On the map of the world, we can never fully know how many earth shattering events have occurred. However, what we are talking about today is definitely one of them. The old Liao Dynasty went to destruction in internal strife, and a new revival requires countless hardships. Snowy mountains, Gobi, vast deserts, new enemies and friends, unpredictable death threats. They need to constantly strive to build new homes, and more importantly, unite, gather their own strength, unite the forces around them, and for a common goal, a Western Liao Kingdom that continues the Great Liao Dynasty rises in the west. In 1031 AD, Emperor Shengzong of Liao was on the brink of death. He inherited the legacy of his predecessors and reached the pinnacle of the Liao Dynasty’s national strength, earning him the title of a sage. However, before his death, he could not let go of anything. Therefore, in his testament, he warned his successor Yel ü Zongzhen not to kill Empress Qitian with his biological mother. Empress Qitian had two sons, but they both died young. The palace maid Xiao Pujin gave birth to Yel ü Zong Zhen for Emperor Shengzong of Liao. Empress Qitian treated Yel ü Zong Zhen as if she were her own, causing Xiao Pujin’s resentment. If Xiao Pujin gained power, with her personality, she could easily retaliate against Empress Qitian. If that were the case, not only would internal strife occur in the palace, but the Great Liao Dynasty would also fall into the quagmire of internal strife. Emperor Shengzong of Liao was well aware of the relationship between internal strife and the decline of the country, and he wanted to do his best to prevent internal strife, especially in the palace, but tragedy still occurred.
Former Director of the Beijing Archaeological Institute – Qi Xin: It is mainly due to the severe internal conflicts and power struggles, where they compete with each other and erode their own strength.
Sixteen year old Yel ü Zong Zhen, who had just ascended to the throne as Emperor Xingzong of Liao, immediately burned the last edict of Emperor Shengzong of Liao. He acted as regent and coerced Empress Dowager Qi Tian to commit suicide. Emperor Xingzong of Liao could no longer bear to imprison the fierce Xiao Pujin, laying the foundation for the next round of imperial infighting. Following that, Xiao Jijin’s second son Yelu Zongyuan and his accomplices launched a rebellion and ultimately committed suicide. But the terrible things were still to come. It was only through the killing of his wife and son by the Liao Daozong that he awakened and an internal conflict within the imperial family came to an end.
Jia Congjiang, Director of the History Research Institute of Xinjiang Academy of Social Sciences: Why do we talk about the internal strife of this ruling group in the Liao Dynasty? There are some institutional reasons for it. Why do we talk about it this way? It is mainly related to two systems. One is the Uludo system targeting the emperor, which we call the Gongwei system. Each emperor has their own Uludo, which we call the Gongwei system, and he has his own army. Another system that bears some resemblance to this imperial system, called the Lower Military State System, is mainly aimed at nobles and nobles, who receive private income and can also establish their own armies, relatively independent economic and military forces. This is also one of the main institutional reasons for his internal strife.
In 1101 AD, Emperor Daozong of Liao died and Yelv Yanxi ascended to the throne as Emperor Tianzuo. In his eyes, after understanding the Yelv Yixin group, there were no more worries. Under such a mentality, Emperor Tianzuo only knew how to enjoy himself, indulged in hunting, and did not care about court politics. He often recruited the leaders and nobles of the Jurchen tribe to accompany him in hunting, like summoning slaves to shout tigers and shoot deer. He also demanded Haidong Qing and pearls from the Jurchen, causing them unbearable suffering. They have realized that the foundation of the Liao Dynasty has rotted, and the great buildings will collapse.
Jia Congjiang, Director of the Institute of History at the Xinjiang Academy of Social Sciences: In the late 11th century, in fact, this large-scale rebellion had already occurred in his northwest border tribe, the nomadic tribes on the northern grasslands of the desert. The Liao Dynasty fought against them for nine years, which actually caused a significant loss of power to the Liao Dynasty, but he was not aware of these issues. The rebellion not only came from the northwest, but also from the Jurchen people in the northeast who were equally eager to break free from the oppression of the Liao Dynasty. They formed a tribal alliance and formed a significant joint force. When the brave Wanyan Aguda served as the leader of the alliance, Jurchen quickly rose to power. Wanyan Aguda was the first to disobey the orders of Emperor Tianzuo and became a hero of Jurchen. Under his leadership, the Jurchen army united internally and fought against the Liao Dynasty. Under the leadership of their leader, Wan Yan Aguda, the Jurchen army launched a war against the Liao Dynasty, which suffered successive defeats. In 1115 AD, Wanyan Aguda established the Jin Dynasty and captured Huanglong Prefecture. This was a war that determined the fate of the Liao and Jin dynasties. In September of 1115 AD, Emperor Tianzuo led an army of 150000, claiming to be 700000, and launched a grand expedition. The Jin army only had 20000, and their weapons and equipment were far inferior to those of the Liao army, with a huge disparity in power. Emperor Tianzuo was determined to eliminate the Jurchen in one fell swoop. Under strong pressure within the Jin army, a sense of fear arose, and even the leader, Wanyan Aguda, arranged for the aftermath in advance amidst his tragic emotions. It’s hard for them to imagine any miracle happening, but the miracle actually happened. No one could have imagined that the power to save the fate of the Jin army came from the Liao army. As the decisive battle was about to break out, a Liao army quietly left Tianzuo Emperor and headed straight to the empty capital. This team was led by the commander of the Liao army, Yel ü Zhangnu. Yel ü Zhangnu believed that Emperor Tianzuo was incompetent and reckless, and that the foundation of the Great Liao would eventually be defeated by Emperor Tianzuo. Therefore, he launched a coup in preparation to enthrone Yel ü chun, the uncle of Emperor Tianzuo, as emperor. For the Liao dynasty, this internal conflict was clearly not timely.
Jia Congjiang, Director of the Institute of History at the Xinjiang Academy of Social Sciences: Because the rebellion of Yelv Zhangnu occurred in 1115, the Liao Dynasty had already been heavily damaged by Jurchens. If there were really a politician with such a sense of social responsibility, he could be called a politician. At this time, would you propose to change the emperor like this! Yelv Zhangnu’s desperate move forced Emperor Tianzuo to quickly withdraw from the front line to quell the coup. The Jin army, taking advantage of the hasty retreat of the Liao army, concentrated their forces to pursue Zhongjian, and the Liao army suffered more than a hundred miles of casualties. The Jin army gradually pushed the Liao army to defeat and then again, causing Emperor Tianzuo to flee hastily. The situation continued to worsen. In order to recapture the Youyun Sixteen Prefectures occupied by the Liao Dynasty, the Song and Jin dynasties formed a maritime alliance to jointly destroy the Liao. As a result, the Liao Dynasty would be attacked from both sides and face unprecedented danger of national downfall. The Jin army quickly captured the Dading Prefecture in central Liaoning (now Ningcheng, Inner Mongolia). Emperor Tianzuo first fled to Nanjing (now Beijing), then to Yuanyangpo, Xijing, and then to Jiashan (now southwest of Wuchuan, Inner Mongolia). Faced with the rapidly changing situation, the ministers of the Liao Dynasty wanted to turn the tide, and Yelv Dashi was one of them. Yelv Dashi, the eighth generation descendant of Yelv Abaoji, the founder of the Liao Dynasty, not only had a prominent status, but also was skilled in horseback riding and archery, proficient in Khitan and Chinese characters, and versatile in both literature and martial arts. He passed the imperial examination at the age of 29 and was soon promoted to the position of Hanlin Yingfeng. According to the imperial examination system of the Liao Dynasty, only the first place in the palace examination was awarded this position, making Yelv Dashi famous. When Emperor Tianzuo fled to Jiashan, Yelv Dashi was serving as the commander of the Liaoxing Army, guarding Nanjing Road, which can be regarded as the backbone of the Liao Dynasty. Yelv Dashi was loyal to the Liao Dynasty, but the act of Emperor Tianzuo abandoning the country deeply hurt him. At this time, he regarded the establishment of a new ruler as an important choice to save the Liao Dynasty.
Jia Congjiang, Director of the Institute of History at the Xinjiang Academy of Social Sciences: His choices are completely linked to his politics, his own values, and political responsibility. Yelv Dashi carefully considered that if the emperor’s banner falls at this time, if the Liao Dynasty has no emperor, it will definitely be ruined. He must have a flag erected.
In 1122 AD, Yelv Dashi and others supported Yelv Chun as emperor, changed his reign to Jianfu, and surrendered Emperor Tianzuo as the King of Xiangyin. This was the Northern Liao regime, which gained the support of many Khitan nobles. However, due to the strong encirclement of the Song and Jin dynasties, the situation was extremely severe. Yelv Dashi was appointed as the commander of the Southwest Road, leading the army. His heroic spirit and military talent were demonstrated, and he once defeated the Song army. However, the timid new emperor Yelv Chun soon died in panic. Although Northern Liao defeated the attack of the Song army, it could not resist the fierce forces of the Jurchen army. Nanjing fell, making it difficult for Northern Liao to continue. What should Yelv Dashi and his subordinates do.?
Jia Congjiang, Director of the Institute of History at the Xinjiang Academy of Social Sciences: So in this small court in Nanjing, there has been controversy over where to seek refuge. Some advocate surrendering to the Song Dynasty, while others, like the Western Prince Xiao Gan, advocate going directly to his territory and to his Western Prince’s mansion; The other one is Yelv Dashi. Yelv Dashi advocates switching to Emperor Tianzuo. Why is he thinking so? In fact, this is mainly based on the fate of the Liao Dynasty. If we want to maintain the legitimacy of the Liao Dynasty at this time, then only Emperor Tianzuo will remain under this banner.
Yelv Dashi participated in the establishment of Northern Liao, which was undoubtedly a betrayal to Emperor Tianzuo. However, when Northern Liao collapsed, Yelv Dashi realized that if he did not merge with Emperor Tianzuo to strengthen his power, the Liao Dynasty would be completely over. So he risked his life to flee westward to Emperor Tianzuo. Emperor Tianzuo questioned Yelv Dashi how he dared to establish a new central government. Yelv Dashi replied, “Your Majesty gave up the country and fled, causing the people to be charred. Even if ten Yelv Chuns were established, they were all descendants of Emperor Taizu. Isn’t it better than begging others for their lives?”? Emperor Tianzuo was speechless and pardoned Yelv Dashi, appointing him as the commander-in-chief. The unity of the two forces gave the Liao dynasty the last hope. Emperor Tianzuo also recruited some tribes and urgently wanted to send troops to recover the lost territory. Yelv Dashi remained calm, believing that the current strength of the Liao army was not a match for the Jin army, and that the urgency to seek war was not the best strategy. Instead, he should accumulate strength and wait for the moment to take action. However, Emperor Tianzuo insisted on sending troops, and there were once again irreconcilable disputes within the Liao dynasty. In 1124 AD, Yelv Dashi led two hundred iron cavalry to leave Tianzuo Emperor overnight. The east and south were his familiar homeland, but he could not go back. Although the northwest was a strange land, he had no choice but to go there. Only there was the power of the Liao Dynasty, and he could make a comeback and save the Liao Dynasty. This is a difficult journey with an uncertain future. They have to leave their homeland and head west. After three days of difficult journey, Yelv Dashi climbed over the continuous green mountains, crossed the rushing black water, and arrived at the Baidada tribe. The Khitans still have a high reputation here. The leader of Baidada, Bed Gu’er, voluntarily offered 400 horses and 20 camels. After a brief rest, Yelv Dashi continued to move northwestward, winding for over a thousand miles, passing through a desert filled with wind and sand, where no one had been born yet. He rushed to the next destination, Kedun City, the location of the Liaoxi North Road’s recruitment office. In difficult circumstances, death could come at any moment. Yelv Dashi missed the beautiful homeland even more and more. He repeatedly summarized the root cause of the failure of the Liao Dynasty, why such a powerful Liao Dynasty was defeated by the weak Jin army in such a short period of time and collapsed. He ultimately concluded that the Liao Dynasty was not actually killed by the Jin army, but by internal strife. Seeing his team on the brink of life and death, he also had to think about leaving Tianzuo. Is the emperor right or wrong. Emperor Tianzuo, who did not listen to Yelv Dashi’s advice, was quickly defeated by the Jin army. He was captured by the Jin army in 1125 and eventually died of illness in a prison east of Baishan, leading to the downfall of the Liao Dynasty. Yelv Dashi has no turning back, this is a rare expedition in history. The vast desert with fertile fields, cold and steep snow mountains, countless Gobi, rivers, and mountains have all become a means of conquering and restoring the empire. This indomitable spirit and belief have become the driving force behind Yelv Dashi’s journey.
Jia Congjiang, Director of the Institute of History at the Xinjiang Academy of Social Sciences: He has chosen a completely opposite path, which is to continuously utilize his talent, position, and strength to achieve his political mission of preserving the Liao Dynasty and saving the country.
When the Liao Dynasty fell, China had four main forces, the most important of which were the Jin and Song dynasties. After maintaining a brief peace, they engaged in war. The Western Xia dynasty still maintained its rule, and the last important force was in the northwest, belonging to the Liao Dynasty. Although the Jin army destroyed the Liao Dynasty, its military strength in the northwest was not lost.
This is Zhenzheng (now the upper reaches of the Tula River in Mongolia), also known as Kedun City. There are fat cattle and sheep here, as well as vast land reclamation. When the Liao Dynasty soldiers stationed here heard the news of the country’s downfall, they were at a loss. The famous Yelv Dashi arrived, and Kedun City was immediately filled with hope. Yelv Dashi immediately summoned the leaders of the local seven states and eighteen tribes to call for the restoration of the country, gathering people’s hearts, saving the monarch’s father, and helping the people in difficulties. As a result, Yelv Dashi received strong support from the seven states and eighteen tribes, and quickly developed into a banner for the restoration of Liao, with ten thousand elite soldiers and ten thousand war horses. He proclaimed himself a king and established official offices in the north and south according to the Liao Dynasty system, equipped himself with weapons, and accumulated strength.
In 1128 AD, Yel ü Dashi had gathered hundreds of thousands of troops and horses, and a powerful new country had taken shape. At this time, Yel ü Dashi was once again facing a major decision: whether to go east or west. If going east meant fighting against the Jin to recover lost territory, which was what Yel ü Dashi had been dreaming of. However, the Jin Dynasty was in a period of economic and military rise, and Yel ü Dashi’s power was far from being able to resist. If going west, Yel ü Dashi had both opportunities and risks. The opportunity was that the once very powerful Karakhan Dynasty had split into two parts, with its power clearly declining. The Gaochang Uyghur Kingdom also entered a period of decline, and the risk was that… Everything there is unfamiliar and chaotic, except for the East Kara Khanate, West Kara Khanate, and the Gaochang Uyghur King, there are also numerous Turkic language tribes, and these countries and tribes are also related to the Khwarazm to the west The Seljuk dynasty and the various branches of the Gelug dynasty have intricate connections and complex relationships. In the chaotic situation, can Yelv Dashi stand there? Heading west means greater sandstorms and a greater distance from their homeland, but Yelv Dashi and his army have no choice. When they traveled far, mournful songs could be heard in the sandstorms. Now heading west is for the purpose of restoring our homeland to the east in the future. What suffering can’t be endured?
Qian Boquan, a researcher at the History Research Institute of Xinjiang Academy of Social Sciences: He still wants to restore the Liao Dynasty, so he is loyal and fighting for his motherland and the Liao Dynasty. However, in fact, the Jin Dynasty is too powerful, and emerging countries are too powerful. Even if he wants to restore the Liao Dynasty, it is impossible.
Beiting Ancient City, Jimusaer County, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region
This is the ancient city of Beiting, located 20 kilometers north of Jimusaer County, Xinjiang. It was called Jinman City during the Han Dynasty and was once one of the 36 states in the Western Regions. It was the location of the royal court of the Cheshi Later Kingdom and later became the residence of the Han Dynasty’s garrison colonel. In the Tang Dynasty, it developed into a political, military, and cultural center at the northern foot of the Tianshan Mountains.
Painted Horse Riding Mud Maid Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Museum
The painted clay figurines unearthed here bear witness to the prosperity of this region at that time. After the mid-19th century, after the decline of the Uyghur Khanate in the northern desert grassland, some remnants of the westward migration captured Gaochang and established the Uyghur Gaochang Kingdom. Beiting became the capital of Xia. In 1130 AD, Yelv Dashi led his army westward and arrived here. Although it was to expand territory, Yelv Dashi worked hard to convey a signal of unity and peace. When he traveled through Gaochang, he counted the old friendships between the two countries and repeatedly claimed that he was just a way out without any other intentions. Yelv Dashi sent a friendly message and won the favor of the Gaochang regime. King Bileg of Gaochang warmly treated Yelv Dashi and expressed his willingness to submit to Yelv Dashi for three days of the banquet.
Researcher at the Institute of History, Xinjiang Academy of Social Sciences – Qian Boquan: He led more than 10000 cavalry, all of whom were elite cavalry, from Kedun City to the west. As a small country in Gaochang, the Uyghurs, he could easily get involved in it. However, he was very wise and I couldn’t ruin my relationship by taking advantage of the road.
Yelv Dashi did not break his promise and continued westward. Soon, the main force led by Yelv Dashi successfully reached Yemili along the North Tianshan Road and established a city there.
Emin County, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region
This is Emin County, Xinjiang Autonomous Region. At that time, it was known as Ye Mili. Yelv Dashi’s army was welcomed by various Turkic language tribes around him. After eight years of hard work and struggle, Yelv Dashi traveled tens of thousands of miles and opened up a huge territory. Nowadays, there are no relics to find on the ground of the ancient city of Yemili. The former prosperity has been replaced by growing green grass. Is this the city built by Yelv Dashi? It is like a mystery that has disappeared from history.
In June 2014, an archaeological excavation work was underway on the Ye Mili Ancient City site. Professor Liu Ruiqing from Northwest University led his students to explore this ancient city, which was established during the Western Liao Dynasty.
Northwest University School of Cultural Heritage – Liu Ruiqing: The entire site covers an area of approximately two kilometers from east to west, with a width of 1.5 kilometers from north to south, and a total area of about 3 million square meters. As for the distribution of one of the core functional areas of the site, we have not yet carried out enough work, but there is a preliminary inference that this is where we are currently standing, and it should be a handicraft workshop area of this site.
After years of exploration, this mystery is gradually being uncovered, and as excavation work unfolds, a history of a deceased dynasty that dates back thousands of years is slowly emerging from the ground. In 1132 AD, Yelv Dashi officially proclaimed himself emperor in Yemi, using the Turkic Khan name – Ju’er Khan, meaning the Khan of the Khanate. At the same time, he adopted the Han honorific name Tianyou Emperor and established the Western Liao regime, also known as the Hala Khitan in history. It was a continuation of the Liao regime.
Jia Congjiang, Director of the History Research Institute of the Xinjiang Academy of Social Sciences: During the Western Liao Dynasty, all of its imperial lineage was inherited from the Liao Dynasty. The Liao Dynasty inherited the same lineage, and his system of laws and regulations, ruling ethnic groups, and cultural traditions were completely inherited by the Liao Dynasty. It was just a continuation of the Liao Dynasty in a new region.
For Yelv Dashi at this time, the task of strategic transfer was already basic, but the next task was even more important. He needed to manage this land well and began to expand towards the surrounding areas with Ye Mili as the center.
Gaochang Ancient City, Turpan City, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region
This is the ancient city of Gaochang, located 40 kilometers east of Turpan City. It was built by the garrison troops of the Western Han Dynasty. After the 9th century, the Uyghurs established the Gaochang Uyghur Kingdom here. In the same year as Yelv Dashi declared himself emperor, he led his army into the territory of the Gaochang Uyghur Kingdom. Gaochang had no resistance and surrendered to the Western Liao Dynasty. Yelv Dashi still allowed the Uyghur Khanate to rule this area and established a supervisory state for supervision. He treats people of all ethnicities with tolerance, allowing for the free development of various beliefs. Such policies are conducive to uniting and submissive people.
Jia Congjiang, Director of the Institute of History at the Xinjiang Academy of Social Sciences, said that he has maintained the original ruling system of those regimes, which is to send a founding official and collect a portion of the tax, with a small amount of tax collected each year. He only needs to maintain this political affiliation in the local area.
In Emin County, Xinjiang, every May or June, the nomadic life of the year begins. The local herdsmen still maintain the traditional custom of living by water and grass. They have to transfer their livestock from spring pastures to summer pastures. This time, they have to walk hundreds of kilometers and drive tens of thousands of cattle and sheep to migrate in the Tianshan Mountains. More than 1000 years ago, Yelv Dashi and his subordinates also experienced a huge and crucial transition. That was in the year 1132 AD, when they were heading west to a place thousands of miles away. It was more of a strategic shift than a transition. They were heading west all the way, and their destination for this journey was the capital of the East Karakhanate in Central Asia, Balashagun.
Bishkek Kyrgyz Republic
This is Bishkek, the capital of the Kyrgyz Republic. In ancient times, it was one of the important cities on the Silk Road, and at the foot of the snow capped mountains in the distance was the ancient city of Balashagun. On the ruins of the ancient city, the Islamic style minaret, the Branaga Tower, is the only building that exists on the ground. At the beginning of 1134 AD, King Ibrahim of the East Kara Khanate was unable to govern his country well, so he invited Yelv Dashi to Balashagun. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and Yelv Dashi decided to establish his capital in Balashagun and changed the name of the kingdom to Husiwuo’er. Yelv Dashi demoted the king of the East Kara Khanate to the king of Turkmen. Not long after, the Kangli people and Gelolu, who were previously unable to be managed by the king of the East Kara Khanate, both surrendered to Yelv Dashi. The national strength of Western Liao doubled, and they lived in this city with a strong Islamic style. However, Yelv Dashi’s inner thoughts were still in the east. In 1134 AD, shortly after the establishment of the capital of the Western Liao Dynasty in Husi Wo Er, Yelv Dashi Bian dispatched a 70000 strong army to begin his eastward expedition plan. From the first day of his journey westward that year, all of his actions were aimed at restoring the ancient country of the Liao Dynasty. That was his haunted homeland, the place where he was born and raised, and the land that continued to give him strength and faith. His soul was already inseparable from there, so no matter what, he hoped to reclaim the land that should have belonged to him. This expedition to the east entrusted Yelv Dashi with his greatest hope. However, due to the distance between the Western Liao and Jin dynasties, the natural environment was harsh along the way, the desert was obstructed, many cattle and horses died, and the huge army could only return in vain. Yelv Dashi was heavily hit, constantly expanding westward to restore his eastern territory. However, he never expected that he would be too far away from his homeland and could never return. Yelv Dashi looked up to the sky and sighed, saying that the emperor was not obedient. The reality was so cruel that Yelv Dashi ultimately gave up his goal of reclaiming the former territory of the Liao Dynasty. As the ruler of a country, Yelv Dashi had no other way out, and he and his soldiers had to forge their own powerful empire in the west. After the complete failure of efforts to restore the homeland in the East, Yelv Dashi could only develop in the west. This time, he chose to take the initiative to attack the West Kara Khanate, defeat the resistance of the Mahmud Khan, and then the powerful Seljuk dynasty in the west. The situation in the west is exceptionally severe for Yelv Dashi, but he has no choice but to look west.
Jia Congjiang, Director of the Institute of History at the Xinjiang Academy of Social Sciences: A force of 70000 is not a small number. For nomads, it is equivalent to an explanation of their own views, and at the same time, it is also a political explanation for the Khitan soldiers who migrated westward with him at that time. This really dealt a great blow to him. The failure of the Eastern Expedition actually blocked the Yelv Dashi, or the ruling group of Western Liao led by Yelv Dashi, in the process of restoring their homeland.
Shortly thereafter, the ruler of the Seljuk dynasty, Sangar, launched an attack on the Geloglu people. The Geloglu people sought help from Yelv Dashi, and the opportunity finally arrived. Yelv Dashi wrote a letter to Sangar to give up the attack, but Sangar instead wrote a letter boasting that his army was omnipotent. Yelv Dashi then prepared to launch an attack, which was the largest battle of Yelv Dashi’s westward advance and also a shocking battle for the world. On the way westward, Yelv Dashi never easily started a big battle. But this time, in order for a powerful empire to stand in the west, he had to gather all his forces to fight a tough battle. In 1141 AD, a fierce battle broke out in Katwan, north of Samojian. Sanjaer had over 100000 cavalry, far exceeding the Western Liao army. However, Yel ü Dashi was not afraid. Faced with enemy cavalry, Yel ü Dashi commanded and divided the army into three routes, left, center, and right, to attack the enemy. This forced Sanjaer’s army to be unable to face each other, and the entire army was defeated. The Seljuk dynasty’s forces withdrew from the Hezhong region, which is the famous Battle of Katwan in Central Asian history.
Jia Congjiang, Director of the Institute of History at the Xinjiang Academy of Social Sciences: The Battle of Katewan was a decisive battle that determined the entire political structure of Central Asia at that time. After this battle, Central Asia became a different political structure. Of course, we are now very clear about this structure. It was the Western Liao Dynasty that established its dominant position in the central Asian region of Xinjiang, which is the eastern and western regions of Congling.
After the Battle of Kat Wan Hui, Yel ü Dashi’s military power became unprecedentedly strong and began to attack Huaci Zimu located in the lower reaches of the Amu Darya River and southeast of the Aral Sea. Huaci Zimu Ariya was willing to be loyal to Yel ü Dashi and paid tribute to livestock and goods every year. After losing his eastern territory, Yel ü Dashi miraculously established a new dynasty in the west that could rival the original Liao Dynasty. Its territory is vast, stretching from the Tula River in the east, to the Aral Sea in the west, to Lake Balkhash in the north, to the Amu Darya River in the south, the Xingdu Kush Mountains, and the Kunlun Mountains. Its territorial area far exceeds that of the Southern Song and Western Xia dynasties.
Yelv Dashi put an end to the long-term wars in Central Asia, bringing stability, unity, and peace to the local people, and providing a long-awaited opportunity for socio-economic development. In terms of religious beliefs and language, Yelv Dashi continued to adopt a policy of unity, pragmatism, and tolerance to promote a peaceful situation. The Khitans believe in shamanism, but Yelv Dashi allows local residents to practice religions such as Islam, Buddhism, Nestorianism, and Judaism, and he also allows local residents to use the local language and script. Ten kilometers north of the ancient city of Balashagun, in the wilderness at the foot of the Tianshan Mountains, is the Fragmented Leaf City. After thousands of years of wind blowing, it has transformed into a huge earthen city ruins. In the 12th century, Fragmented Leaf City was ruled by the Western Liao and became an important town on the Silk Road. It was also one of the busiest cities in the Western Liao at that time.
Jiao Ledosi is an expert in the study of Western Liao history at the Academy of Sciences of the Kyrgyz Republic.
Jiaole Duoxi: The residents of Broken Leaf City are both engaged in agriculture and nomads. They attach great importance to the traditions of their own city. After the rule of Western Liao, the residents here did not change their previous customs, traditions, and religions.
Western Liao King Seal Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region Museum
Yel ü Dashi brought China’s household registration tax system to Central Asia. Initially, the region implemented land taxes, which were usually one-third of the harvest. Yel ü Dashi implemented a household registration tax system, and whether urban residents or farmers and herdsmen, he only collected one dinar per year, which was obviously much lighter than before. As a result, he was deeply loved by the local people. Yelv Dashi has a profound cultural literacy in Chinese. Some of his imperial edicts were issued in Chinese, and the coins he minted were given Chinese era names and Han Chinese names for the coins.
Jiao Leduoxi: These ancient coins unearthed from the Husiwu Ear were approximately circulated and used between the 8th and 12th centuries AD. Based on their style, it is speculated that they originated from China, which used to be the Western Liao Dynasty. It is unlikely that a large number of Chinese coins will appear here, so we speculate that these coins were manufactured and issued by the Western Liao Dynasty.
Jia Congjiang, Director of the History Research Institute of Xinjiang Academy of Social Sciences: After the Tang Dynasty, Han culture gradually spread westward again in the Western Liao Dynasty. This place brought this, and we talked about its system. His official language, language, and writing are all in Chinese, and a large amount of production technology has been brought over. In summary, it is called a cultural tolerance policy of inclusiveness.
Nowadays, in the homeland of Western Liao, Kyrgyzstan, there are only a few cultural relics and relics related to Western Liao that can be found. After thousands of years of honing, this once prosperous city has been completely destroyed. This legendary history is slowly disappearing with the passage of time. The history of Yelv Dashi, Western Liao, and even Khitan seems to have been forgotten by the people here, but some things remain unchanged, that is bloodline. In the valleys and grasslands near Bishkek, the capital of the Kyrgyz Republic, the Khitans still live in a natural and traditional way of life. Most of them believe that their bodies are still filled with the blood of the Western Liao people, and they not only do not forget it, but also strive to find more about the roots of the Khitans. Joropokulov is one of the representatives. As the chairman of the Khitan Tribal Association of the Kyrgyz Republic, Joropokulov has written many books about the Khitans and has come to China multiple times to explore the history of their ancestors and search for ancient relics related to the Khitans. Of course, he has also forgotten Not the Western Liao and Yelv Dashi. He made exhibition boards of his route and introduced his research achievements to people. He was proud to be a Khitan.
The meaning of the term Khitan is said by experts to be the meaning of the Eastern Sun God. The Khitans respect the power of the sun and hope to prosper like the sun in the sky. Some also call them the Sun Khitans, who seem to possess resilience and power beyond time and space. Gioro Pokulov still maintains the custom of worshipping the East and worshipping the Sun, expressing his desire to trace the roots and identity as a Khitan in this way. The Western Liao established by Yelv Dashi has a history of nearly a hundred years, which lasted until 1218 AD. It was destroyed by the rising Mongols, and the descendants of these Khitans never returned to the East. In this land, hope and suffering were like two pieces of gravel honing their will. They finally turned their foreign land into their own homeland through hard work. Currently, among the more than 40 major tribes in Kyrgyzstan, the Khitan tribe is one of the largest, with a population of over 500000, accounting for nearly one tenth of the total population of Kyrgyzstan.
Adili: It seems that when I was in elementary or middle school, my father told me that we are descendants of the Khitan tribe. Only when I grew up did I realize that every Kyrgyz must give this to their own descendants and sons, and explain what tribe you belong to.
For thousands of years, the descendants of these Khitans have preserved the living habits that have been passed down from generation to generation, and have passed them down in their own way, reminiscing about that millennium long history that has disappeared. They look to the east, searching for their spiritual home, and will coincidentally enter that era full of sorrow, anger, and vitality. They will feel the pain of leaving their hometown, the difficulties of crossing mountains and rivers, and the tenacious beliefs and indomitable spirit established by the Khitans in the face of hardships and obstacles, together with Yelv Dashi. This is the greatest wealth left by Yelv Dashi. In 1143 AD, Yelv Dashi passed away, reigning for nearly 20 years at the age of 57, with the temple name Dezong. His life was so contradictory, bumpy, and full of legendary colors. He stayed away from the shadow of internal strife, never forgot to restore the country, went through hardships, and created a new Liao dynasty with the power of unity. He was a great success. Unexpectedly, he opened up a powerful empire in a completely unfamiliar environment, won people’s hearts, and became a great figure in world history. However, what he wanted to do most was to restore his homeland, but he could not fulfill his long cherished wish. Until his death, he could only look to the east with a strong sense of homesickness, where there was his homeland that had been haunting him for the rest of his life.
90 Seconds of History: Head Fish Feast
In the spring of 1112 AD, Emperor Tianzuo of the Liao Dynasty was drilling ice and fishing in the Huntong River (Heilongjiang). The first fish caught by the Liao Emperor held a banquet to reward the various tribes, which was called the Head Fish Banquet. At that time, the leaders of various Jurchen tribes would come to participate, and Wanyan Aguda also represented Wanyan tribe in this banquet. According to traditional customs, in the banquet, the leaders of each tribe were supposed to sing and dance for Emperor Tianzuo, but Aguda did not prepare any songs and dances. At this time, Aguda had already made up his mind to clean up the Jurchen’s breath. When Emperor Zuo requested Aguda to sing and dance for fun, Aguda stood upright and refused in front of him. Only he refused to dance for Emperor Tianzuo in the banquet. Just because of this, he would bring about a great disaster of killing himself. Emperor Tianzuo was very unhappy and felt that Aguda had chest problems. Da Zhi, in the future, will inevitably become a major concern for the Liao Dynasty. The next day, he will kill Aguda. However, the Liao Dynasty minister Xiao Fengxian does not even regard Aguda in his eyes, believing that there is no need to care about such a barbarian, Under his persuasion, Aguda was able to save his life. When Wanyan Aguda quickly returned to the Wanyan tribe, the news of his refusal to accept Emperor Tianzuo quickly spread to all the Jurchen tribes.
