Abstract
The Khitan occupation of Yu Chou and its neighbouring territory was only the beginning of a series of alien nomadic invasions from the northeast. It is in relation to these new invasions that Yu Chou began to acquire its political significance on a national scale, because every northeast entry of the nomads was bound to lead to Yu Chou, and no such entry would be successful until the city was firmly held. Here again we observe that the supreme importance of Yu Chou was linked with the northeast roads.
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Notes
- 1.
Hang Hsien was known as Hang Chow (杭州) until the early years of the Republic. See Footnote 8 on p. xxiv.
- 2.
See Liao Shih, Han Yen-hui Chuan, Kang Mo-chi Chuan (《辽史》之《韩延徽传》,《康默记传》, Dynastic History of Liao, Biographies of Han Yen-hui and Kang Mo-chi).
- 3.
The following quotations from three different sources provide the evidence. In the Chiu Wu-tai Shih, Chi Tan Chuan (《旧五代史·契丹传》, Old Dynastic History of the Five Dynasties, History of Khitan), it is recorded: ‘At the end of T’ien-yu (天佑, Reign title of the last emperor of T’ang, 904–907) Apaoki assumed the title of emperor and adopted the Chinese system in his government. The old way of life of the Khitan was nomadic and no cities nor buildings had ever been in existence. With the help of the (Chinese) people from Yen (the district of Yu Chou) a city and palace were built in the remote north, about three thousand li from Yu Chou. It was called Hsi-lou西楼’ (Ssu-pu Pei-yao edition, 137/2b). This is probably the oldest city in the territory of the Khitan.
A similar account about the rise of other permanent settlements is given in the Hsin Wu-tai Shih, Ssu I Fu-lu (《新五代史·四夷附录》, New Dynasty History of the Five Dynasties, Appendix, Barbarians): ‘Owing to the cruelty of Liu Shou-kuang, most of the inhabitants of Yu and Cho sought refuge in flight into the Khitan territory. Apaoki then took the opportunity to break with the frontier of China and plundered cities and towns. Large number of Chinese inhabitants was kept in captivity. Hence settlements following the Chinese system of local administration were established. … Han city was built on the river Luan, southeast of Tan Shan (Coal Hill) where salt and iron were abundant. And cultivation of cereals was possible. A city with walls, buildings and markets, just as that of Yu Chou was built. The Chinese were quite contented and did not think of going home again’ (Ssu-pu Pei-yao edition, 72/1b-2a).
Finally, a short paragraph referring to the origin of Lin-huang, the capital of the Khitan, in the Dynastic History of Liao, tells the story from the Khitan point of view: ‘At the beginning of the reign of Tien-tsan (922–926), T’ai-tzu (the posthumous title of Apaoki) marched to the south to attack Yen and Chi and brought the Chinese captives and settled them north of the river Huang (the Chinese name for the river Sieoa Muren). Hence the place named Lin-huang (or literally translated as ‘On the River Huang’). Here the land is suitable for cultivation. Residential families amount to three thousand and five hundred’.
- 4.
It is interesting to note that 20 years before their occupation of Yu Chou, a temple devoted to Confucius as well as a number of temples both for the Buddhist and the Taoist were built by the order of Apaoku in his capital Lin-huang. This reflects definitely the strong inclination of the Khitan ruler towards the civilization of China. See Dynastic History of Liao, Chronicle of T’ai-tsu, the 3rd year of Shen-tse (神册, 918).
- 5.
Or the third year of the reign of the second emperor T’ai-tsung, the son of Yelu Apaoki.
- 6.
Or the fifth year of the reign of the Liao emperor Sheng-tsung. See Liao Shih, Sheng-tsung Pen-chi (⟪辽史·圣宗本纪⟫, Dynastic History of Liao, the Chronicle of Sheng-tsung).
- 7.
Chin Shih, T’ai-tsung Pen-chi (⟪金史·太宗本纪⟫, Dynastic History of Chin, the Chronicle of T’ai-tsung), the 6th year of T’ien-fu (天福), 11th month.
- 8.
Yeh Lung-li, Liao Kuo Chih (叶隆礼《辽国志》, History of Liao), as quoted in Jih-hsia Chiu-wen K’ao, 5/3a.
- 9.
The same paragraph was quoted both in the Liao Kuo Chih (op. cit.) and in the Ta Chin Kuo Chih (《大金国志》, A History of the Chin Dynasty, by Yü-wen Mao-chao宇文懋昭, Sao-yeh Shan-fang edition扫叶山房本, 1797, 40/2a).
- 10.
Quoted by Ch’en Lu, op. cit., p. 48.
- 11.
Book on Geography.
- 12.
Book on Economic Affairs.
- 13.
See Appendix III.
- 14.
Ibid.
- 15.
Book on Geography, Dynastic History of Liao.
- 16.
See Footnote 23 on p. 58. The northern wall of the Imperial City of the T’ang capital Ch’ang-an, for instance, adjoined that of the great city.
- 17.
Book on Geography. See also Feng K’uan, op. cit., p. 890.
- 18.
See the Chronicle of Sheng-tsung and the Book on Geography in the Dynastic History of Liao.
- 19.
It was probably an old building of the previous dynasties. See Chao I, op. cit., 27/12a-13b.
- 20.
See Footnote 5 on p. 63.
- 21.
Book on Geography, Dynastic History of Liao.
- 22.
Chen Chün, T’ien-chih Ou-wen, 1a/23b.
- 23.
The names of the gates are recorded in the Book on Geography in the Dynastic History of Liao, but their relative position is not given. The present arrangement, except for the two gates along the western side, is based upon the study of Noha Toshisada (op. cit., 92–94). However, he leaves the western gates without discussion. According to Chu Hsieh, whose study of the gates mentioned above agrees with that of Noha Toshisada, the gate Ch’ing-chin is indicated in his map as the southern one and Hsien-hsi the northern one along the western side of the city (op. cit., p. 55). But I am inclined to think the other way, because it is mentioned in the Dynastic History of Liao that the inner enclosure, or the Imperial City, was located in the southwestern corner of the great city of Nan-ching and its west gate is also called Hsien-hsi, the same as one of the gates on the western side of the great city, or the city of Nan-ching. Probably the inner enclosure was so constructed that it shared the same gate called Hsien-hsi with the great city. Since the inner enclosure was at the southwestern corner of the great city, it is clear that the Hsien-hsi gate must be the southern one instead of the northern one along the western side of the great city.
- 24.
As quoted by Ch’en Lu, op. cit., pp. 46–47.
- 25.
For detailed discussion, see Appendix III.
References
Ch’en Lu. (1941). ‘Liao Yu-chou Shih-jung Chü-li’ (陈陆《辽幽州市容举例》, A Study of the City Landscape of Yu Chou of the Liao Dynasty). Chung Ho Monthly (《中和月刊》), II(9), 39, Peiping.
Michael, F. (1942). The origin of the Manchu rule in China. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press.
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Hou, R. (2014). Nan-ching (938–1122) of the Liao Dynasty (916–1125). In: An Historical Geography of Peiping. China Academic Library. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-55321-9_5
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