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Emperor Taizu of Liao

Emperor Taizu of Liao
Emperor of the Khitans
Reign 916–926
Successor Emperor Taizong
Born Abaoji (Khitan name)
Yelü Yi (sinicised name)
872
Died 6 September 926(926-09-06) (aged 54)
Spouse Empress Shulü Ping
Era dates
Shence (神冊; 916–922)
Tianzan (天贊; 922–926)
Tianxian (天顯; 926)
Posthumous name
Dasheng Daming Shenlie Tian Huangdi
(大聖大明神烈天皇帝)
Temple name
Taizu
Father Yelü Saladi
Mother Xiao Yanmujin
Era dates
Shence (神冊; 916–922)
Tianzan (天贊; 922–926)
Tianxian (天顯; 926)
Posthumous name
Dasheng Daming Shenlie Tian Huangdi
(大聖大明神烈天皇帝)
Temple name
Taizu
Abaoji
Traditional Chinese 阿保機
Simplified Chinese 阿保机
Emperor Taizu of Liao
Traditional Chinese 遼太祖
Simplified Chinese 辽太祖
Yelü Yi (sinicised name)
Chinese 耶律億

Abaoji (Mongolian: Ambagyan), posthumously known as Emperor Taizu of Liao was a Khitan leader and founder of the Liao dynasty (907–926). He had a sinicised name, Yelü Yi; some sources suggest that Abaoji's family name, Yelü, was adopted during his lifetime, though there is no unanimity on this point.

Abaoji was born in 872 in Southern Mongolia and had a turbulent childhood. His grandfather was killed in a conflict between tribes, and his father and uncles fled. He was hidden by his grandmother for his safety. He became khagan of the Khitans on 29 February 907, and was subsequently enthroned as emperor of the Khitans in 916, proclaiming his own era name. He died on September 6, 926. He was responsible for the conquest and unification of all of Inner Mongolia, northern China, and southern Manchuria. Once the Khitan Empire became the Liao dynasty in 942, he was posthumously considered a Liao emperor.

Later generations of Chinese historians record a variety of legends that surrounded the birth of Abaoji. According to the legends, his mother dreamt that the sun fell from the sky and into her bosom, from which pregnancy followed. When she gave birth, the room is said to have become filled with a mysterious light and extraordinary fragrance. As a newborn, his body was that of a three-year-old, and the legends go on to say that he was walking at the age of three months. He is even recorded as being able to see events before they passed.

An important point to be made was the location of the Khitans in relation to the other neighbouring tribes. The Khitans resided on the east slope of the Greater Khingan Mountains. West of the mountains were other nomadic pastoral tribes such as the Shiwei, and the Xi, along with the Turkic Uighur tribe. These other tribes had inter-married with the Khitans. Further west were the Tatars, a warlike tribe on the steppes of Mongolia. East and northeast lay the Jurchens all the way to the Amur river. They were a peaceful people that resided in small villages and subsisted by hunting and fishing. Across the Liao River to the east and southeast until one reached the Yalu River lay the Balhae people, the majority of which were a settled agricultural society.


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