Researches Of Several Issues In Khitan History

The present dissertation expounds and discusses in detail again the five main disputed issues that haven't the final conclusions at the moment in the research field of Khitan history. The text proper consists of five chapters. Chapter One deals with a discussion on the District between Song and Mo not the cradle land of Khitan. The author believes that the district between Song and Mo actually refers to the area between the Xilamulun River and Laoha River of modern-day, where Kumoxi people lived. The area mentioned above in Weishu, Khitan biography is actually the wrong name of the cradle land of Kumoxi people. Also, the author affirms that the early region of activities of Khitan is the area from the northeast of Chaoyang city, the east of lower liao River basin to Dandong and the Korea Byland. Chapter Two concerns Xi people bing Xiao people during the Liao Dynasty. The text concludes that -Xi people was in fact Xiao people during the Liao Dynasty through comparatively studying the archaeological findings and the historical and political relations between Khitan and Xi and Xiao people such as bestowing surnames, marriage, recognizing the same ancestor and origin and so on. The author makes clear the relation of the Xi and Xiao family by the fact that in the same time and space, these two families had the same political and territoral relationship. Chapter Three deals with restudy on the Muyeshan(Wood-leaf Mountain) during the Liao Dynasty. The author raises doubts over the view that Muyeshan is located in the region where Xilamulun River and Laoha River joins and maintains that we should find the Muyeshan from the area around the Taizu Mausoleum of Liao as some books said. According to the function of the Muyeshan, the author believes that Manqigashan located right in the front of Liao Taizu tomb is in fact the Muyeshan. Chapter Four centers on an analyse on thecharacter and function of the metal masks and mesh unearthed from Liao tombs. The author considers that the metal masks and mesh used to cover the corpse in order to store dead bodies and beautify the deceased are the outcome of Cathayan convention of terrace-exposed burial and the funeral and interment habit of the Han nationality, and that they are the reflection of Khitan people's ideology of manism. Chapter Five focus on the Zuzhou Site's Stone Room. The author confirms that the Zuzhou Site's Stone Room is not a prison, a west building, a royal ancestral temple of Khitan or the soul chamber of Yelv Aboji, but the temporary place to bury Yelv Abaoji's corpse which was "Cuantudian" recorded in Liaoshi.lts function then turned to Taizu Temple that used to offer sacrifices to Abaoji in the Zuzhou city. According to the original function of the Zuzhou Site's Stone Room, the author then concludes that it was built in 926.