Unveiling: The origin and development of the selection system in the Liao Dynasty. Below, the editor of the Historical Encyclopedia will bring you a detailed article introduction.
Generational inheritance is a common practice among the nomadic tribes of the northern grasslands for nobles and officials, while the system of hereditary selection effectively and reasonably arranges hereditary nobles and officials into officials, achieving the maximum degree of appointment based on their talents.
The scope of application of the hereditary selection system can be roughly divided into two categories: one is the hereditary selection of Khitan leaders, and the other is the hereditary selection of important military and political positions. The Khan is elected by various ministries once every three years. The main officials of the Khitan, such as the secret envoys of the North and South, were all elected by the people. The Khitan hereditary election system is actually a manifestation of the Khitan social family’s power struggle for political power. It is a political guarantee for the Khitan royal family and aristocratic power to maintain.
During the period of the ancient eight tribes, the alliance of the Dahe tribe, and the Khanate of the Yao Nian tribe.
It was in a loose and non alliance state until the 7th century AD, around the mid to early Tang Dynasty, when the Dahe family established the Dahe alliance, which lasted for eight generations and about 100 years. Later, it was suppressed during the Kaiyuan period of the Tang Dynasty for betraying the Tang Dynasty.
At the beginning of the 8th century AD, the Yao Nian family began to rise, inheriting the relatively complete social organization form of the Dahe clan alliance and further developing it. The system of universal suffrage is one of the most important elements inherited.
Yili Jin was actually the highest military official of the Yao Nian Khanate. The official position of Yili Jin can only be created in the Shirei family where Yel ü Abaoji is located. That’s why Yel ü Abaoji was able to quickly become a “powerful minister”.
The hereditary selection system is actually the allocation of the two most important positions of power in the Khitan Khanate by the Yao Nian family and the Shi Li family, and the allocation method is “merit based hereditary”. This is also an important guarantee for the Shirei family to support the Yao Nian family.
The Khitan system of hereditary selection includes two meanings:
1. The Khitan hereditary system was a form of aristocratic rule based on the hereditary system.
The hereditary system of the Khitan people accelerated the division of Khitan society, solidified the aristocratic class, and created a long-term ruling aristocratic class of the Yao Nian and Shi Li families. The inheritance carrier of the Khitan Khanate is the Khitan Noble Assembly, at which Khitan nobles can elect Khan candidates within designated families.
