Chapter 134 Emperor Taizong of Liao

【Ding Dong——Welcome to watch the historical live broadcast】

[Our protagonist in this issue is Emperor Taizong of Liao]

Liao Dynasty, the first year of Huihe.

Emperor Taizong of Liao, Yelu Deguang, who had just seized the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun and established a vital territory for the Liao Dynasty, was in a very good mood. He was preparing to set up another capital in Yanyun as a way to strengthen local rule and facilitate the management of local Han people.

In addition, he was also discussing with his close ministers the governance methods for the Yanyun area - the Han area seemed not very adaptable to the governance methods of their Liao tribe.

However, these are all things that happened after the end of the sky curtain. This time it tells the story of Emperor Taizong of Liao - Yelu Deguang who was very confident. He felt that this must be himself and not anyone else.

Xiao Han said with a smile: "The Khan has just pacified many regions, and people from near and far have been converted. Now he has seized Youzhou and Yanzhou. Who else can be called the Taizong except you?"

Song Dynasty, the first year of Kaibao.

Zhao Kuangyin's face looked a little grim. He didn't want to hear the temple name of the Liao emperor who had seized the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun - ha, that's right, Emperor Taizong of Liao!
He can indeed be called the Taizong of Liao, but this is partly because of Yan Yun!
What was the reason for Zhao Kuangyin to work so hard for so many years? Wasn't it to recapture Yanyun and return such a strategic location to the hands of the Han people? As for the current situation, apart from the chaos among the various countries since the end of the Tang Dynasty, does the Liao Dynasty have no responsibility?

[Emperor Taizong of Liao was the second emperor of a non-Han dynasty and an important cornerstone for the stability of the Liao Dynasty during the turbulent times. He devoted his life to expanding the territory and seizing more land for the Liao Dynasty, and he was often on the battlefield. At the same time, he did not relax the construction of the domestic system in the slightest. With his keen vision, he provided a lot of content for the Liao Dynasty's exploratory system construction and laid the foundation for the Liao Dynasty's politics.

At the same time, he was a good son to his mother, the founder of various systems and ideas of the Liao Dynasty, and the founder and practitioner of the typical monarchical political system of the Liao Dynasty.

[May I ask the Liao Dynasty Emperor what is your unique monarchical political system?]

[Is it the same as the competition for the post at Xuanwu Gate of Emperor Taizong of Tang?]
Tang Dynasty, Zhenguan period.

Li Shimin brainstormed and tried to get his ministers to join him in the discussion: "The monarchical political system with unique characteristics of the Liao Dynasty?" What does this mean? What other characteristics does the monarchical political system have?
Li Shimin was still thinking about the contents of the sky screen, and then his face suddenly turned dark when he saw the words on the barrage.

Although the Tang Dynasty was a Central Plains dynasty and was different from non-Han dynasties like the Liao Dynasty, the previous Turks, Xiongnu, and Xianbei had established political systems and even dynasties. With them around, could the Liao Dynasty have any unique features?

"Fighting abroad all the time?" Cheng Zhijie was more concerned about the war. If he fought abroad all the time, would that be considered a characteristic?

"..." Changsun Wuji couldn't make a judgment. According to common sense, he felt that being on the battlefield for many years was not a special feature. Even if he was on the battlefield, didn't he have to deal with government affairs? Didn't he have time to return to Beijing? However, if he had to deviate from common sense... then anything was possible.

[Emperor Taizong of Liao, also the second emperor of the Liao Dynasty, was the second son of Emperor Taizu of Liao, Yelü Abaoji, and Yelü Deguang.]

[Yao Gu, how is your elder brother? Why did you ascend the throne? What happened?]
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Khitan, the second year of Tianzan.

Yelu Abaoji was a little surprised. Taizong was his second son Yaogu? Then he posted a barrage and looked at **, knowing that he could not reveal the future privately.

Now it is the second year of Tianzan, and also the seventh year since he proclaimed himself emperor and established the country. In the first year of his proclamation and establishment of the country, that is, the first year of Shen Ce, he appointed his wife Shulü Ping as the Empress of Yingtian Damingdi, and at the same time appointed their eldest son Yelü Bei as the Crown Prince.

He was quite satisfied with his eldest son. He was proficient in archery and horse riding, was intelligent and studious, and had a good understanding of Han culture. He met his requirements for an heir.

But the second son... is also very good, with outstanding abilities. Last year, I appointed him as the Grand Marshal of the Army and sent him to conquer the Jibei area and the Youzhou area. He did a great job and while making great military achievements, he also won the hearts of many soldiers.

Could it be that this was the reason why the second son was able to ascend the throne?
He looked at the queen. At this moment, there were only the couple in the tent. The rest of the people would arrive in a little while. Shulü Ping looked calm and looked at him calmly. Indeed, the queen always liked the second son more.

He didn't say anything, but Shulü Ping understood his thoughts and said, "It is very likely that I will support Yao Gu to ascend the throne." She did not deny her preference.

Yelu Abaoji did not dwell on this question any more. He thought for a moment and then asked, "So, he was the one who changed the name of the country to 'Liao'?"

Tang Dynasty, Wude period.

Ah, the second emperor, ah, the second son...

However, the founding emperor was Taizu, not Gaozu.

Li Shimin and his companions remained calm and composed with graceful manners. Even Li Yuanji displayed the good manners of a young master and prince from an aristocratic family.

Ming Dynasty, during the Hongwu period.

Although he did not like such a foreign regime, Zhu Biao still affirmed Yelu Deguang's politics: "Many systems of the Liao Dynasty originated from Emperor Taizong of Liao." It was Yelu Deguang who, based on the foundation of Yelu Abaoji, established the basic political system that lasted throughout the two hundred years of the Liao Dynasty and continued the nomadic style of the Liao Dynasty.

Zhu Chong flipped through the book about the Liao Dynasty and couldn't help but marvel: "Are they really on the move all year round? How does their political system work?"

If nomadic peoples like the Huns and Turks were still in a tribal state, then it was not surprising that they hunted in all seasons and moved their tents. They had to graze their livestock anyway, and even royal nobles were no exception.

But generally speaking, didn’t most of the nomadic peoples who established countries like the Central Plains dynasties also have one or two capitals like the Central Plains dynasties, with the royal family, nobles, and ministers working and living in the capital, or traveling between the two capitals?

But why do the relevant records of the Liao Dynasty always say that everyone from the emperor to important officials of the Liao Dynasty were constantly moving?
The five capital cities that were built one after another were just like decorations.

[Yelü Deguang was the second son of Emperor Taizu of Liao, Yelü Abaoji, and Empress Yingtian, Shulü Ping. When he was born, the Khitan still had the Yaonian clan as their Khan, but the Yaonian clan's power was gradually declining, while the Yelü clan's power was growing.

At that time, Yelu Abaoji had just become the leader of the Diela tribe, one of the eight Khitan tribes during the Yaoyan period. The Diela tribe was the predecessor of the Northern Court and Southern Court of the Liao Dynasty.

Tang Dynasty, Zhenguan Period. Looking at the Yaonian clan, the Diela tribe, and the Yilijin, some people who are not good at this began to feel dizzy and could not help complaining: "The Khitans are indeed foreign races, just like the Turks and the Xiongnu. These foreign races are all messed up, with a long list of official positions and a long list of systems."

It was impossible for him to tell the difference at first, and he had to spend half a day patiently trying to figure it out.

Li Shimin concluded: "So the core group of the Khitan changed during the Tang Dynasty? From the Daha clan to the Yaonian clan." Today, all the Khans of the Khitan are from the Daha clan, and for the time being there seems to be no sign of power falling into the hands of others, but the sky is already in the transition stage from the Yaonian clan to the Yelu clan.

Du Ruhui calculated in his mind and expressed his own opinion: "It is very likely that the Khitan had a major internal turmoil after submitting to the Tang Dynasty, and even fell apart. After that, the reunited Khitan regarded the Yaonian clan as the leader."

As for the foreign races, although their Khans are not completely the same as the emperors of the Central Plains, if the power is transferred from one surname to another, they are bound to go through one or several storms.

Song Dynasty, the first year of Kaibao.

Zhao Defang flipped through the Song Dynasty's records of the Liao Dynasty's history and compared them: "The North Court and the South Court originated from the Diela tribe, and the eight tribes established by Liao Taizu Yelu Abaoji when he established the Khitan State included these two tribes. So before that, during the Yaonian period, the eight Khitan tribes should be the Diela tribe, the Yishi tribe, the Pin tribe, the Chute tribe, the Wuwei tribe, the Nera tribe, the Tulubu tribe, and the Tuju tribe."

"These should be the eight tribes during the time of Zuwu Khan, the first Khan of the Yaonian clan." Zhao Dezhao felt that it was a bit complicated. "It would be nice to know the specific meanings of these tribes and the specific circumstances of their establishment."

After all, many of them are transliterations and cannot fully convey the meaning of these "tribes", or in other words, some names are simply place names, but the historical and political factors behind the place names are quite important.

Zhao Guangmei thought about what he knew about the Liao Kingdom and was not very happy about it: "Don't mention it. Take the eight tribes of the Yaonian clan for example. Maybe one of them was formed by pulling a group of people directly from another tribe. The clans are all exactly the same."

This makes it even more difficult to analyze, as they are all related.

[It was the second year of Tianfu, which was also the period of Tang Zhaozong Li Ye, the second to last emperor of the Tang Dynasty.

The Tang Dynasty was on the verge of irresistible destruction, and even if Li Ye tried to save it, it would be ineffective. The Central Plains was divided, and the warlord forces that would appear in the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms had already appeared.

The situation of Khitan is closely related to that of the Central Plains and is somewhat similar.

Soon after the Yaonian Alliance was established, the Yelu clan began to inherit the position of Yilijin, controlling military power and punishment. Their influence was deeply rooted and continued to grow.

As the Khitan develops, the political status of the tribal alliance will inevitably lag behind the actual situation and needs, and then gradually cracks will appear, until one day, this system is eliminated, or this nation is eliminated. 】

Han Dynasty, the fourth year of Yuanshou.

Liu Che had always wanted to defeat the Huns, so naturally he conducted in-depth research on the Huns' system and collected as much information related to the Huns as possible.

Seeing the situation about Khitan, he said: "These foreign races are indeed different from the systems of the Han Dynasty and the Central Plains. Even if some foreign races imitated the Central Plains and used a set of shells, their operating methods are completely different from those of the Han Dynasty."

On the one hand, their system is actually quite simple - although there are many official positions, compared with the Central Plains, it still seems simple and loose;
On the other hand, they are centered around blood ties to a considerable extent - this is not to say that the Central Plains do not care about blood ties, but generally speaking, the only things that can be inherited are the throne, titles, etc.

For example, the position of "Yilijin" which was in charge of military power and punishment was inherited by the Yelu clan, while the hereditary Khan was not the Yelu clan but the Yaonian clan. This would not have happened in the Han Dynasty, at least not when the central government was functioning normally and the emperor was sober.

Zhufu Yan waited for the emperor to finish speaking, and after a few breaths, he said: "So, can the previous situation of Khitan be regarded as a tribal alliance?" Can the word "tribe" be regarded as a tribe?
Qin Dynasty.

Ying Zheng was also concerned about the Khitan's political system. He already knew that the Khitan would become a dynasty in the future - although it was specifically named by Tianmu as having Khitan characteristics, it was ultimately a dynasty like other dynasties.

But today, the Khitan is still a "tribal alliance", similar to the Xiongnu.

"Therefore, as the situation develops, if the Khitan wants to continue, the political form of this tribal alliance will have no choice but to be eliminated..." If the political system is not changed, there is a great possibility that the Khitan will perish in chaos.

Ying Zheng fell silent. Therefore, the county and emperor system was a replacement for the previous system of the Zhou emperor - then, wouldn't these systems he founded become outdated one day?

Tang Dynasty, Zhenguan period.

Seeing the demise of the Tang Dynasty once again, Li Shimin was speechless. He had nothing to say.

By the time of Emperor Zhaozong Li Ye's reign, the Tang Dynasty was indeed in a state of despair. Problems had already emerged long ago, and it was no longer possible to count on this last period of time to solve them.

Therefore, he and his ministers did not say anything. If they really had any ideas, they might as well try them out now.

[At that time, the Tang Dynasty was gradually collapsing, and there were constant movements in all directions. The Khitan also gradually grew stronger in such an environment. "In the middle of Xiantong, their king Xierzhi sent envoys to the court again, and the tribe became stronger and stronger."

The powerful Khitan naturally followed the traditional customs of nomadic peoples: sending troops to conquer all directions and plundering people, livestock, food, and land.

However, given the situation in the Tang Dynasty, the Khitan did not point their spearheads at the Tang Dynasty, but instead at other nomadic peoples first.

First came the Xi, a people of the same clan but different tribes as the Khitan, followed by the Shiwei and other tribes. "In the north, they conquered the Jue and Shiwei, and in the south, they conquered Yi, Ding, Xi, and Xun." Eventually, the Khitan "took advantage of the many troubles in the Central Plains and the lack of preparation in the north, and then they encroached on various counties. The Tatars, Xi, and Shiwei were all forced to work, and their tribes became more and more powerful, and sometimes they invaded."

Most of the people plundered after the war were brought back to Khitan and turned into slaves. These slaves were not Khitans and had no blood or kinship with them. This was completely contrary to the Khitan's previous blood clan system.

In addition, due to the inheritance of Yilijin and the expansion of his power over the years, as well as the birth and development of other privileged nobles, the tribal alliance system eventually collapsed, and the Khitan began to transform into a state and an empire.

The one who finally accomplished this step was Liao Taizu Yelü Abaoji. 】

(End of this chapter)