Portal:Khitan
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The Khitan (or Khitai, Chinese: 契丹; pinyin: Qìdān) were an ethnic group which dominated much of Manchuria (Northeast China) in the 10th century and has been classified by Chinese historians as one of the Eastern proto-Mongolic ethnic groups Donghu (simplified Chinese: 东胡族; traditional Chinese: 東胡族; pinyin: Dōnghú zú)[citation needed].
From Xianbei origine, they were part of the Kumo Xi tribe until 388, when the Kumo Xi-Khitan tribal complex was hugely defeated by the newly established Northern Wei, allowing the Khitan to split to their own tribe and entity, starting the Khitan's history.[1]
They were then under the alternate domination of the steppe prower on their West (Turks, 5th to 8th, then Uyghurs, 8th and 9th centuries) and the Chinese from their south (Northern dynasties or Tang, respectively 5 and 6th, and 7 to 10th c.), and in some case under Koreans domination (from East, mainly Goguryeo), according to the balance of power of the moment. Under this triple domination and pression, Khitans started to show growing power and independence. This raise was, compare to other cases, slow. Slow because frequently crushed by its neighbouring powers, each using the Khitans warriors when he need, but each ready to crush them when Khitans rose to much and became powerful, close to become an independant 4th regional power. The 696-697 Li-Shun Rebelion is really instructive on this "2 adults and 1 teenager" game : the Khitans are encouraged by Turks to took all the risks and revolts again Tang, what they successfully accomplish, to finaly be attacked on their rear by Turks, to the full benefits of newly-reborn Turkish empire (2d, 682-745).[2]
Enjoying the departure of Uyghur people for West, and the collapse of the Tang Dynasty in early 10th, they established the Liao Dynasty in 907. The Liao Dynasty proved to be a significant power north of the Chinese plain, continuously moving south and West, gaining control over former Chinese and Turk-Uyghur's territories. They eventually fell to the Jin Dynasty of the Jurchen in 1125, who submit and absorb Khitans to their military benefit.
Following the fall of the Liao Dynasty, many moved further west and established the state of Kara Khitai. Their name survived in the Russian word for China (Китай, Kitay), as well as the archaic English (Cathay), Portuguese (Catai), and Spanish (Catay) appellations of the country.
| Copy from 'History of the Khitans' on 2008/05/20 |
The Kumo Xi (Traditional Chinese: 庫莫奚; Simplified Chinese: 库莫奚[3], call Xi since the Sui dynasty) was a steppes people locate in current Manchuria (north East China). Their history is widely link to the more famous Khitan, being united into a tribal Kumo Xi entity. Khitan flew away in the 388's battle against Northern Wei, leaving the Kumo Xi be crushed alone, and establishing themselves as an autonomous tribe.
After the Khitan's Li-Sun Rebellion (696-697) and the Khitan's Ketuyu revolt (720-734), the Xi were back to the leading position, being martially really active from 755 to 847, providing wide support to the An Shi Rebellion (756-763), plundering frequently their neighbours, etc. This agressive and shiny policy seems to have consumed Xi demographic forces compare to more calm Khitan, being heavely and desastrously defeated in 760's, 795, 830, 847.
When the Uyghur Empire (744-840) collapsed in the 840's with Tang dynasty already displaying signs of division, the Xi rose in rebellion (847) and were quickly crushed by Zhang Zhongwu. Xi were never able to recovert, while calm Khitan raised to eventually absord the remnant of Xi people, and established the Liao Dynasty.
Khitans using eagles to hunt (Eagle hunting), painted during the Chinese Song Dynasty (960-1279)
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Portal:Khitan/Did you know
To be clear, there is just two dozen of articles relate to Khitans and their history. Largest ones are the Liao Dynasty and the History of the Khitans currently under expansion, but there are also respectable starts such as Abaoji, Goryeo-Khitan_Wars (1-2-3), Yelu clan, Kara-Khitan Khanate (thanks to Nlu, Eiorgio, Historiographer, Confuzion, Ludahai who attacked these articles from Chinese or Korean side :) !). But most issues are still relatively under-developped : we, together with Xu Elina-Qian's work and wikipedians such as Nlu are here to change this, both by expanding current articles, creating new entries, improving their reliability, and organizing all these articles on this portal.
Also, I'm currently doing my best to improve the 'History of the Khitans' entries, hoping that some of you will join the boat to both learn more about Khitans lifes and history, and share their discoveries here, by writing down nice articles. Let's roll !
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- 220.135.4.212 (talk), portal creator, 2008/05/20
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_There are three things, which should the real man have: fast horse, hound-tazy (a kind of dog) and killing Golden Eagle. (Steppes' proverb, Source: Eagle hunting)
Article to create, Site relate to Khitan's History, for :
- The Five Liao capitals: the Suprem Capital (Balin left banner), the Central Capital (Ningcheng county), the Eastern Capital (Liaoyang), the Western Capital (Datong), and the Southern Capital (Beijing)
Source : asiasociety.org > Selected Liao-Dynasty Sites (Each site have some picture and an introduction)
- Current working collaboration
Read the Xu Elina-Qian's PDF :
- Xu Elina-Qian, Historical Development of the Pre-Dynastic Khitan, University of Helsinki, 2005. 273 pages.
and complete the article 'History of the Khitans'.
