Yelü Chucai

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Yelü Chucai (耶律楚材; 1189-1243) was a member of the Khitan royal family who became the chief adviser of Genghis Khan. While Northern China was ruled by the Mongols, Yelü Chucai instituted several administrative reforms, like separating civil and military powers and introducing numerous taxes and levies. He also advised the Mongols to rule and tax the Chinese people instead of killing all of them in order to further their own riches. [1]