A Fragile Kingdom on the Edge

In the grand chessboard of 10th-century China, the Northern Han kingdom was always a precarious piece. Emerging from the ashes of the Later Han dynasty in 951 CE under Liu Min (posthumously Emperor Shizu), this rump state clung to survival in modern Shanxi province, shielded only by its vassal relationship with the Khitan Liao dynasty. By the time Liu Jun (Emperor Xiaozong) inherited the throne in 954, Northern Han had become what historian Sima Guang called “a cicada’s wing—transparently weak.”

The kingdom’s vulnerabilities were structural:
– Geographic Constraints: With just twelve prefectures at its peak, its territory was smaller than Switzerland. The Xu Zizhi Tongjian Changbian notes the land was “barren as a tortoise shell,” yielding meager harvests.
– Demographic Bleeding: Song dynasty’s “scorched earth” tactics—burning crops and encouraging defections—saw 470 families defect in a single 963 CE incident (Changbian 3).
– Military Dependence: Annual tributes to the Khitan drained 60% of state revenues, while maintaining 50,000 troops consumed the rest.

The Precarious Reign of Liu Jun

Liu Jun’s 14-year reign (954-968) was a masterclass in crisis management. His 963 CE non-aggression pact with Song founder Zhao Kuangyin—brokered through border spies—revealed Northern Han’s desperate balancing act. When Zhao demanded Liu renounce his “ambitions south of Taihang Mountains,” Liu’s reply was telling:

“Our lands cannot match even one-tenth of yours. We guard this scrap only to keep ancestral temples burning.” (Changbian 9)

This uneasy peace masked three existential threats:

### 1. Economic Asphyxiation
The Song implemented a brutal economic warfare strategy:
– Agricultural Sabotage: General Zhang Yongde’s “roving troops” destroyed crops seasonally (Changbian 4).
– Human Capital Flight: Defectors received land grants in Song territory—over 20,000 migrated between 960-968.

### 2. The Khitan Dilemma
Relations with patron-state Liao deteriorated after Liu committed three fatal errors:
1. Unauthorized Calendar Reform: Changing reign titles without Khitan approval (958 CE)
2. Supporting Li Yun’s Rebellion: Backing a Song rebel without consulting the Khitan (960 CE)
3. Executing Minister Duan Chang: Killing a senior official over a concubine dispute (962 CE)

The Khitan response was icy silence—sixteen diplomatic envoys disappeared into the steppes (Shiguo Chunqiu 105).

### 3. Psychological Warfare
Song raids became psychological torture:
– 961 CE: General Li Jixun burns Pingyao county
– 963 CE: Wang Quanbin captures Leping district
Each attack chipped away at Liu’s sanity. The Shiguo Chunqiu records he died “from accumulated anxieties” in 968.

The 60-Day Reign and Regicide

Liu Jun’s death triggered a Shakespearean succession crisis. His adopted heir Liu Ji’en—a physically deformed but filial ruler—lasted just two months before assassination. The murder scene reads like a Tang dynasty thriller:

> “The usurper Hou Barong, a man who could outrun horses, chased the stubby-legged emperor around a lacquered screen before stabbing him through the heart.” (Changbian 9)

Prime Minister Guo Wuwei’s suspiciously timed arrival—ordering all witnesses killed—points to a palace coup. His subsequent installation of the pliable Liu Jiyuan as puppet king confirmed Northern Han’s descent into chaos.

Zhao Kuangyin’s Strategic Pivot

For Song strategists, Northern Han’s implosion presented an irresistible opportunity. The original “First South, Then North” conquest plan (963 CE) was abruptly revised. As the Changbian notes:

“When autumn leaves fell on Taiyuan’s walls in 968, the Son of Heaven saw his moment.”

The subsequent invasion—though initially unsuccessful—marked a turning point. Northern Han’s final collapse in 979 CE under Emperor Taizong validated Zhao’s gamble: sometimes, history rewards those who dare disrupt their own plans.

Legacy of a Failed State

Northern Han’s death throes offer enduring lessons:
1. The Perils of Satellite States: Its dependence on Khitan left no room for independent diplomacy.
2. Economic Warfare’s Efficacy: Song’s crop destruction tactics presaged modern embargo strategies.
3. The Human Cost: Census records show Shanxi’s population dropped 37% during Northern Han’s existence.

Today, the kingdom survives only in Shanxi folk ballads—a cautionary tale of how small powers navigate great empires. As the Shiguo Chunqiu laments: “They kept the temples smoking, but at what price?”