Why can't the Northern Wei Empire of the powerful Xianbei people take Liaodong?

Although the Northern Wei Dynasty was founded by Xianbei people, they took the initiative to sinicize and run the country with the thinking of China people. As a traditional Central Plains dynasty, it is generally not interested in Liaodong considering its own strength. Unlike the cynics on the Internet now, the ancient Central Plains dynasties were all controlled by land. They should at least consider the cost. A business that loses money will not be done.

First, the occupation of Liaodong by the Central Plains in history is an example, but it is not normal. Moreover, the Central Plains Dynasty never regarded it as a native land. Even if it is occupied, it is to establish several earthen cities as strongholds, where there is no strong political power. This rule did not continue. The purpose of construction is nothing more than to communicate with local ethnic groups, establish business ties, meet their own business needs, let local ethnic groups have exchanges and purchases, and let them give up the border. That is, to better defend the border.

It should be noted that the so-called foreign trade is mainly official trade. Because the Central Plains is a traditional agricultural society, the government has always suppressed commerce by planting agriculture, and private commerce has never developed greatly, and it is impossible to profit from overseas commerce like maritime merchants. The Central Plains is a farming society, mainly farmers.

Moreover, at that time, the land in the Central Plains was suitable for local farmers to cultivate, and it was impossible for anyone to go to a cold place outside the customs to reclaim land. Moreover, the local ethnic groups are strong, and they may die if they go. As for the late Qing Dynasty, the population of the Central Plains grew too fast, and the land in the Central Plains could not meet the needs of such a large population, so it was urgent to find a way out in other areas. But the Qing dynasty has said that the local Manchu accepted it, so the situation is completely different.

Second, the Northern Wei Dynasty never occupied Liaodong. There are more dynasties that don't own a place. They have no money or military strength to own it. There has long been another Xianbei relationship, that is, Murong Xianbei, with three Yan, Qian Yan, Hou Yan and Bei Yan. Northern Wei Dynasty belongs to Tuoba Xianbei, which is not the same thing.

As the representative of the Central Plains, the Northern Wei Dynasty mentioned in the last article only established some strongholds without strong local government, mainly some tribes. Moreover, Murong Xianbei's strength is not weak, so the Northern Wei Dynasty will not get their hands on it.

Third, there is a local regime similar to local strongmen, namely Koguryo. Goguryeo's strength has not been very strong, which lasted for more than 700 years, but unlike other nationalities in Manchuria, it entered the Central Plains as soon as it became strong. Koguryo's strength has never been so strong. But it's not very weak. It can last a long time. When the opponent is weak, he will fight back. He told Mr. Murong Xianbei that he would hide when the other side became strong. But if the other person is weak, he will be the land of the parent-child family.

Fourth, although the Northern Wei Dynasty didn't occupy Liaodong from beginning to end, it didn't have this plan. When the opportunity came, it finally came true.

After the death of Feng Ba, the Northern Yan Emperor, his younger brother Hong Feng killed Prince Feng Yi and made himself king. Seeing that Beiyan was weak, the Northern Wei Dynasty began to plan annexation.

The Northern Wei asked the other party to send protons, but the other party didn't. In April 436, the Northern Wei sent generals Gu Bi and Eqing to attack, and Wei Jun defeated the White Wolf and arrived in Longcheng, the capital of Beiyan. Shangshu ordered Guo Sheng to open the gate to attract Wei Jun. At this time, Koguryo reinforcements also arrived in Liuzhou, and flood peaks and households in Liuzhou followed Koguryo's army eastward. Koguryo's army looted the library in Longcheng and set fire to the palace in Longcheng. Beiyan perished. After arriving in Liaodong, Hongfeng was placed in Pingguo and killed by Koguryo two years later.

According to some experts in the Central Plains, Tuoba Xianbei Northern Wei Dynasty moved a large number of Xianbei Murong and Han populations to Hebei, Shanxi and other Central Plains areas under the rule of Yan State.

Tuoba Xianbei himself is actively sinicized. Murong Xianbei was forced to split after losing the country, some were moved by Goguryeo, and some were moved to the Central Plains by the Northern Wei Dynasty. In the end, this Murong Xianbei was unknown and disappeared among other ethnic groups.

After the demise of Beiyan, the Northern Wei Dynasty was unable to control Liaodong and was finally occupied by Koguryo.

Facing Goguryeo, the Northern Wei Dynasty actually flinched.

Before the Northern Wei Dynasty attacked Beiyan, it had already greeted King Koguryo. This is the internal period of Xianbei people and has nothing to do with your Koguryo. We want to maintain the unity of Xianbei, so stay out of it.

When the Northern Wei Dynasty attacked Longcheng, the capital of Beiyan, Koguryo troops entered the city first and confronted Wei Jun at the East Gate. The Northern Wei Dynasty expressed a serious protest, so you Koguryo should mind your own business.

When Goguryeo didn't argue with the Northern Wei Dynasty, she went her own way. After entering the city first, she closed the city gate and looted it. Then she started from the east of the city with hundreds of thousands of soldiers and civilians in front of Wei Jun, and the team slowly marched eastward for more than eighty miles. In any case, the Northern Wei Dynasty was also a big country in China. Give me some face, okay? If we ran away, the other side saw us in the Northern Wei Dynasty. Two women plus one woman and three women ran away, that is, we ran away. But this Koguryo can't run, and they may not run, hundreds of thousands of residents.

Wei Jun didn't know how powerful the other party was, so he followed him for a few days, looked at each other in no hurry, and even dared not make a move. Finally, he only got an empty city.

Some experts believe that the Northern Wei Dynasty moved residents such as Xianbei of Beiyan to the Central Plains for localization, but according to records, most of them were taken away by Goguryeo, so these experts' opinions are not necessarily accurate.

Why didn't the Northern Wei dare to fight Koguryo?

I don't think the Northern Wei Dynasty dared to move even if Yan was strong. Goguryeo, who is facing at this time, does not know the details of the other party. The Northern Wei Dynasty was in the Central Plains for a long time, so it didn't know the situation of Manchuria and dared not go to war with Koguryo. Maybe it's right, because it took several generations to fight Koguryo in Sui and Tang Dynasties, and Koguryo won only after the civil strife. But it's no use taking it. It's a long way, and there is no way to reclaim land there based on Han farmers. There is no regulation, so I have to withdraw by myself.

Author Fu Cha Chunbing

Produced by Manchu Culture Network, please indicate the reprint.