1. History
    Origins  Relations with the Song dynasty  Dazhong Kingdom (1094-1096)  Fall   Yunnan under the Mongols    Conquest by Ming  

2. Religion

3. Family Tree of the Kings of Dali

4. Art

5. Citations

6. References

7. External links

The Dali Kingdom, also known as the Dali State ({{zh|s=大理国|t=大理國|p=Dàlǐ Guó}}; Bai: Dablit Guaif), was a kingdom situated in modern Yunnan province, China from 937 until 1253 when it was conquered by the Mongols. Its kings continued to administer the area as Mongol vassals until the Ming conquest of Yunnan.^[1]

History

Origins

Relations with the Song dynasty

Dali's relationship with the Song was cordial throughout its entire existence. Dali congratulated the Song dynasty on the conquest of Later Shu in 965 and voluntarily established tribute relations in 982. It was however essentially an independent state. At times the Song even declined offers of tribute.{{sfn|Yang|2008a}}

Dali's primary importance to the Song dynasty was its horses, which were highly prized and sought after as military assets, especially after the fall of the Northern Song. They were described by a Song official in the following passage:

Dazhong Kingdom (1094-1096)

In 1094, the former prime minister Gao Shengtai forced King Duan Zhengming to relinquish the throne to him and renamed the Dali Kingdom to "Dazhong Kingdom". Gao Shengtai ruled briefly until his death in 1096, after which the throne was returned to the Duan family. Duan Zhengming's younger brother, Duan Zhengchun, became the new ruler and restored the kingdom's former name.{{sfn|Bryson|2016|p=38}}

Fall

In 1252 Möngke Khan placed his brother Kublai in charge of invading Dali. In 1253 Kublai's army crossed the Jinsha River and received the surrender of Duan Xingzhi, who presented to Möngke in 1256 maps of Yunnan. Duan Xingzhi of Dali was enfieffed as Maharaja (摩诃罗嵯) by Kublai Khan,{{sfn|Yang|2008c}} and the Duan royal family continued to hold the title of Maharaja in Yunnan as vassals to the Mongols under the supervision of Mongolian imperial princes and Muslim governors. The Duan family reigned in Dali while the governors served in Kunming. After the Ming conquest of Yunnan,^[3] The Duan royals were scattered in various distant areas of China by the Hongwu Emperor.{{sfn|Yang|2008b}}

Yunnan under the Mongols

The Duan family governed Yunnan's various indigenous peoples for 11 generations until the end of Mongol rule. They willing contributed soldiers to the Mongol campaign against the Song dynasty. In 1271, they aided the Yuan dynasty in putting down a Mongol rebellion in Yunnan.{{sfn|Yang|2008b}}

In 1274 Sayyid Ajjal Shams al-Din Omar was assigned by Kublai to stabilize Yunnan. He instituted a native chieftain system that came to be known as tusi which assigned ranks and posts to native chieftains. Under this institution of "rule based on native customs" the locals retained much of their autonomy with the exception of three obligations. One, they would provide surrendered troops to the Yuan government. Two, local chieftains would provide tribute to the Yuan court. Three, they would follow the rules of appointment, succession, promotion, degradation, reward, and punishment of native chieftains created by the Yuan court.{{sfn|Yang|2008b}}

Yuan rule also introduced a significant Muslim influence into Yunnan.{{sfn|Yang|2008b}}

Conquest by Ming

In 1381, the Ming dynasty dispatched 300,000 troops to crush the Yuan remnants in Yunnan.

The House of Duan, who helped the Mongols against a Red Turban Rebellion attack from Sichuan, also fought against the Ming army. The ruler Duan Gong refused to surrender by writing to Fu Youdeㄛ, making it clear that Dali could only be a tributary to the Ming. Fu Youdei attacked and crushed Duan Gong's realm after a fierce battle. The Duan brothers were taken captive and escorted back to the Ming capital. ^[4]

Religion

A version of Buddhism known as Azhali existed in Yunnan since the 9th century. The last king of Nanzhao established Buddhism as a state religion and many Dali kings continued the tradition. Ten of Dali's 22 kings retired to become monks.^[5]

Family Tree of the Kings of Dali

Art

Citations

References

• {{citation|last=Bryson|first=Megan|year=2016|title=Goddess on the Frontier: Religion, Ethnicity, and Gender in Southwest China|publisher=Stanford University Press}}
• {{citation|last=Herman|first=John E.|title=Amid the Clouds and Mist China's Colonization of Guizhou, 1200–1700|year=2007|publisher=Harvard University Asia Center |isbn=978-0-674-02591-2 }}
• {{citation|last=Yang|first=Bin|date=2008a|title=Between Winds and Clouds: The Making of Yunnan (Second Century BCE to Twentieth Century CE)|chapter=Chapter 3: Military Campaigns against Yunnan: A Cross-Regional Analysis|publisher=Columbia University Press|url=http://www.gutenberg-e.org/yang/chapter3.html}}
• {{citation|last=Yang|first=Bin|date=2008b|title=Between Winds and Clouds: The Making of Yunnan (Second Century BCE to Twentieth Century CE)|chapter=Chapter 4: Rule Based on Native Customs|publisher=Columbia University Press|url=http://www.gutenberg-e.org/yang/chapter4.html}}
• {{citation|last=Yang|first=Bin|date=2008c|title=Between Winds and Clouds: The Making of Yunnan (Second Century BCE to Twentieth Century CE)|chapter=Chapter 5: Sinicization and Indigenization: The Emergence of the Yunnanese|publisher=Columbia University Press|url=http://www.gutenberg-e.org/yang/chapter5.html}}

External links

• {{commonscat-inline|Kingdom of Dali}}

• Kanna Laxminarayana
• KannaLife
• KannaLife Sciences Inc.
• Kannally Ranch
• Kannal Paesava
• Kannamangalam (Temble)
• Kanna Masuda
• Kannambra (gram panchayat)
• Kannam-Gu
• Kannami, Shizuoka
• Kannammapet
• Kannamwar Nagar
• Kannan Balakrishnan
• Kannancheri
• Kannan En Kadhalan
• Kannan Iyer
• Kannankarangudi
• Kannankudi block
• Kannan (music director)
• Kannan's theorem
• Kannanur
• Kannapanunni
• Kannapolis, N.C. (1941 film)
• Kannaram Pothi Pothi
• Kannas