to result in practicable military alliance, however, since the Malacca Sultanate was too far away from China. Nevertheless, the Malacca Sultanate did pay tributes to China, and Chinese influence helped deterred attack from Siam.