kingdom · China, Tibet and Mongolia

Qin (Xue Ju)

617 CE – 618 CE · capital Tianshui

A short-lived rebel empire in Gansu whose armies briefly beat the young Tang but were destroyed by Li Shimin in 618.

Origins

Xue Ju, a rich and powerful man of Jincheng (modern Lanzhou), rose in revolt in 617 as the Sui Dynasty disintegrated. He took the title Hegemon-King of Western Qin, then proclaimed himself emperor of Qin and moved his capital east to Tianshui, threatening the Wei valley around Chang'an.

Rule and society

The regime was essentially a military confederation of Gansu frontier troops, known for their harsh treatment of captives, and Xue Ju appointed relatives and generals to the main offices rather than building a civil administration. Its aim was to take Chang'an itself. In 618 its army defeated Tang forces under Li Shimin at Qianshuiyuan, when Li Shimin was ill.

Decline and legacy

Xue Ju died soon after this victory, and his son Xue Rengao succeeded him. Later in 618 Li Shimin returned, wore down the Qin army and routed it at Qianshuiyuan; Xue Rengao surrendered and was executed in Chang'an, opening the north-west to the Tang Dynasty.

Lineage

Sui Dynasty 581 CE – 618 CEQin (Xue Ju)

Connections (1)

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Cite this page
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Qin (Xue Ju). In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/qin-xue-ju
MLA
“Qin (Xue Ju).” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/qin-xue-ju. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Qin (Xue Ju).” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/qin-xue-ju.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Qin (Xue Ju)’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/qin-xue-ju (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻