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(Source: All content stated in this article is based on reliable sources, and is repeated at the end of the article)
The Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun have always been the lost territories to be recovered during the Northern Song Dynasty, and it is not only a military powerhouse, but also the gateway to the Central Plains.
However, it was such a place, but it was given to the Khitan by the Later Jin Emperor Shi Jingjiao without hesitation, why is this?
Development process
Yanyun Sixteen Prefectures, as the name suggests, refers to the sixteen prefectures and counties based on Youzhou and Yunzhou, but long before the Later Jin Dynasty, these places were all under the rule of the Central Plains Dynasty.
But since the Tang Dynasty, these places seem to have changed, because there were many nomads at that time, and they began to migrate to the Central Plains.
In the face of large-scale population migration, the imperial court will certainly not do nothing, on the one hand, for fear of cultural impact, and on the other hand, rebellion.
It is important to understand that there is still a certain difference between the Central Plains and the nomads, because of the different concepts of education and ideology, these people are migrating over, and there will be turmoil over time.
In order to prevent these things from happening, the imperial court placed them in different places in the sixteen states, so as to better manage and promote their integration into the life of the Central Plains.
Over time, the cultures of Youzhou and other places gradually merged, not only the customs of ethnic minorities but also the experience of war, which also added a lot of troops to the imperial court.
However, because of the arrival of the Anshi Rebellion, the imperial court had no time to govern Youzhou and other places, which made the remnants gradually pour in, and it became the so-called "feudal town separation".
Because the imperial court in Youzhou and other places did not exercise jurisdiction, the rebels gradually began to develop their power in these places, especially the three towns of Hebei.
In fact, since the beginning of Tang Xuanzong, the three towns of Hebei have been out of the control of the Tang Dynasty, and there have been constant wars and changes of rulers, including the "mountain queen".
Over time, there will be a phenomenon that these places will form important military places, after all, they are rich in resources and have enough food for soldiers.
It can be said that once occupied, a defensive wall was added to the later development.
Therefore, from the end of the Tang Dynasty to the Five Dynasties period, not only the Central Plains forces paid great attention to these places, but even the Khitan people.
The Khitan formed an alliance during the Tang Dynasty, but from 907 onwards, the Khitan people obeyed a single leader, and it can be said that it gradually became a small country.
At that time, the Tang Dynasty had fallen and was in the midst of a mixed war among various countries, and the Khitan also seized the opportunity to develop the economy, and it didn't take long for its strength to gradually grow, but in order to realize the dream of dominating the Central Plains.
The Khitan began to shift their attention to the Central Plains, and the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun were their primary targets, so they led their troops to attack these places for many years, but because of the formation of several major forces in the Central Plains at that time.
Therefore, because they were afraid of the strength of the Khitan and wanted to attack other countries with their strength, they chose to seek peace and win over.
This meant that the Khitan's plan to seize the sixteen states was shattered, and they had to participate in the disputes of various countries.
In the Later Tang Dynasty, the Khitan was more eager for Youzhou and other places, and the Later Tang Dynasty had reached an agreement with the Khitan, which made the Khitan inadvertently ask the Later Tang to cede these places on terms.
But the Later Tang Dynasty was not stupid, the court knew that the Khitan's requirements were a bit harsh, and there was an internal accident in the Khitan, so the matter was delayed.
After Tang Mingzong ascended the throne, the Khitan invaded Youzhou and other places more frequently, and in 933, Tang Mingzong sent Shi Jingjiao to serve as the defense facilities of Youzhou and other places.
But he never thought that this would become an opportunity for Shi Jingjiao to oppose the Tang Dynasty.
Something happens
Because Shi Jingjiao likes to read military books and history, he has been proficient in archery and horses since he was a child, which makes him accelerate the opportunity to join the army, and it is Li Siyuan who makes him famous.
After Li Siyuan learned that Shi Jingjiao was talented, he had a great impression of him, because Li Siyuan was originally a general who fought all year round.
It can be seen from the Shangyuanyi incident in 884 that Li Siyuan has been a general for many years, and at the age of seventeen, he was able to lead his troops to defeat the Liang army and rescue Li Keyong.
It can be said that Li Siyuan is no worse than others in terms of the treatment of generals and talents.
Because of this, every time he fights, Li Siyuan always takes Shi Jingjiao with him, and even hands over his own soldiers to Shi Jingjiao to manage, which is enough to see his trust and attention.
In 923, after the establishment of the Tang Dynasty, Li Cunxuan began to crusade against various places, and then sent Li Siyuan to attack Yunzhou alone.
And Shi Jingjiao's approach was also shocking, he resolutely led the army to support Li Siyuan, and cleared all obstacles for Li Siyuan, so that he successfully occupied Yunzhou.
After this incident, Li Siyuan paid more attention to Shi Jingjiao, and because of this, Shi Jingjiao proposed the idea of launching a coup d'état.
In 926, Zhao Zaili suddenly mutinied, which made Li Cunqiao very taboo, so he sent Li Siyuan and others to conquer, but what people didn't expect was that on the way, everyone wanted Li Siyuan to be the emperor.
In fact, Li Siyuan also understands everyone's thoughts, but he also has a certain understanding of being a man, and Li Cunqiao does not treat him badly.
But if he didn't agree, the army would really rebel, and seeing this, Li Siyuan pretended to agree, and tried to explain everything after he went back.
As everyone knows, all this was seen by Shi Jingjiao, because he had been waiting for Li Siyuan for a long time and understood his thoughts very well, so when Li Siyuan agreed, he saw the clues.
Therefore, he tried his best to persuade Li Siyuan on the side, even if he explained to Li Cunxuan, it was useless, if he didn't do it, he would be suspicious and his life would be in danger, so it was better to attack the emperor.
In this way, Li Siyuan accepted it, and at the same time, Li Cunqiao didn't know about it, which led to a fiasco in the end.
After Li Siyuan became emperor, he rewarded Shi Jingjiao vigorously, and in 933, because the Khitan and other foreign nationalities invaded the north many times, which made the imperial court have to make plans for this matter.
Later, at the suggestion of the ministers, it was thought that Shi Jingjiao and Kang Yicheng could do it, but one of them could guard the border, which made it impossible for the minister and Li Siyuan to make a choice for a while.
Seeing this, Shi Jingjiao took the initiative to choose to go north, and the following year, after Li Siyuan's death, Li Conghou became the emperor, which coincided with Li Congke's rebellion, because the troops in the capital were weak, and Li Conghou did not react, so he was defeated and fled.
End Result
At the same time, Li Congke invited Shi Jingjiao to discuss before the rebellion, but when he met Li Conghou, Shi Jingjiao followed Li Congke because he was not welcomed.
Although Li Conghou's defeat made Li Congke take the throne, Li Congke knew very well that he did all this, and he also knew that Shi Jingjiao was very dangerous.
In this way, since Shi Jingjiao followed Li Congke, Li Congke sent someone to supervise him and not leave the promulgation, which restricted his life and made Shi Jingjiao sick for a while.
Taking advantage of this condition, with the help of Empress Dowager Cao, Shi Jingjiao successfully returned to Hedong, but even after returning to Hedong, Li Congke's suspicion of him increased.
It didn't take long for the minister to propose to Li Congke to dispose of Shi Jingjiao, after all, the longer it goes, the worse it is, Li Congke thought about it and felt that it made sense, so he started to prepare.
So in 936, Li Congke ordered the envoy of Yunzhou Jiedu, and after learning the news, Shi Jingjiao was already panicked, thinking that his plan had been leaked.
Because considering his lack of troops, in order to save his life, he could only ask the Khitan people for help, and only in this way could he have a chance to turn the tables.
Seeing Shi Jingjiao's move, Li Congke did not hesitate to send troops to attack, although Shi Jingjiao agreed with the Khitan, but the Khitan did not make any moves, but watched the battle.
Seeing that the enemy army was about to enter, Shi Jingjiao had no choice but to negotiate with the Khitan, and after the matter was completed, he ceded the sixteen states of Yanyun, and the Khitan was originally very eager for these places.
As soon as he heard Shi Jingjiao say this, how could he do it if he didn't agree, so the emperor at that time, Yelu Deguang, immediately led his troops to support.
In fact, at first, the people around him did not agree, after all, Yanyun Sixteen Prefectures is an important place in the Central Plains, and once it is lost, it will not be good for development.
But Shi Jingjiao only focuses on immediate interests, he thinks that if he fails, there will be nothing, and it is better to cut the land than this.
In the same year, with the support of Yelu Deguang, Shi Jingjiao became the emperor and established the Later Jin Dynasty, and since then, the sixteen states of Yanyun have fallen into the hands of the Khitans.
Of course, this also paved the way for the later Northern Song Dynasty's crusade against Liao.
Author's point of view
Shi Jingjiao rebelled against Li Conghou because of his selfishness, and further followed Li Congke, but because he was suspicious, he had to launch a rebellion, and because he wanted to succeed, he ceded the sixteen states of Yanyun to the Khitan.
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Reference: Di Ning, A Brief Analysis of the Strategic Value of the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun, 2008
Xu Haibo, Similarities and Differences between the Liao Dynasty's Governance of the Eastern Dan Kingdom and the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun, 2012
Xu Xueyi, Analysis of the Influence of the Later Jin Dynasty's Cutting of Yanyun's Sixteen Prefectures to the Khitan on Both Sides, 1988