The Khitan state
The Khitan ruler Yelü Abaoji proclaimed himself emperor in 916. Liao governed steppe and agrarian regions in the north and engaged in diplomacy, trade and warfare with the Five Dynasties, Song and other governments. Its territories included diverse communities and forms of production. Royal, tribal and urban societies participated in state life, which developed institutions connecting different populations and resources.
Northern and southern administrations
The Liaoshi describes northern and southern offices. Northern officials handled affairs including royal encampments and tribes, while southern offices were more closely connected with territorial administration and taxation. These arrangements belonged to the same state. Khitan political traditions worked alongside administrative experience from agrarian regions, with responsibilities distributed across military, population and resource management.
Contacts between Song and Liao
Song and Liao coexisted for a long period. Border warfare accompanied negotiations, embassies and trade. Political relations required continued maintenance, while goods and information moved through several channels. Liao’s cities and steppe communities maintained regional connections. Northern history involved multiple governments and populations, and court institutions changed within these relationships.
The end of Liao and westward movement
Following the rise of the Jurchens, Jin progressively conquered Liao territories, and the original Liao government ended in 1125. Some Khitan forces moved west and formed Western Liao in a separate period. Regional administrative experience, migration and cultural connections continued into northern and Central Asian history, while new governments reshaped relations between steppe and agrarian societies.