6th International Symposium Oriental Studies

The 6 th International Symposium on Oriental Ancient Documents Studies 50 Pierre Marsone The Social Policies of the Khitan as it Appears in the Liaoshi Peoples like Khitan, Jurchen or Mongols, who sometimes played an important role in Chinese history, are traditionally considered as “Barbarians” and, until now, their image is often that of conquerors mainly able to make war, plunder or massacre. But, such a policy cannot produce long-lasting empires or dynasties. A more accurate study of the Liao dynasty shows the Khitan rulers ability of combining both martial 武 and civil 文 policies. On the one hand, Liao dynasty emperors enforced conventional measures regarding justice, like the review of judgments, or regarding national solidarity like frequent emergency supplying top populations of the Empire stricken by natural disasters(droughts, floods and so on). On the other hand, on the demand of the local people, the Liao rulers often kept good officers at their office and the State took measures against corruption. An accurate reading of the annals 本紀 of the History of the Liao 遼史 points out more original social measures. In many cases, the emperor himself ordered without previous debate that rich people pay for the poor. An example among many others is as follows: in 1013 the Emperor Shengzong ordered rich people of the Dunmugong ordo to supply poor population. This policy sometimes reached unexpected extremes: during the forced deportation of people of Bohai, rich people had to pay for their own deportation. The communication will deeper examine this policy in order to evaluate its place in the history of China. Key words: : the Liao dynasty, Khitan, the History of the Liao, Bohai, law.