History: Liao Dynasty

Social Economy

The Liao went through different stages of economic development. In its early years, it mainly depended on outward expansion, slavery and thievery, so its development remained slow and disrupted. It was not until the reign of Emperor Shengzong when the Liao managed to institute feudal reform, its economy attained some distinct progress. The Liao rulers also adopted a differential economic management system, similar to its political one. This system promoted the economic development throughout the whole northern area.

The Liao economy was based on horse and sheep raising and agriculture. Fishing also played an important complementary role. Those engaged in agriculture were mostly the Han people who lived in the southern area and the Bohai people who lived in the eastern area. The nomadic zone consisted of various northern grassland nationalities and the fishing-hunting zone covered the Khitan area between the Xar Moron and Tuhe rivers, and the Jurchen people's area in the northeast. The integration of the three economic zones into a political system sped up communication between different nationalities and promoted a higher level economic development. The southern economy, which had been feudal for a long time, dominated the whole economy.

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Besides, the supply of salt was controlled by government monopoly and provided an important source of revenue. Iron smelting was also an important industrial contribution to the wealth of the dynasty. 民俗节庆网

Culture 1155815

Culturally, the Liao achieved mainly in astronomy, the calendar, medicine and architecture. Not only did the Liao calendar keep the best parts of the Central Plain Han calendar, but also retained some of the special traits of the Khitan people. Important achievements were made in acupuncture, pulse-feeling diagnosis, gynecology, obstetrics and preservation of corpses. The Book of Acupuncture and Pulse-Feeling, written by a celebrated doctor named Zhi Lugu, enjoyed wide popularity at the time. The Liao architecture, influenced by the Tang style and accommodating the Khitan customs, achieved its own unique style.