Study On The Epitaph Of Yelü Qi In Khitan Large Script

Khitan was one of the northern nomadic tribes of ancient China.Yelu Abaoji,Emperor Taizu of the Liao,officially proclaimed himself as emperor and established Great Khitan in 916 AD.He then created Khitan script.There were Khitan large script and Khitan small script.The large script was created by Yelu Abaoji in the 5th year of Liao Shen Ce(920 AD)with the assistance of Yelu Tulvbu and Yelu Lubugu.The small script was created by Yelu Diela who is the brother of the emperor Taizu.However,the created date of it is unknown.After the collapse of the Liao Dynasty,the two scripts were still in use until Ming Chang 2nd year of Emperor Zhangzong of Jin Dynasty(1191AD).The Epitaph of Yelu Qi in Khitan large script is collected in Inner Mongolia Archaeology Research Institution.It was found in July 1993 by the Inner Mongolia Archaeology Research Institution in about 2 kilometers westward of Yelu Yuzhi family graveyard which is in the east of the Chaogtu Mountain of Han Som in Ar Horqin Banner.The epitaph was carved in 1108,Qian Tong 8 year of Emperor Tianzuo.The epitaph is taupe and 90cm wide,10cm thick square sandstone.At the front side of the epitaph,there are 46 lines;about 2817 words are carved in regular Khitan large script.The epitaph is with the largest number of scripts among all those epitaphs in Khitan large script have been found so far.The epitaph owner Yelu Qi is the sixth generation of Pu Guzhi Yilijin of Khitan Six Yuan Bu.Therefore,this research plays a significant role in studying clan of Puzhi Yilijin.In this paper,a reliable electronic record is completed based on the transcription and rubbing of the epitaph,and the proofs are attached.On the above basis,widely absorbed the previous research results,referred to the relevant historical materials in Chinese and the literatures in Khitan large and small script,this paper makes a scientific demonstration of the previous research results and puts forward its own interpretation opinions on the form,pronunciation and meaning of Khitan large script.According to the corresponding relation of Khitan large script and Khitan small script,the paper takes the large script ? as "board"read as "Pai",(?)(?)(?)means "prosper",pronounced as p'u-su-ud(?);(?)(?)?stands for Xia dynasty,pronounced as h-ia,? expresses "uncle" or"guard",pronounced as siu,(?)(?)(?)corresponds with Khitan small script(?),stands for"grow",? corresponds with(?),pronounced as il or ir.In addition,combined with the Khitan small script,this paper has also found the corresponding ordinal numbers in Khitan large script materials.