Study On Management Of Frontier In Northern Song China Song-Liao Border Delimitation Negotiation In The Year Xi-ning For Example

The border delimitation negotiation of Hedong Lu which happened in Xining was an important page in the history of relationship between Northern Song Dynasty and Liao Dynasty. It’s the only time that both sides participated in adjusting their border in the hundred-year period of peace after Chanyuan Treaty.For this subject, I concentrate on geographic elements of Hedong Song-Liao border area, such as the historical location and history of mountains, rivers, military fortresses and villages. After this geographic research, I try to figure out the history of disputed border, and finally finish a map of delimitation process. On this basis, I prefer to integrate Xining delimitation into the background of centennial management in Northern Song China, emphasis on the topic of boundary management and boundary consciousness.In the early years in Northern Song Dynasty, Song Taizu and Song Taizong carried out a border policy that strengthen defense works, evacuate noncombatants and hide livestock in northern Hedong Lu, for the purpose that weakened Northern Han and defended against Liao’s invasion. By this policy, Song attempted to weaken Northern Han and defended against invasion of Liao. In Taizu and Taizong periods, Song continued to migrate residents of northern Hedong Lu to south, and forbidding them to enter border area. From then on, boundary region between Song and Liao became uninhabited and ruined.After Chanyuan Treaty, the relationship between Song Dynasty and Liao Dynasty began to enter the long-term peace. Chang Lian Cheng, which extended along the border mountains, was established as a boundary line by usage. Song had no intention of changing its original policy, which keeps its boundary region as "Forbidden Area". But after the year Qingli, Liao’s residents continue to come across boundary and enter into Song’s Yangwu fastness. Song’s officials like Ou Yangxiu and Han Qi advocated a policy of reclaiming wasteland and recruiting archers in "Forbidden Area", which accelerated their border dispute with Liao. At this time the border dispute could be resolved at the local level.In the year of Xining, Liao’s diplomatic envoy came to Song Dynasty, negotiating border dispute occurred in Hedong Lu. The accumulate crisis of border dispute broke out at the national level. After seventh year of Xining, Song sent ambassadors twice to Liao for negotiation of border dispute. In this period, Shen Kuo was sent to Liao for this issue. Under the great military pressure, Song made concessions to Liao in delimitation negotiation, and finally agreed with Liao’s demand—divided border area by watershed. As a result, Song was forced to cede territory which above watershed to Liao. But the relationship between these two countries had eased, and their border area was clarified. After delimitation, the boundary line was never change and lasted until Liao was destroyed by invasion of jurchen.As an activity of border negotiation and delimitation happened between two mature nations, the significance of Xining delimitation represents the transition of border management in period of Northern Song Dynasty. But even more important than this is the vital significance of the clear boundary line appears on Song-Liao border areas of Hedong Lu. Both sides took an active part in the negotiation and haggle over every fastness, valley and village, which stimulates us to review our stereotype about border ignorance of chinese ancient central authority.