Alliance Conducted at Sea

The Alliance Conducted at Sea (Chinese: 海上之盟) was a political alliance in Chinese history between the Song and Jin dynasties in the early 12th century against the Liao dynasty. The alliance was negotiated from 1115 to 1123 by envoys who crossed the Bohai Sea.^[1] Under the alliance, the two nations agreed to jointly invade the Liao, split captured territories, and cede the Sixteen Prefectures to the Song, and forswore making unilateral peace with the Liao. In 1121–23, the Song faltered in their military campaigns but the Jin succeeded in driving remnants of the Liao imperial court to Central Asia where they formed the Western Liao dynasty. The Jin handed over several of the Sixteen Prefectures to the Song including modern-day Beijing. In 1125, the alliance ended when the Jin, sensing Song weakness, invaded southward and eventually captured the Song capital of Kaifeng in 1127.

Background

In 1005, the Song and the Khitan Liao entered into the Chanyuan Treaty, through which the Song officially conceded the loss of the Sixteen Prefectures.^[2]^: 70 Decades of peaceful relations followed.^[2]^: 70 The Song broke the Chanyuan Treaty following the Alliance Conducted at Sea.^[2]^: 76

The term of the Alliance Conducted at Sea were that the Song and the Jurchen Jin agreed to jointly invade the Khitan Liao.^[2]^: 76 If successful, the Song would transfer its annual payments from the Khitan Liao to the Jurchen Jin and the Jurchen Jin would transfer the Sixteen Prefectures to the Song.^[2]^: 76

Implementation

The invasion succeeded, and in 1125 the Jurchen Jin captured the fleeing Liao emperor.^[2]^: 76

Through their joint efforts, the Jurchen Jin became aware of the Song's military weakness and as a result transferred only part of the promised Sixteen Prefectures.^[2]^: 76

Aftermath

In 1127, the Jurchen Jin captured the Song ruler, Emperor Qinzong, his father Emperor Huizong, and sacked the Song capital (Kaifeng). This incident, the Humiliation of Jingkang, marked the end of the Northern Song dynasty.^[2]^: 76–77 The Song imperial family fled and established the Southern Song dynasty.^[2]^: 77

Citations

^ Mote 1999, p. 208.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ Ma, Xinru; Kang, David C. (2024). Beyond Power Transitions: The Lessons of East Asian History and the Future of U.S.-China Relations. Columbia Studies in International Order and Politics. New York: Columbia University Press. ISBN 978-0-231-55597-5.

Bibliography

Mote, Frederick W. (1999). Imperial China: 900–1800. Harvard University Press. ISBN 0-674-44515-5. (hardcover); ISBN 978-0-674-01212-7 (paperback).

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[mote_1999_208-1] Mote 1999, p. 208.

[:Ma&Kang-2] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ Ma, Xinru; Kang, David C. (2024). Beyond Power Transitions: The Lessons of East Asian History and the Future of U.S.-China Relations. Columbia Studies in International Order and Politics. New York: Columbia University Press. ISBN 978-0-231-55597-5.

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