Song–Xia Peace Treaty

After Yuanhao founded Western Xia in 1038, he demanded recognition from Northern Song, which refused and cut off border trade, and war broke out. From 1040 to 1042 Yuanhao repeatedly led armies against Northern Song, inflicting crushing defeats on Song forces in the three great battles of Sanchuankou, Haoshuichuan and Dingchuanzhai. Northern Song, on the defensive, had to station large forces in the northwest and put Fan Zhongyan, Han Qi and others in charge of its defense. Fan Zhongyan built forts, strengthened defenses and won over Qiang tribes, and the frontier gradually stabilized; a ballad of the time said that Western Xia raiders were frightened to the heart at the name of Fan. Though Western Xia often won militarily, it had been founded recently, had a small population and limited resources, and years of war cost it dearly; with Song border trade cut off, it lacked grain, tea and cloth, prices soared, the people suffered and complaints were everywhere. In these conditions both sides wished for peace. In 1044 Northern Song and Western Xia reached an agreement, called the “Qingli Peace”: Yuanhao gave up the imperial title and submitted to Song, which invested him as Lord of Xia; Song “bestowed” on Western Xia each year 70,000 taels of silver, 150,000 bolts of silk and 30,000 jin of tea; and the two sides resumed border trade with markets on the frontier. After the peace, border trade thrived, with Western Xia's livestock and blue salt exchanged for Song grain, tea and silk. War still broke out from time to time, but overall peace held for a long time. Song, Liao and Western Xia stood as three powers checking one another.