Biography
Family Background and Early Life
Li Deming was born in 981, the sixth year of Taiping Xingguo under the Song. He was the eldest son of Li Jiqian and Empress Shuncheng Yixiao, Lady Yeli. Historical accounts describe him as reserved and dignified from youth and skilled in political calculation. While Li Jiqian fled to Dijin Marsh and established his power base, Li Deming accompanied his father on campaigns and accumulated both military and political experience. In 1000, the third year of Xianping, Emperor Shengzong of Liao appointed him Military Commissioner of Shuofang, showing that he was already involved in relations between the Liao and the Tangut regime.
Succession and the Policy of “Relying on Liao and Making Peace with Song”
On the second day of the first month of 1004, Li Jiqian died and Li Deming succeeded to the Xia kingship before his father's coffin at the age of twenty-three. He followed Li Jiqian's dying advice and sought peace with the Song. In the third month he sent envoys to the Liao court with his father's remaining possessions. In the seventh month Liao created him Prince of Xiping.
After succeeding, Li Deming sought to secure the borders and restore livelihoods internally while externally submitting to both Liao and Song and concentrating expansion toward the west. Song frontier officials, seeing that he had only recently inherited power, requested an imperial proclamation offering pacification. Emperor Zhenzong issued such an edict. Li sent the officer Wang Min with a memorial of submission and continued to send memorials to Song in subsequent years.
In 1006, the third year of Jingde, Li sent officer Liu Renxu with a sworn memorial, asking that it be deposited in the Song covenant archive and stating that submission to Song had been Li Jiqian's dying command. Emperor Zhenzong praised him highly and granted the ranks and offices of Specially Advanced, acting Grand Preceptor and Palace Attendant, commander with credentials over the military affairs of Xiazhou, acting prefect of Xiazhou, and Supreme Pillar of State. He was also made Military Commissioner of Dingnan and Prince of Xiping and received 10,000 taels of silver, 10,000 bolts of silk, 30,000 strings of cash, and 20,000 catties of tea. A border market was permitted at Bao'an Army.
The central feature of his rule was thus “relying on Liao and making peace with Song.” He submitted simultaneously to the two great powers, accepted titles from both, and used the relative peace to develop the economy and expand westward.
Western Expansion and the Move to Xingzhou
After stabilizing the eastern frontier, Li Deming turned west. He attacked Tibetan and Uyghur groups, killed the Tibetan leader Pan Luozhi, and took Xiliang Prefecture, present-day Wuwei in Gansu. He also attacked the Ganzhou Uyghurs north of present-day Zhangye. The first campaign failed, after which he stationed troops to block their tribute routes to the Song.
In 1010, the third year of Dazhong Xiangfu, Li undertook large-scale palace construction at Aozishan. During a serious drought he also attacked Hezhou, the Zongge people around Ganzhou, and settled communities near Qinzhou. In the same year, Liao envoys invested him as King of Xia.
In 1020, the fourth year of Tianxi, Emperor Shengzong of Liao, Yelü Longxu, personally led what the source describes as 500,000 troops under the pretext of a hunt and attacked Liangdian in the Xia realm. Li Deming sent a large army to resist and defeated the Liao force. In the same year he moved his political center from Xiping Prefecture to Huaiyuan, formerly part of Lingzhou and in present-day Yinchuan, renaming it Xingzhou.
In 1028, the sixth year of Tiansheng, Li sent his son Li Yuanhao to destroy the Ganzhou Uyghurs. Two years later Guazhou, east of present-day Anxi in Gansu, and Shazhou, east of present-day Dunhuang, were also taken. Tangut power now reached the Jade Gate and controlled the Hexi Corridor.
Later Years and Posthumous Honors
In his later years Li Deming built palaces, relay stations, bridges, and roads, standardized ritual institutions, posthumously honored his father as emperor, established Li Yuanhao as crown prince, and installed his principal wife Lady Weimu as queen. In the second month of 1029 he sought closer relations with the Khitan Liao by sending an envoy to request a marriage alliance, and Emperor Shengzong approved.
In the third month of 1030, the eighth year of Tiansheng, Xianshun, the Uyghur ruler of Guazhou, fearing Li Deming's growing power and possible future conquest, submitted with his followers. In the twelfth month Li offered seventy horses to the Song and requested a complete set of Buddhist scriptures; Emperor Renzong granted the request.
Li Deming died in the eleventh month of 1032, the first year of Mingdao, aged fifty-two. He received the posthumous title Guangsheng Emperor and the temple name Taizong.