Northern Liang

Northern Liang (北涼) 建康 (397–399), 涼 (399–401, 431–433), 張掖 (401–412), 河西 (412–431, 433–441, 442–460), 酒泉 (441–442)
397–439, 442–460 (in Gaochang)
Northern Liang and other Asian nations in 400 AD
Northern Liang at its greatest extent in 423 AD
Status	Vassal of Later Qin, Jin Dynasty (265-420), Northern Wei, Liu Song
Capital	Jiankang (397–398) Zhangye (398–412) Guzang (412–439) Jiuquan (440–441) Dunhuang (441–442)
Capital-in-exile	Shanshan (442) Gaochang (442–460)
Government	Monarchy
Prince
• 397–401	Duan Ye
• 401–433	Juqu Mengxun
• 433–439	Juqu Mujian
• 442–444	Juqu Wuhui
• 444–460	Juqu Anzhou
Preceded by Succeeded by Former Liang Southern Liang (Sixteen Kingdoms) Western Qin Northern Wei Gaochang
Today part of	China Mongolia

The Northern Liang (Chinese: 北涼; pinyin: Bĕi Liáng; 397-439) was a state of the Sixteen Kingdoms in China. It was ruled by the Juqu family of Lushui Hu origin (a branch of the Xiongnu). Although the ethnic Han Chinese Duan Ye was initially enthroned as the Northern Liang ruler with support from the Juqu clan, Duan was subsequently overthrown in 401 and Juqu Mengxun was proclaimed monarch.

All rulers of the Northern Liang proclaimed themselves "wang" (translatable as either "prince" or "king").

Most Chinese historians view the Northern Liang as having ended in 439, when its capital Guzang (姑臧) in modern Wuwei, Gansu fell to Northern Wei forces and the Northern Liang ruler Juqu Mujian captured. However, some view his brothers Juqu Wuhui and Juqu Anzhou, who subsequently settled with Northern Liang remnants in Gaochang (高昌) in modern Turpan Prefecture, Xinjiang, as a continuation of the Northern Liang, and thus view the Northern Liang as having ended in 460 when Gaochang fell to Rouran and was made a vassal.

It was during the Northern Liang that the first Buddhist cave shrine sites appear in Gansu Province. The two most famous cave sites are Tiantishan ("Celestial Ladder Mountain"), which was south of the Northern Liang capital at Yongcheng, and Wenshushan ("Manjusri's Mountain"), halfway between Yongcheng and Dunhuang. Maijishan lies more or less on a main route connecting China and Central Asia (approximately 150 miles (240 km) west of modern Xi'an), just south of the Weihe (Wei River). It had the additional advantage of located not too distant from a main route that also ran N-S to Chengdu and the Indian subcontinent.

In 442, remnants of the Northern Liang royal family established a new kingdom in Gaochang, known in historiography as the Northern Liang of Gaochang (Chinese: 高昌北涼; pinyin: Gāochāng Bĕi Liáng; 442-460). The new state was led by Juqu Wuhui and Juqu Anzhou where they would hold on to power until 460 when they were conquered by the Rouran. The remnants of the Juqu family were slaughtered.

Rulers of the Northern Liang

Temple name	Posthumous name	Personal name	Durations of reign	Era names
Northern Liang (397-439)
–		Duan Ye	397-401	Shenxi (神璽) 397-399 Tianxi (天璽) 399-401
Taizu	Wuxuan	Juqu Mengxun	401-433	Yongan (永安) 401-412 Xuanshi (玄始) 412-428 Chengxuan (承玄) 428-430 Yihe (義和) 430-433
–		Juqu Mujian	433-439	Yonghe (永和) 433-439
Northern Liang of Gaochang (442-460)
–		Juqu Wuhui	442-444	Chengping (承平) 443-444
–		Juqu Anzhou	444-460	Chengping (承平) 444-460

Rulers family tree

Figure of Maitreya Buddha in cave 275 from Northern Liang

Northern Liang rulers family tree
Juqu Mengxun 沮渠蒙逊 368-433 Wuxuan 武宣 r.401-433 Juqu Mujian 沮渠牧犍 bef.420–d.447 Ai 哀 r. 433-439 Juqu Wuhui 沮渠無諱 d. 444; r. 442-444 Juqu Anzhou 沮渠安周 d. 460; r. 444-460

See also

• Xiongnu
• List of past Chinese ethnic groups
• Wu Hu
• Sixteen Kingdoms
• Gansu
• Gaochang