liao 529Liao
The Khitan, in Chinese Ch’i-tan, may have belonged to the Mongol
language family. When they appeared in history, they consisted of
eight loosely federated tribes who lived in central Manchuria around
the Sungari and Liao Rivers. This placed them west of Koguryo,
later of Po-hai, and northeast of the Hsi. They had no common
border with Sui or T’ang and therefore had to ally themselves with
some of the Hsi tribes when they entered into hostilities with China.
It was the Khitan who were destined to found the Liao dynasty in
947 (map 11).
On Dec.24, 590, Khitan envoys to the Sui court offered gifts (Sui
shu 2:6b).
In the 1st month (February) of 591, Khitan envoys offered gifts
(Ts’e-fu yüan-kuei p.5023).
On Feb.11, 593, Khitan envoys offered regional objects (Sui shu 2:
8b).
In the 1st month (Jan./Feb.) of 600, Khitan envoys offered regional
objects (Sui shu 2:13b-14a).
In 611, Khitan envoys offered regional objects (Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao
345:16a).
On Feb.4, 615, Emperor Yang of Sui gave a great banquet for
foreign envoys, including Khitan (Sui shu 4:9b).
In 619, Khitan looted Chinese border areas (Chiu T’ang shu 199B:
5a;Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao 345:16a).
In the 2nd month (Feb./Mar.) of 619, Khitan envoys to the T’ang
court offered fine horses and luxuriant sable furs (T’ang hui-yao 96:
1a).
The Khitan chief Sun Ao-ts’ao had by Emperor Yang of Sui been
given the title of Imperial Household Grandee of the Golden Seal
and Purple Ribbon. In 621, he sent envoys to the T’ang court and
was appointed a General of the Cloud Flags (Chiu T’ang shu 199B:5b;
Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao 345:16a).
In 623, envoys from the Khitan chief To-lo offered fine horses
and luxuriant sable furs (Chiu T’ang shu 199B:5a; Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao
345:16a).
In the 6th month (July) of 623, envoys from Sun Ao-ts’ao offered
gifts (Ts’e-fu yüan-kuei p.5023).