Zhai Liao
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Zhai Liao 翟遼 | |||||||||||||
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Heavenly King of Wei | |||||||||||||
Heavenly King of Zhai Wei | |||||||||||||
Reign | 388–391 | ||||||||||||
Successor | Zhai Zhao | ||||||||||||
Born | Unknown | ||||||||||||
Died | 391 | ||||||||||||
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Dynasty | Zhai Wei |
Zhai Liao (Chinese: 翟遼; died 391) was a leader of the western Dingling horde and the founder of the Dingling-led Zhai Wei dynasty of China. During his reign, he used the monarchical title of Heavenly King.
Early career
Zhai Liao, a royal family member of the West Ding Ling, followed the horde migrate from Kazakhstan into China, his cousin
However, Zhai Liao escaped the massacre and sought refuge with Teng Tianzhi (滕恬之),
Establishment of Wei
In winter 387, Zhai Liao repudiated allegiance to Later Yan and attacked Later Yan's Qinghe (清河, roughly modern Xingtai, Hebei) and Pingyuan (平原, roughly modern Dezhou, Shandong) Commanderies. In spring 388, he sent his subordinate Sui Qiong (眭瓊) to apologize to Murong Chui, but Murong Chui no longer believed him, and killed Sui, sent his head back, to show a great disrespect and that he was not interested. Same year, Zhai Liao adopted Chinese tradition, went on the throne, supported by his horde, his XianBei and Chinese army, created the first Ding Ling Empire in China, and titled Wei Empire. He himself had been titled the Khagan or Heavenly King. He also started new era name and established an imperial government, replaced ancient Siberian ruling structure with Chinese structure. He then moved the capital to Huatai (滑台, in modern Anyang, Henan). In 389, he captured Jin's Yingyang Commandery (滎陽, roughly modern Zhengzhou, Henan). He also sent his general Gu Ti (故堤) to pretend to surrender to the Later Yan Prince of Lelang, Murong Wen (慕容溫) and assassinate Murong Wen, although that maneuver yielded him no territory as Gu's forces were quickly destroyed by Murong Nong. In fall 390, Jin general Liu Laozhi (劉牢之) attacked Zhai Liao, capturing Juancheng (鄄城, in modern Puyang, Henan), forcing Zhai Liao's son Zhai Zhao, who was in charge of the city, to flee, and then defeated Zhai Liao near his capital Huatai, but did not destroy Wei.
In 391, Zhai Liao died. He was succeeded by his son Zhai Zhao.