Wanyan Aguda

Wanyan Aguda was the chieftain of the Jurchen Wanyan tribe, founder and first emperor of the . He was the younger brother of Wanyan Wuyashu and the descendant of . Aguda was given the temple name Taizu .

Aguda was born to Shizu, Wanyan Helibo , in 1068. He was well-known in his tribe for bravery and participated in numerous campaigns against rival Jurchen tribes at the command of the Liao Dynasty. In 1109, during the height of a widespread famine, Aguda assisted his father Helibo to absorb famished warriors from other tribes to strengthen his own clan. Later, he fought wars against other Jurchen clans and succeeded to unify all Jurchens under Wanyan leadership. In 1113, Aguda succeeded Wuyashu as leader of his tribe, or Dubojilie . Like other Jurchens, Aguda loathed the exploitations of their tribesmen by corrupt Liao officials. In 1112, when undertook a fishing expedition in Jurchen territory and decreed all the chieftains to dance for him, Aguda was the only person who refused to accept the emperor's order.

In 1114, Aguda sent spies to Liao and prepared to revolt against the decadent regime. In September of the same year, Aguda rallied his tribesmen at Liushui and began open rebellion. His cavalry troops captured Ningjiangzhou and defeated a 7000-strong Liao troops at Battle of Chuhedian in November. In January 1115, following a series of military successes, Aguda proclaimed himself emperor of the new Jin Dynasty. In August, Aguda's army conquered the major city of Huanglongfu and defeated 700,000 Liao troops with 20,000 Jurchen cavalrymen at the Battle of Hubudagang . In 1116, Aguda completed the conquest of the entire Liaodong Peninsula. Between 1119 and 1122, Aguda's army repeatedly defeated Liao armies and captured all of Liao's five capitals. In 1119, Aguda sent emissaries to Northern Song Dynasty. According to the Concordat on the Sea , Song troops would attack Liao from the south. In return, Jurchen troops would return the to Song.

During the war against the Liao, Aguda also took time to establish the new feudal governmental system based upon Jurchen tribal customs. He also organized the national agriculture with a collectivist system known as the Mengan-Mouke . Furthermore, Aguda absorbed elements of Chinese culture and ordered Wanyan Xiyin to develop a unique Jurchen writing system.

Wanyan Aguda died in August 1123, at the age of 56. His younger brother Wanyan Wuqimai succeeded in capturing and destroying the Liao Dynasty in 1125. Aguda was later buried in Ruiling in Dafang Mountain outside Zhongdu .