Heqin
Sign in to saveHeqin, also known as marriage alliance, refers to the historical practice of Chinese monarchs marrying princesses—usually members of minor branches of the ruling family—to rulers of neighboring states. It was often adopted as an appeasement strategy with an enemy state that was too powerful to defeat on the battlefield. The policy was not always effective. It implied an equal diplomatic status between the two monarchs. As a result, it was controversial and had many critics.
Key facts
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- Ho-ch‘in
- Chinese.p
- Héqīn
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Article
24 sectionsContents
- Han dynasty
- Xiongnu
- Kingdom of Khotan
- Sixteen Kingdoms
- Northern and Southern dynasties
- Northern Wei
- Rouran
- Gaochang
- Sui dynasty
- Tang dynasty
- Liao, Song, Jin dynasties
- Song dynasty
- Liao dynasty
- Ganzhou Uyghur Kingdom
- Yuan dynasty
- Ming dynasty
- Qing dynasty
- Similar practices outside of China
- Vietnam
- Korea
- See also
- References
- Citations
- Bibliography
Heqin, also known as marriage alliance, refers to the historical practice of Chinese monarchs marrying princesses—usually members of minor branches of the ruling family—to rulers of neighboring states. It was often adopted as an appeasement strategy with an enemy state that was too powerful to defeat on the battlefield. The policy was not always effective. It implied an equal diplomatic status between the two monarchs. As a result, it was controversial and had many critics.
Lou Jing, the author of the policy, proposed granting the eldest daughter of Emperor Gaozu of Han to Modu Chanyu of the Xiongnu. His proposal was adopted and implemented with a treaty in 198BC, following the Battle of Baideng two years prior. Wang Zhaojun, of the Han dynasty, and Princess Wencheng, of the Tang dynasty, are among the most famous heqin princesses.