Editing Yunnan (section)

=== Nanzhao period ===
{{main|Nanzhao}}
Yunnan was settled by several local tribes, clans, and cultures before the 8th century. Around [[Lake Erhai]], namely, the [[Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture|Dali]] area, there emerged six ''zhao'': Mengzi ({{lang|zh|蒙巂}}), Yuexi ({{lang|zh|越析}}), Langqiong ({{lang|zh|浪穹}}), Dengdan ({{lang|zh|邆赕}}), Shilling ({{lang|zh|施浪}}), and Mengshe ({{lang|zh|蒙舍}}). ''Zhao'' ({{lang|zh|诏}}) was an indigenous non-Chinese language term meaning "king" or "kingdom." Among the six regimes Mengshe was located south of the other five; therefore given the new, larger context, it was called Nanzhao (Southern Kingdom).<ref>{{Cite book |title=Treatises of the supervisor and guardian of the Cinnamon Sea (Guihai yuheng zhi) |last=Fan |first=Chengda| author-mask = Fan Chengda |date=2010 |publisher=University of Washington Press |isbn=9780295990798 |pages=224 |oclc=812405203}}</ref>

By the 730s Nanzhao had succeeded in bringing the Erhai Lake–area under its authority. In 738, the western Yunnan was united by [[Piluoge]], the fourth king of Nanzhao, who was confirmed by the imperial court of the [[Tang dynasty]] as [[Chinese nobility|king]] of Yunnan.<ref>{{Cite book |title=Study and teaching guide for the history of the medieval world |last=Kaziewicz |first=Julia |isbn=9781933339788 |oclc=907173612 |date=2016-01-11|publisher=National Geographic Books }}</ref> Ruling from [[Dali City|Dali]], the thirteen kings of Nanzhao ruled over more than two centuries and played a vital role in the dynamic relationship between the Tang dynasty and the [[Tibetan Empire]] as a [[buffer state]].<ref>{{Cite book |title=Encyclopedia of the peoples of Asia and Oceania |last=West |first=Barbara A. |date=2009 |publisher=Facts On File |isbn=9781438119137 |pages=79 |oclc=370717954}}</ref>

By the 750s, Nanzhao had conquered Yunnan and became a potential rival to Tang China. The following period saw several conflicts between Tang China and Nanzhao. In 750, Nanzhao attacked and captured Yaozhou, the largest Tang settlement in Yunnan. In 751, Xianyu Zhongtong ({{lang|zh|鮮于仲通}}), the regional commander of Jiannan (present-day [[Sichuan]]), led a Tang campaign against Nanzhao. The king of Nanzhao, Geluofeng, regarded the previous incident as a personal affair and wrote to Xianyu to seek peace. However, Xianyu Zhongtong detained the Nanzhao envoys and turned down the appeal. Confronted with Tang armies, Nanzhao immediately turned its allegiance to the [[Tibetan Empire]].<ref>{{Cite book |title=The Teachings of Master Wuzhu : Zen and religion of no-religion |last=Adamek |first=Wendi L. |date=2011 |publisher=Columbia University Press |isbn=9780231150224 |oclc=756338604}}</ref> The Tubo and Nanzhao agreed to be "fraternal states"; Geluofeng was given the titles zanpuzhong ("younger brother"). The Nanzhao-Tubo alliance ensured a disastrous defeat for Xianyu's expedition, with the Tang general's army of 80,000 men being reduced to a quarter of its original size.<ref>{{Cite book |title=Medieval Chinese warfare, 300–900 |last=Graff |first=David Andrew |date=2007 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=9780415239554 |oclc=978432516}}</ref>

Tang China did not give up after one failure. In 753, another expedition was prepared, but this was also defeated by Nanzhao. In 754, the Tang organized an army of more than 100,000 troops that advanced to the Dali plain, resulting in only another slaughter. By the end of the eighth century, Tang was no longer a major threat to Nanzhao.

[[File:Kunming Oct 2007 007.jpg|thumb|upright=1.15|A gilt statue of [[Guanyin]], recovered from the [[Three Pagodas|Qianxun Pagoda]], c. 800 AD]]

Nanzhao's expansion lasted for several decades. In 829, Nanzhao suddenly plundered [[Sichuan]] and entered [[Chengdu]]. When it retreated, hundreds of Sichuan people, including skilled artisans, were taken to Yunnan. In 832, the Nanzhao army captured the capital of the [[Pyu city-states|Pyu kingdom]] in modern upper [[Burma]]. Nanzhao also attacked the [[Khmer people]]s of [[Chenla|Zhenla]]. Generally speaking, Nanzhao was then the most powerful kingdom in mainland Southeast Asia, and played an extremely active role in multistate interactions.
In 859, Nanzhao captured [[Zunyi|Bozhou]], and this event exacerbated the Nanzhao-Tang clashes. When the Tang governor of [[Vietnam|Annam]] took Bozhou back in the following year, Nanzhao, with the help of native peoples, occupied Hanoi as the Tang army moved to Bozhou. When the Tang forces returned, Nanzhao troops retreated from [[Hanoi]] but attacked and plundered [[Nanning|Yongzhou]]. In the winter of 862, Nanzhao, allying with local groups, led an army of over 50,000 men to invade Annam again. It is reported that the Tang forces lost over 150,000 soldiers (either killed or captured by
Nanzhao) in the two Annam battles. The autumn of 866 saw Tang victory in Hanoi and soon all of the Nanzhao forces were driven away. But Tang China had lost its ability to attack Nanzhao.

While Nanzhao was being defeated in Annam, it still occasionally attacked Sichuan. In 869, Shilong ({{lang|zh|世隆}}), the eighth king and the first empire of Nanzhao, invaded Sichuan. In 874, Nanzhao attacked Sichuan again.

In 902, Zheng Maisi, the ''Qingpingguan'' ({{lang|zh|清平官}},"Prime Minister") of Nanzhao, murdered the infant king of Nanzhao, and established a new kingdom called [[Dachanghe]]. Nanzhao, a once-powerful empire, disappeared. In 928, Yang Ganzhen (楊干貞) usurped the Dachanghe king and established Zhao Shanzheng, a ''qingpingguan'' as emperor of Datianxing (大天興). In 929, Yang Qianzhen abolished Zhao Shanzheng and established himself as Emperor of Dayining (大義寧).