The Liao empire was founded in the Manchurian plain from where it expanded to the east and the southwest, swallowing the realms of the Xi 奚 and Bohai (Parhae) 渤海 and occupying sixteen prefectures (zhou 州) of the Later Jin Dynasty (Houjin 後晉) in 937. In the following decades, the Liao troops several times invaded Song Dynasty 宋 China (in 1004, concluding the peace treaty of Chanyuan 澶淵 [or Shanyuan]) and the Korean empire of Koryŏ 高麗 Following the pattern of the Song, the Khitans ran five capitals: The Capitals of the Liao Empire capital prefecture modern place Shangjing 上京 "Supreme Capital" Linhuang 臨潢 Balinzuo Banner 巴林左旗/Inner Mongolia Zhongjing 中京 "Central Capital" Dading 大定 near Ningcheng 寧城/Liaoning Dongjing 東京 "Eastern Capital" Liaoyang 遼陽 Liaoyang/Liaoning Xijing 西京 "Western Capital" Datong 大同 Datong/Shanxi Nanjing 南京 "Southern Capital" Xijin 析津 Beijing 北京 These capitals were each seat of the administration of five circuits (dao 道; courier type underlined in the map). The two southern circuits had subordinated prefectures (zhou 州), a type of administration that was overtaken from the Chinese bureaucracy after invading the sixteen Chinese prefectures in 937. In 924 the Khitan had occupied the state of Bohai and installed the princedom of Dongdan 東丹 in this area. The northwest was loosely controlled as "bandit suppression commissions" (or "pacific action commissions" zhaotaosi 招討司) of the Northwest and Southwest, the federation of the tribes Wugu 烏古 and Dilie 敵烈 was united in an army command (tongjunsi 統軍司). The steppe farther north was roamed by several mongolic and turkic tribes like the Kereyids (called "Zubu" 阻卜), Tatars ("Dadan" 達旦), Naimans ("Naiman" 乃蠻), Merkits ("Meiliji" 梅里急), Mongols ("Menggu" 蒙古) and Chajala 茶札剌. The northeast was inhabited by the Shiwei 室韋 and Nüzhi 女直 (better known as Nüzhen 女真, Jurchen) that should found the Jin empire 金. The Tangut empire of Western Xia (Xixia 西夏) was strong enough to withstand Liao pressure. About the geography of the Western Xia empire, see the corresponding page about Western Xia geography.

Map and Geography Event History Emperors and Rulers Government and Administration Literature and Philosophy Religion (Song) Technology and Inventions Economy Arts