The Discrimination and Analysis of the Chronological Time of Tiansheng Reign in Western Xia

A batch of materials suitable for studying the chronology of the Western Xia Dynasty has been preserved in the excavated documents related to Western Xia. By examining the materials related to the Reign of Tiansheng in the Western Xia Dynasty, combined with the political situation of the late Tiansheng period and the reasons for the change of reign titles from Tiansheng to Qianyou, it can be determined that Tiansheng, during which LI Renxiao, Emperor Renzong of Western Xia, was in power, was not 21 years as recorded in Biography of the Xia Kingdom in History of the Song Dynasty, but 22 years (1149-1170). In August, the 22nd year of the Tiansheng, Emperor Renzong of Western Xia executed REN Dejing and changed the title of the reign from Tiansheng to Qianyou. The first year of Qianyou is the same as the 22nd year of Tiansheng. Converted to the Gregorian calendar, it corresponds to the year 1170.