Song, Liao, and Jin · Liao Historian and Official

Yelü Yan 耶律儼

Yēlǜ Yǎn

First attested AD 1000; died AD 1111 to AD 1113

Passages
30
Chapters
12
Histories
1

Overview

Yelü Yan was a Liao Historian and Official.

IdentityHistorical · Male

Other names

TypeEnglishChinesePinyin
Courtesy name Ruosi 若思
Posthumous name Zhongyi 忠懿

Life and dates

Death

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Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Key source chapters

  1. History of Liao, Chapter 98 Volume 98 Biographies 28: Xiao Wuna, Yelu Yan, Liu Shen, Yelu Hulu 14 passages
  2. History of Liao, Chapter 94 Volume 94 Biographies 24: Yelu Huage, Yelu Wola, Yelu Susa, Xiao Aludai, Yelu Naye, Yelu Helusaogu, Yelu Shiliang 1 passage
  3. History of Liao, Chapter 27 Volume 27 Annals 27: Emperor Tianzuo 1 3 passages
  4. History of Liao, Chapter 63 Volume 63 Tables 1: Lineage 3 passages
  5. History of Liao, Chapter 44 Volume 44 Treatises 14: Celestial Phenomena 3 2 passages

Origins and identity

Career and standing

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Places and affiliations

Learning and skills

Works and attributed material

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Events and relationships

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Assessments and attributes

Source notes

References in the histories

30 passages

History of Liao, Chapter 25Volume 25 Annals 25: Daozong 5 · 1 passage
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History of Liao, Chapter 26Volume 26 Annals 26: Daozong 6 · 1 passage
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History of Liao, Chapter 27Volume 27 Annals 27: Emperor Tianzuo 1 · 3 passages
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History of Liao, Chapter 44Volume 44 Treatises 14: Celestial Phenomena 3 · 2 passages
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History of Liao, Chapter 49Volume 49 Treatises 19: Rites 1 · 1 passage
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History of Liao, Chapter 58Volume 58 Treatises 28: Ceremonial Guards 4 · 1 passage
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History of Liao, Chapter 63Volume 63 Tables 1: Lineage · 3 passages
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契丹地直京師東北五千里而贏，東距高麗，西奚，南營州，北靺鞨、室韋，阻冷陘山以自固。射獵居處無常。其君大賀氏有勝兵四萬，析八部，臣于突厥，以為俟斤。凡調發攻戰，則諸部畢會，獵則部得自行。與奚不平，每鬬不利，輒遁保鮮卑山。武德初，武德初 初原作「中」，據下文二年及舊唐書一九九下契丹傳改。大帥孫敖曹與靺鞨長突地稽俱來朝。二年，入犯平州境。六年，君長咄羅獻名馬、豐貂。貞觀二年，摩會來降，突厥請以梁師都易契丹，太宗曰：「契丹、突厥不同類，師都唐編戶，我將擒之，不可易降者。」三年，摩會入朝，賜鼓纛，由是有常貢。帝伐高麗，悉發契丹、奚首領從軍。還過營州，以窟哥為左武衞將軍。大帥辱紇主據曲率眾來歸，辱紇主據曲 辱紇主原誤「紇主」，據新唐書二一九契丹傳改。據曲，參卷三二校勘記[七]。即其部為玄州，以據曲為刺史，隸營州都督府。窟哥舉部內屬，乃置松漠都督府，以窟哥為都督，封無極男，賜姓李氏。以達稽部為峭落州，紇便部為彈汗州，獨活部為無逢州，芬問部羽陵州，突便部為日連州，芮奚部為徒河州，墜斤部為萬丹州，伏部為匹黎、赤山二州，俱隸松漠府，以辱紇主為刺史。窟哥死，與奚叛，行軍總管阿史德樞賓執松漠都督阿不固，阿不固 按新唐書契丹傳作阿卜固。獻于東都。窟哥二孫：曰枯莫離，彈汗州刺史、歸順郡王；曰盡忠，松漠都督。敖曹曾孫曰萬榮，敖曹曾孫曰萬榮 曾孫，舊唐書契丹傳同。新唐書契丹傳作「有孫曰萬榮」。歸誠州刺史。時營州都督趙文翽數侵侮其下，盡忠等怨望，與萬榮共舉兵，殺文翽，據營州，自號「無上可汗」，推萬榮為帥。不二旬，眾數萬，攻崇州，執擊討副使許欽寂。武后怒，詔將軍曹仁師等二十八將擊之，更號萬榮曰「萬斬」，盡忠曰「盡滅」。戰西硤石黃獐谷，王師敗績。進攻平州，不克。武后益發兵擊契丹。萬榮夜襲檀州，清邊道副總管張九節拒戰，萬榮敗走。俄盡忠死，突厥默啜襲破其部。萬榮收散兵，復振。別將駱務整、何阿小入冀州，殺刺史陸寶積，掠數千人。武后聞盡忠死，詔夏官尚書王孝傑等率兵十七萬討萬榮，戰東硤石，敗績，孝傑死之，萬榮進屠幽州。又詔御史大夫婁師德等率兵二十萬擊之，萬榮乘銳，鼓行而南，殘瀛州屬縣。神兵道總管楊玄基率奚掩擊，神兵道總管楊玄基 原作神兵總管楊立基，據新唐書契丹傳改。大破萬榮，執何阿小，別將李楷固、駱務整降。萬榮委軍走，玄基與奚四面合擊，萬榮眾潰，東走。張九節設三伏待之。萬榮窮蹙，與家奴輕騎走潞河東，憊甚，臥林下。奴斬其首以獻，九節傳東都。契丹餘眾不能立，遂附突厥。開元二年，盡忠從父弟失活率部落歸唐。 : 失活，玄宗賜丹書鐵券。開元四年，與奚長李大酺偕來，詔復置松漠府，以失活為都督，封松漠郡王；仍置靜析軍；以失活為經略大使，八部長皆為刺史。五年，以楊氏為永樂公主下嫁失活。五年以楊氏為永樂公主下嫁失活 按舊唐書契丹傳，「開元三年，其首領李失活率種落內附。明年，失活入朝，封宗室外甥女楊氏為永樂公主以妻之。」六年，卒。 : 娑固，失活之弟，帝以娑固襲爵。開元七年十一月，娑固與公主來朝。衙官可突于勇悍，得眾心，娑固欲除之；事泄，可突于攻之，娑固奔營州。都督許欽澹及奚君李大酺攻可突于，不勝，娑固、大酺皆死。（韓愈作可突干，劉昫、宋祁及唐會要皆作可突于。） : 鬱于，娑固從父弟也，可突于推以為主，遣使謝罪，玄宗冊立襲娑固位。開元十年，鬱于入朝，以慕容氏為燕郡公主下嫁鬱于，卒。 : 咄于，咄于 按新、舊唐書契丹傳及通考三四五並作吐于。鬱于之弟，襲官爵。開元十三年，咄于復與可突于猜阻，與公主來奔，改封遼陽王。遼陽王 按新、舊唐書契丹傳作遼陽郡王。 : 邵固，咄于之弟，邵固咄于之弟 按新、舊唐書契丹傳作李盡忠之弟。國人共立之。開元十三年冬，朝于行在，從封禪泰山，改封廣化郡王，以陳氏為東光公主下嫁邵固。東光公主 新、舊唐書契丹傳作東華公主。十八年，為可突于所弒，以其眾降突厥，東光公主走平盧。 : 屈列，屈列 新唐書契丹傳作屈烈，張九齡曲江集八作據埒。不知其世系，可突于立之。開元二十二年六月，幽州節度使張宇珪大破可突于。幽州節度使張守珪 新、舊唐書契丹傳並作幽州長史張守珪。按當時張守珪官銜為「幽州節度副大使、幽州長史兼御史大夫」，見曲江集九。十二月，又破之，斬屈列及可突于等，傳首東都，餘眾散走山谷。 過折，過折 按曲江集卷五、卷八作鬱捷，卷九、卷十一作過折。遇、鬱音同，過似應作遇。本契丹部長，為松漠府衙官，斬可突于及屈列歸唐。幽州節度使張守珪立之，封北平郡王。是年，可突于餘黨泥禮弒過折，屠其家，一子剌乾走安東，拜左驍衞將軍。自此，契丹中衰，大賀氏附庸於奚王，以通于唐，朝貢歲至。至德、寶應間再至，大曆中十三至，大曆中十三至 原誤「大曆十二年」，據新唐書契丹傳改。按大曆凡十四年，約每年一次。貞元九年、十年、十一年三至，元和中七至，太和、開成間四至。泥禮，耶律儼遼史書為涅里，陳大任書為雅里，蓋遼太祖之始祖也。 李懷秀，唐賜姓名，契丹名迪輦俎里，契丹名迪輦俎里 按上文作迪輦組里。本八部大帥。天寶四年降唐，拜松漠都督。安祿山表請討契丹，懷秀發兵十萬，懷秀發兵十萬 按新唐書契丹傳，安祿山發幽州、雲中、平盧、河東兵十餘萬。非懷秀發兵十萬。與祿山戰潢水南，祿山大敗，自是與祿山兵連不解。耶律儼紀云，太祖四代祖耨里思為迭剌部夷離菫，遺將只里姑、括里，大敗范陽安祿山于潢水，適當懷秀之世。則懷秀固遙輦氏之首君，為阻午可汗明矣。 楷落，以唐封恭仁王，代松漠都督，遂稱契丹王。其後寖大，貞元四年，犯北邊，幽州以聞。自祿山反，河北割據，道隔不通，世次不可悉考。世次不可悉考 按百官志一，遙輦九帳大常袞司已列遙輦九世可汗世次。 : 契丹王屈戍，武宗會昌二年授雲麾將軍，是為耶瀾可汗。授雲麾將軍是為耶瀾可汗 「是為耶瀾可汗」原在下文「幽州節度使」下，誤以屈戍為幽州節度使。據新唐書契丹傳改。幽州節度使張仲武奏契丹舊用回鶻印，乞賜聖造，詔以「奉國契丹」為文。（高麗古今錄作屈戌。） : 契丹王習爾，習爾 新唐書契丹傳作習爾之。是為巴剌可汗。咸通中，再遣使貢獻，部落寖強。 : 契丹王欽德，習爾之族也，是為痕德蓳可汗。光啟中，鈔掠奚、室韋諸部，皆役服之，數與劉仁恭相攻。晚年政衰。八部大人，法常三歲代，迭剌部耶律阿保機建旗鼓，自為一部，不肯受代，自號為王，盡有契丹國，遙輦氏遂亡。 : 蕭韓家奴有言，先世遙輦可汗洼之後，國祚中絕，自夷離菫雅里立阻午可汗，大位始定。今以唐史、遼史參考，大賀氏絕于邵固，雅里所立則懷秀也，其間唯屈列、過折二世。屈列乃可突于所立，過折以別部長為雅里所殺。唐史稱泥里為可突于餘黨，則洼可汗者，殆為屈列耶？ Khitan territory lay five thousand li northeast of the capital, stretching east to Goguryeo, west to the Xi, south to Yingzhou, and north to the Mohe and Shiwei, with the Lengling range as their barrier. They hunted for a living and moved their camps at will. The Dahe chiefs commanded forty thousand warriors organized in eight tribes; they acknowledged the Turks as overlords and served as irkin. All tribes mustered for war, but each could hunt on its own. They feuded constantly with the Xi, usually lost, and retreated to the Xianbei Mountains. Early in the Wude era — the opening "chu" was originally written "zhong," corrected from the year-2 notice and Jiu Tang Shu 199b — Grand Chief Sun Aocao and the Mohe leader Tudi Ji presented themselves at court. In year 2 they raided Pingzhou. In year 6 Chief Zhuoluo offered fine horses and pelts. In Zhenguan year 2 Mo Hui surrendered; when the Turks asked to swap Liang Shidu for the Khitan, Taizong replied, "Khitan and Turk are not kin; Shidu is a subject household of Tang — I mean to take him — and I will not trade away those who have submitted." Mo Hui visited court in year 3, received drums and banners, and thereafter paid regular tribute. Campaigning against Goguryeo, the emperor drafted every Khitan and Xi leader. On the return through Yingzhou he appointed Kuge Left Martial Guard General. The grand chieftain Quju brought his people in; ruhezhu was his chiefly title, while the parallel account reverses the transmitted name Juqu to Quju. See Xin Tang Shu 219 and juan 32 note [7]. His band became Xuan Prefecture under Juqu, attached to Yingzhou. When Kuge led the whole tribe inward, Songmo Protectorate was founded: Kuge became protector, was enfeoffed Lord of Wuji, and received the surname Li. The Daqi became Qiaoluo Prefecture, Hebian Tanhan, Duhuo Wufeng, Fenwen Yuling, Tubian Rilian, Ruixi Tuhe, Zhuijin Wandan, and the Fu line the twin prefectures Pili and Chishan — all under Songmo, with their respective chieftains as prefects. After Kuge's death they rebelled with the Xi; campaigning general Ashide Shubin seized Songmo protector Abu Gu (A Bu Gu in Xin Tang Shu) and sent him to Luoyang. Kuge left two grandsons: Kumoli, Tanhan prefect and Prince of Guishun, and Jinzhong, Songmo protector. Aocao's great-grandson Wanrong — the line repeats; Jiu Tang Shu agrees; Xin Tang Shu reads "had a grandson Wanrong" — held Guicheng Prefecture. Yingzhou protector Zhao Wenbi bullied their people until Jinzhong and Wanrong rose together, killed Wenbi, seized Yingzhou, proclaimed themselves "Supreme Khans," and made Wanrong commander. Within twenty days they mustered tens of thousands, took Chongzhou, and captured suppression vice-commissioner Xu Qinji. Empress Wu sent Generals Cao Renshi and twenty-seven others, renaming Wanrong "Wan the Beheaded" and Jinzhong "Jin the Exterminated." At Huangzhang Valley west of Xiashi the imperial force was routed. They failed to capture Pingzhou. Wu sent more troops. Wanrong struck Tanzhou by night; Zhang Jiujie of the Qingbian command drove him off. Jinzhong soon died and Turk Mokchuo shattered the tribe. Wanrong regrouped. Lieutenants Luo Wuzheng and He Axiao entered Jizhou, killed prefect Lu Baoji, and carried off thousands. Learning of Jinzhong's death, Wu ordered Wang Xiaojie and one hundred seventy thousand men against Wanrong; at East Xiashi they were beaten, Xiaojie was killed, and Wanrong sacked Youzhou. Lou Shide followed with two hundred thousand; Wanrong marched south in full vigor and ravaged Yingzhou's counties. Shenbing commander Yang Xuanji — the text's Yang Liji is wrong per Xin Tang Shu — led Xi auxiliaries, crushed Wanrong, captured He Axiao, and accepted the surrender of Li Kaigu and Luo Wuzheng. Wanrong abandoned his army; Xuanji and the Xi closed in from four sides until his host broke and fled east. Zhang Jiujie laid three ambushes. Cornered, Wanrong fled east of the Lu River with a household slave; exhausted, he lay under trees while the slave took his head to Jiujie, who sent it to Luoyang. The Khitan remnant could not endure and joined the Turks. In Kaiyuan year 2 Jinzhong's cousin Shihuo brought the tribe back. : Shihuo received an iron certificate from Xuanzong. In Kaiyuan year 4 he came with Xi chief Li Dachi; the court restored Songmo, made Shihuo protector and Prince of Songmo, re-created the Jingxi Army, appointed him frontier commissioner, and made the eight chiefs prefects. In year 5 the Yang clanswoman became Princess Yongle and married him — per Jiu Tang Shu, "In Kaiyuan year 3 their chief Li Shihuo led his tribes to submit inward; the next year Shihuo entered court, and the emperor's clanswoman Yang was made Princess Yongle and given to him in marriage." He died in year 6. : Suogu, Shihuo's brother, inherited. In Kaiyuan 7/11 Suogu and the princess attended court. Yamen officer Ketuyu was bold and popular; Suogu tried to kill him, the plot failed, Ketuyu attacked, and Suogu fled to Yingzhou. Protector Xu Qindan and Xi lord Li Dachi attacked Ketuyu, failed, and both died. (Han Yu writes Ketugan; Liu Xu, Song Qi, and Tang Huiyao write Ketuyu.) : Yuyu, Suogu's cousin, was set up by Ketuyu, apologized to court, and Xuanzong confirmed him in Suogu's place. In Kaiyuan 10 Yuyu came to court; a Murong clanswoman became Princess of Yancheng and married him; he died. : Tuyu (Zhuoyu in this text; Tuyu in both Tang histories and Tongkao 345), Yuyu's brother, succeeded. In Kaiyuan 13 he quarreled with Ketuyu and fled with the princess; the court enfeoffed him Prince of Liaoyang (Commandery in both Tang histories). : Shaogu, Tuyu's brother — both Tang histories say Li Jinzhong's brother — was raised by the people. In Kaiyuan 13 winter he attended the mobile court, joined the Fengshan at Mount Tai, became Prince of Guanghua, and a Chen clanswoman became Princess Dongguang (Donghua in both Tang histories) and married him. In year 18 Ketuyu murdered him, led the people to the Turks, and the princess fled to Pinglu. : Qulie (Qulie in Xin Tang Shu; Zhang Jiuling's Qujiang ji 8 has Julei), lineage unknown, enthroned by Ketuyu. In Kaiyuan 22/6 Zhang Shougui of Youzhou — both histories say chief administrator; his title was "Vice Military Commissioner of Youzhou, Chief Administrator of Youzhou, and Censor-in-Chief," per Qujiang ji 9 — routed Ketuyu. In month 12 he won again, beheaded Qulie, Ketuyu, and others, sent heads to Luoyang; survivors hid in the hills. Guo-zhe (Yujie in Qujiang ji 5 and 8; guo may stand for yu) was a Khitan chief and Songmo yamen officer who killed Ketuyu and Qulie and submitted. Zhang Shougui made him Prince of Beiping. That year Ketuyu's follower Ni-li killed Guo-zhe and exterminated his house; son Lagan escaped to Andong as Left Xiaowei General. Thereafter the Khitan waned; the Dahe clung to the Xi king to reach Tang with yearly tribute: twice in Zhide–Baoying, thirteen visits in the Dali era (not "the twelfth year of Dali"; the era lasted fourteen years), thrice in Zhenyuan 9–11, seven in Yuanhe, four in Taihe and Kaicheng. Ni-li — Nieli in Yelü Yan, Yali in Chen Daren — was ancestor to Liao Taizu. Li Huaixiu, given Tang name and surname, Khitan name Dilian Zuli (Zuli above), was chief of the eight tribes. In Tianbao 4 he surrendered and became Songmo protector. An Lushan asked to campaign against the Khitan; the text says Huaixiu raised one hundred thousand — Xin Tang Shu says Lushan raised over one hundred thousand from four commands, not Huaixiu's army — and defeated Lushan south of the Huangshui, after which war with Lushan never ceased. Yelü Yan records that Taizu's fourth-generation forebear Noulishi, yilijin of the Yila, sent Zhiligu and Kulie to rout Fan Yang Lushan at the Huangshui in Huaixiu's day; Huaixiu was thus the first Yaolian lord and Zuwu Khan. Kai-luo, enfeoffed Prince Gongren, replaced the Songmo protector and was called Khitan king. The state grew; in Zhenyuan 4 it raided the north and Youzhou reported. After Lushan's rebellion Hebei warlords blocked the roads and many generations are lost — yet Officials Treatise 1 lists nine Yaolian khans in the Nine Accounts office. : King Qushu, in Huichang 2 made Cloud-Banner General, was Yelan Khan — the title was misplaced under a Youzhou commissioner entry and is corrected per Xin Tang Shu. Commissioner Zhang Zhongwu said the Khitan still used Uyghur seals and begged a new imperial seal inscribed "Khitan Serving the State" (Goryeo's record has Quxu). : King Xier (Xierzhi in Xin Tang Shu) was Bala Khan; in Xiantong he twice sent tribute and the tribes strengthened. : King Qinde of Xier's line was Hendejin Khan; in Guangqi he raided Xi and Shiwei until all served him and fought Liu Rengong repeatedly; late in life his rule failed. Great men of the eight tribes rotated every three years, but Yila chief Yelü Abaoji raised his own banners, refused rotation, called himself king, seized all Khitan lands, and ended the Yaolian. : Xiao Hanjianu held that after Yaolian Khan Wa the line broke until yilijin Yali enthroned the Zuwu Khan. Comparing Tang and Liao sources, the Dahe ended with Shaogu; Yali's enthronement was Huaixiu; only Qulie and Guo-zhe lay between. Qulie was Ketuyu's puppet; Guo-zhe, a collateral chief, was killed by Yali. Tang history calls Ni-li Ketuyu's remnant — so was Wa perhaps Qulie?
History of Liao, Chapter 71Volume 71 Biographies 1: Empresses and Consorts · 1 passage
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History of Liao, Chapter 94Volume 94 Biographies 24: Yelu Huage, Yelu Wola, Yelu Susa, Xiao Aludai, Yelu Naye, Yelu Helusaogu, Yelu Shiliang · 1 passage
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History of Liao, Chapter 98Volume 98 Biographies 28: Xiao Wuna, Yelu Yan, Liu Shen, Yelu Hulu · 14 passages
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History of Liao, Chapter 105Volume 105 Biographies 35: Capable Officials · 1 passage
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History of Liao, Chapter 117Appendix: History of the Liao Table · 1 passage
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