Chiefdom of Sizhou


Chiefdom of Sizhou, ruled by the Tian clan, was an autonomous Tusi chiefdom established by Tian Zongxian during the Sui dynasty. After he conquered the Qianzhong area, Tian Zongxian was recognized as the hereditary ruler of the region by the Sui court in 582.
Sizhou, Bozhou, Shuidong and Shuixi were called "Four Great Native Chiefdom in Guizhou" by Chinese. "Liangguang Cen and Huang, Sizhou and Bozhou Tian and Yang", an idiom current among Southwestern Mandarin speakers, proved that the Tian clan was once one of the most powerful clans in Southwestern China.

Origin

The Tian clan claimed to be descendants of Han Chinese in their genealogy book; however the authenticity needed to be verified. Modern scholars stated that Tian Zongxian was either Han Chinese or Tujia.

History

The Chiefdom of Sizhou was established in 876 when the first chieftain Tian Zongxian occupied Qianzhong area in southwest China. It lasted for about 831 years over 26 generations through the Sui, Tang, Song, Yuan, and Ming dynasties.
In 1107, Sizhou chieftain Tian Yougong acquiesced Song dynasty's overlordship, Sizhou came under the Chinese jimi system. In 1273, Sizhou surrendered to Yuan dynasty and came under the Chinese tusi system.
In 1364, declared its independence from Sizhou. Tian Mao'an, the Sinan chieftain, swore allegiance to Ming Yuzhen, while Sizhou came under Zhu Yuanzhang's tusi system. Sizhou attacked Sinan in 1367, killed Tian Mao'an's two sons, disturbed his ancestors' tombs. Tian Mao'an died soon after this battle, his successor Tian Renzhi switched allegiance to Ming court, Zhu Yuanzhang ordered them to cease fire.
However, the two clans had been feuding ever since, they were waging an endless war. Sizhou attacked Sinan in 1411, Tian Zongding, the Sinan chief, was defeated and fled to Ming court for help. Five thousand Ming troops under general Gu Cheng marched towards Sizhou and had it conquered. Tian Chen, the last Sizhou chieftain, was captured and executed in Beijing. Later, Tian Zongding was also found guilty and executed in 1413. In the same year, Guizhou Province was created, both Sizhou and Sinan were fully annexed into the central bureaucratic system of the Ming dynasty.

List of Sizhou chieftains

Below are Sizhou chieftains
No.NameChineseReignNotes
1Tian Zongxian田宗顯582–626
2Tian Weikang田惟康626–660eldest son of Tian Zongxian
3Tian Yangming田陽明660–?eldest son of Tian Weikang
4Tian Kechang田克昌?–711son of Tian Yangming
5Tian Daoyuan田道元711–729eldest son of Tian Kechang
6Tian Gongrong田公榮729–773son of Tian Daoyuan
7Tian Zailong田載龍773–?son of Tian Gongrong
8Tian Shifeng田時豐?–870son of Tian Zailong
9Tian Zuoyu田佐禹870–?third son of Tian Shifeng
10Tian Fengxiang田鳳翔?–?son of Tian Zuoyu
11Tian Chengwen田承文?–?eldest son of Tian Fengxiang
12Tian Zhengyun田正允?–?son of Tian Chengwen
13Tian Shiru田士儒?–1098son of Tian Zhengyun
14Tian Yougong田祐恭1098–1135eldest son of Tian Shiru
15Tian Rurui田汝瑞1135–?eldest son of Tian Yougong
16Tian Zuheng田祖衡?–1224eldest son of Tian Rurui
17Tian Zonghan田宗翰1224–?son of Tian Zuheng
18Tian Qingyu田慶裕?–1275son of Tian Zonghan
19Tian Xinglong田興隆1275–?son of Tian Qingyu
20Tian Yingbing田應丙?–1278eldest son of Tian Xinglong
21Tian Jingxian田景賢1278–?also known as Tian Jinxian
son of Tian Yingbing
22Tian Weiyong田惟墉?–1365eldest son of Tian Jingxian
23Tian Maolie田茂烈1365–?son of Tian Weiyong
24Tian Renhou田仁厚?–1369eldest son of Tian Maolie
Sinan declared independence in 1364
25Tian Hongzheng田弘政1369–1387son of Tian Renhou
26Tian Chen田琛1387–1413son of Tian Hongzheng
executed by Yongle Emperor in 1413