A Study On Travel Etiquette In The Liao Dynasty

The Liao Dynasty,as a period of prosperous development of northern nomadic culture in China,inherited the culture of the previous northern nomadic ethnic groups while absorbing the cultural factors of the Central Plains represented by the Tang and Song dynasties.In terms of material and cultural aspects such as food,clothing,housing,and transportation,there is a characteristic of cultural integration.As an important component of the political etiquette system,the chariot and horse ceremonial guards of the Liao Dynasty were constantly developing and improving,reflecting a specific era’s radiance and presenting unique ceremonial characteristics.From the perspective of development trajectory,the Liao Dynasty chariot and horse ceremonial guard system originated in the Taizu Dynasty,established in the Taizong Dynasty,improved in the Shengzong Dynasty,and ultimately finalized in the Daozong Dynasty.The purpose of this article is to deeply analyze the Liao Dynasty’s chariot and horse ceremonial guard system,explore the development trajectory and performance of the Liao Dynasty’s chariot and horse ceremonial guard system in different periods,comprehensively discuss its historical evolution and constituent elements,including ceremonial guard instruments,ceremonial guard chariots,ceremonial guard instruments,and ceremonial guard arrangement forms.At the same time,starting from the reasons for the formation of the Liao Dynasty chariot and horse ceremonial guards and their social functions,this article reveals their role and value in historical development.In addition,this article takes the Liao Dynasty chariot and horse ceremonial guards as the starting point to analyze the interaction between the Liao Dynasty and surrounding ethnic groups,which is of key significance for a profound understanding of the historical development of the Liao Dynasty and the integration into the historical process of "unification".As an important component of the ritual system construction in the Liao Dynasty,chariot and horse ceremonial guards played a crucial role in politics and culture.Especially in the context of long-term peaceful coexistence between the Song and Liao dynasties,during the gradual realization of "Huaxia ization" in the Liao dynasty,chariot and horse ceremonial guards played a crucial role as a cultural carrier.The chariot and horse ceremonial guard system formed during the construction process of the Liao Dynasty not only integrated the traditional customs of the northern nomadic ethnic groups,but also absorbed the Confucian and Han ritual elements of the Central Plains agricultural ethnic groups.This fully reflects the openness and inclusiveness of the Liao Dynasty in cultural exchange and integration.The uniqueness of this system is mainly reflected in two aspects: on the one hand,it incorporates cultural elements from different regimes such as the Tang Dynasty,Bohai Kingdom,Five Dynasties,Northern Song Dynasty,Western Xia Dynasty,and Western Regions.This not only demonstrates the openness and inclusiveness of the Liao Dynasty in cultural exchange and integration,but also reflects the flexibility of the government in governance.On the other hand,the Liao Dynasty adopted a policy of dividing the north and south and governing according to customs,in order to adapt to the differences in national conditions and geographical environment,and enhance the legitimacy and stability of its rule.This policy has successfully achieved social integration and also reflects the government’s ability to respond to the governance challenges of multicultural and diverse societies.Overall,the chariot and horse ceremonial guard system of the Liao Dynasty was not only a political ritual,but also a symbolic means to strengthen the political power of rulers and maintain their "orthodox" image.The continuous improvement of this system reflects the increasing degree of integration between different ethnic groups,showcases the integration of diverse cultures,and lays a solid historical foundation for the overall process of cultural integration;The introduction of Confucian ritual ideology provided important cultural support for the structural transformation of the Liao regime’s chariot,horse,and ceremonial guard,and injected a foundation of diverse civilization into the process of "integrating China and the barbarians".