From War to Diplomatic Parity in Eleventh-Century China

This study of relations between Sung China (960-1279) and Kitan Liao (916-1125), a state on Sung's northern border, is both a military and diplomatic history and a history of diplomacy.Its first chapters historically contextualise the equality of Sung-Liao diplomacy and narrate how, during the late tenth and early eleventh centuries, the two states fought each other to a standstill before concluding peace at Shan-yüan in 1005.Later chapters cover the forms and textures of peaceful diplomatic contact between Sung and Liao that endured for the rest of the century.It will be useful for scholars and interested general readers who wish to probe beyond generalisations and explore in more detail mid-imperial China's warfare and diplomacy with its northern neighbours.

"Wright has produced the most comprehensive study to date on the Treaty of Shan-yuan and opened up windows for us to observe personalities and cultural practices in East Asian diplomatic history...This monograph, complete with valuable maps and glossary, will please both specialists and generalists." Jennifer W. Jay, American Historical Review 111.3, June 2006. "The title of this meticulously researched, well organized, and carefully considered book is an accurate indication of its contents. Wright's detailed account of Sung/Liao relations is of obvious importance for the study of Sung history, and demonstrates that the Chinese Sung and the dualistic Liao treated each other as equals in the language of their official exchanges and in their diplomatic contacts. This is especially significant because the history of imperial China (and not only Sung) provides no other examples of such diplomatic parity. Summing Up: Recommended. Specialized libraries, upper-division undergraduates and above. Upper-division Undergraduates; Graduate Students; Researchers/Faculty. Reviewed by C. Schirokauer. Appeared in: Syndetics Solutions, Inc. Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc. "..David Curtis Wright does sinology the old-fashioned way." That is to say, his information and data are drawn mainly from primary sources, and his keen analyses and sober conclusions are based on this information and data. From War to Diplomatic Parity in Eleventh-Century China differs from other works on the Liao in that it functions both as a military and diplomatic history as well as a history of diplomacy. Without a doubt, this is the most significant work on Song-Liao relations published in any language and is destined to become a classic in the field..." James M. Hargett, JAH 41/2 (2007)

David Curtis Wright, Ph.D. (1993), Princeton, is Associate Professor of History at the University of Calgary in Alberta, Canada. He publishes on imperial Chinese military and diplomatic history and is currently researching the Mongol conquest of Southern Sung China.