Collected Illustrations of the Three Realms: Biographies and Portraits

The Later Jin dynasty was founded by a man whose ancestor, Nieliejie original: "Nieliejie" (臬捩雞); a transliteration of a non-Chinese name, likely of Central Asian or Turkic origin, was a person of the Western tribes. Nieliejie served the Prince of Jin, Li Keyong, in his military campaigns with great merit and was appointed as the Governor of Luozhou. His son, Jingtang, became the son-in-law of Emperor Mingzong of the Later Tang. His surname was Shi, though the origins of this surname are unknown. While serving as the Military Governor Jiedushi: a powerful regional military governor with civil authority of Taiyuan, he rebelled at Jinyang. By borrowing supporting troops from the Khitan The Khitan were a nomadic people from the north who founded the Liao dynasty, he destroyed the Later Tang.

The Khitan established him as the Jin Emperor, and in return, he declared himself a subject of the Khitan. Succeeding the "Virtue of Earth" of the Later Tang, the dynasty ruled through the Virtue of Metal The "Five Virtues" or Five Elements (Wuxing) were used to legitimize dynasties; Metal follows Earth in the cycle of succession. The capital was established at Bian Modern-day Kaifeng. The dynasty began with Emperor Gaozu in the bingshen year 936 CE when he destroyed the Later Tang and took the title of Emperor. It ended with Emperor Chudi in the dingwei year 947 CE. The dynasty lasted for a total of twelve years across two reigns until it was destroyed by Yelü Deguang of the Khitan.

Gaozu

Shi Jingtang reigned for eight years and lived to the age of fifty-one. He changed the era name once to Tianfu, which was used for eight years.

Chudi

His name was Zhonggui. He was the son of Jingru, the elder brother of Emperor Gaozu. When the Khitan invaded and entered the capital at Bian, the entire imperial clan surrendered. He was given the derogatory title "Marquis of Negative Loyalty" original: "Fuyi Hou" (負義侯); a title meant to shame him for failing his obligations and was driven northward. He was moved to Huanglong Prefecture and later relocated to Jianzhou. He reigned for four years and changed the era name once to Kaiyun, which lasted four years. The fourth year of Kaiyun was also the first year of the Tianfu era for Emperor Gaozu of the Later Han.

The Later Han were Shatuo people A nomadic Turkic tribe closely associated with the late Tang and Five Dynasties period. Succeeding the "Virtue of Metal" of the Later Jin, they ruled through the Virtue of Water. The capital was at Bian. It began with Gaozu following the departure of the Jin...