Editing Balhae (section)

====Mongol Empire====
The term "Balhae" became noticeably less prevalent under the rule of the [[Mongol Empire]]. There is no trace of Balhae descendants from the defunct Jin dynasty and no epitaphs from the Mongol era claim a Balhae identity.{{sfn|Sloane|2014|p=396-397}} Balhae was only used as a toponym in the early 14th century and Balhae disappeared entirely from historical sources by the late 14th century.{{sfn|Sloane|2014|p=396-398}} Near the end of Mongol rule, Tao Zongyi (c. 1316–1402) put Balhae alongside Khitan and Jurchen under a subcategory within [[Hanren]], which is not surprising given that most of them at the time of the Mongol conquest were literati, officials, or attachments to the Jin bureaucracy. Many chose to use Chinese style names, similar to Jurchens, probably for inclusion in the Hanren (Northern Chinese) category under the Mongol hierarchy, rather than the inferior fourth category, ''Nanren'' (Southern Chinese).{{sfn|Sloane|2014|p=392-394}} Aside from legal references to the ''Taihe Code'' of the Jin dynasty, the term "Balhae" is absent from the Yuan legal compendium.{{sfn|Sloane|2014|p=396-397}} The referenced passages have to do with limitations on levirate marriage for Han and Balhae and restrictions on marriage during mourning.{{sfn|Sloane|2014|p=397}}

Some Balhae adopted Mongol or [[Tatars|Tatar]] culture rather than Chinese. The biography of You Xingge (d. 1227) identifies him as Balhae. As the Jin dynasty was collapsing from the Mongol invasions, You established an independent fort near Gaozhou (modern [[Chifeng]]). They fought off several military detachments until they were besieged by [[Muqali]]. After You surrendered, Muqali praised him to [[Genghis Khan]], who bestowed on him the Mongol name Halabadu. He later fought for the Mongols at Taiyuan in 1227. You Xingge's son is only referred to by the name Mangqutai, which denotes him as part of the Mangqutai tribe.{{sfn|Sloane|2014|p=394-395}}

The decline of Balhae identity was not a gradual and steady process. According to Toyama Gunji, "the Bohai remained alive and well for three hundred years of history" after the state was destroyed.{{sfn|Sloane|2014|p=403}}