Ningling Ge

Ningling Ge (Chinese: 寧令哥 or 寧林格; 1032–1048) was a crown prince of the Western Xia dynasty and the fourth son of the Emperor Jingzong, the founding monarch. Ningling Ge was a member of Tangut Weiming (嵬名) clan.[1]

"Ningling" (寧令, Tangut: 𘟙𘜶[2]) was his Tangut title, which meant "Grand Prince",[3][4] while "Ge" (哥) was his personal name.

Life

Ge was born in 1032 to empress Yeli. He had also one elder brother, Ning Ming (寧明, "Prince Ming") and one younger brother, Xili (錫狸).

In 1042, Ge's elder brother Ning Ming was murdered by Yuanhao for confessing taoism.[5] Another brother, Xili, died prematurely.[6] Anxious about subsequent deaths of the princes, Emperor Jingzong appointed Ge as Crown Prince.[7] Ge was favoured by his father for his talents, force and beautiful appearance.[8] Yuanhao had high hopes for his son, henceforth prepared him for the succession. However, Ge presented rather pacifism and did not support aggressive and highly expensive foreign policy.[9]

Yuanhao once took his son on the battlefield during the war with the Song dynasty. Ge was hurt by an arrow on the battlefield and brought by Western Xia general Muoyi Jieshan to his house for recuperation. When Ge woke up, he saw a girl staying near the bed, who was revealed to be a daughter of Jieshan. The prince tried to grip the girl but she shyly hid behind the curtain. Ge came closer to the girl. From that on, they developed an intimate relationship. After the recovery Ge knelt so as to seek agreement for the marriage with general Muoyi's daughter. Both Jieshan and lady Muoyi supported Ge's desire. Lady Muoyi was bestowed a title of Crown Princess.[10]

In 1047, Empress Xiancheng, lady Yeli, was demoted to a commoner and turned to nunnery due to machinations of lady Mozang, sister of Mozang Epang. Lady Mozang had framed his mother for a romance with the official Buxiqi Duosi (补細乞多巳), using the hand of Yeli Yuqi, brother of Empress Yeli.[11] Lady Mozang and Mozang Epang still plotted to harm Lady Yeli's son and support succession of Lady Mozang's son, Ningling Liangcha despite his age (Liangcha was several months old and therefore was unable to rule on his own).[12]

In 1048, Emperor Jingzong seduced Ningling Ge's wife, lady Muoyi (沒移氏) and conferred upon her a title of Empress.[13] Ge's mother's maternal clansmen and Epang instructed Ge to kill the emperor[14] so as support his later ascension to the throne.[15] On 19 January 1048, Ningling Ge broke down into the chamber of Li Yuanhao, seizing the opportunity of the drunken state of his father. The only action Ge manage to undertake was chopping out Yuanhao's nose. Ningling Ge went for backup to Mozang Epang because of being frightened of his murder. Epang betrayed his accomplice by turning him an assassin, which led to the execution of the crown prince.[16] Li Yuanhao was able to survive an attempt of assassination, however succumbed of his wounds two days later.[17]

Ningling Ge was executed for assassination by Mozang Epang and didn't receive any posthumous name customary for crown princes who failed to ascend to the imperial throne.[18]

Family

References
  1. 《中国民族史人物辞典》.
  2. Li, Fanwen (2008). 夏漢字典 [Tangut-Chinese Dictionary] (in Chinese) (2nd ed.). Beijing: 中國社會科學出版社 [Zhongguo shehui chubanshe]. p. 711. ISBN 7-5004-2113-3.
  3. Zheng, Tianting (2000). 中国历史大辞典 [Zhong guo li shi da ci dian] (in Chinese). Shanghai: 上海辞书出版社 [Shanghai cishu chubanshe]. p. 870. ISBN 9787532604531.
  4. Shen Kuo, Dream Pool Essays vol. 25: "寧令者，華言大王也。"
  5. Fan/范, Wenlan/文澜 (1978). Comprehensive History of China. Vol. 2. 人民出版社. p. 159.
  6. 《太乙金鉴》.
  7. Xie/谢, Qihuang/启晃 (1983). 中国少数民族历史人物志/Annals of Chinese rare minorities. 民族出版社. pp. 170–171.
  8. Ding/丁, Fan/帆 (2004). 中国西部现代文学史/History and Culture of the western tribes of China. Beijing Book Co. Inc.
  9. He/何, Yuren/玉人 (2005). 新时期中国戏曲创作概论. 文化藝術出版社. pp. 14–15.
  10. Bao/保, Yuanzhang/元璋 (2017). History of Helan/贺兰地名故事. Beijing Book Co. Inc.
  11. 宋史/History of Song. 485.
  12. Li/李, Xihou/锡厚 (2003). History of Liao, Jin and Western Xia. 上海人民出版社. p. 485.
  13. 《宋史·卷485·夏国传上》.
  14. 宁夏百科全书/ Complete Encyclopaedia of Ningxia. 宁夏人民出版社. 1998. p. 261.
  15. Chen/陈, Haibo/海波 (2016). 西夏简史/A Brief History of Western Xia. Beijing Book Co. Inc.
  16. Shan/善, Cong/从 (2018). 中国皇帝全传/Complete biographies of Chinese emperors. Beijing: 中国华侨出版社. pp. 457–460.
  17. 《嘉靖宁夏新志》/ New Annals of Ningxia.
  18. 西夏纪/Records of Western Xia. Vol. 11.
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