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卷一百十六 國語解

Volume 116: Explanation of State Language

Chapter 116 of 遼史 · History of Liao
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Chapter 116
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1
From Sima Qian and Ban Gu through the Jin and Tang dynasties, the histories they wrote are vast and profound — so much so that readers cannot fully grasp them on their own. Scholars such as Pei Yin, Yan Shigu, Li Xian, He Chao, and Dong Chong then supplied phonetic and exegetical notes, making it possible to survey institutions, material objects, regional speech, and obscure characters in a single reading and understand them completely. They have been of immense benefit to later generations of scholars.
2
When the Liao state first emerged, it lay close to the Xi and Shiwei peoples, and its local customs and language were largely rustic and colloquial. By the reigns of Emperor Taizu and Emperor Taizong, the Liao had seized the northern frontier. Although their administration repeatedly adopted Chinese law, many institutions of the earlier Qishou and Yaolian eras still survived. Their descendants preserved these customs in succession, altering nothing. Accordingly, the offices, palace guards, tribal divisions, and place names recorded in the history are for the most part designated in the Khitan state language. Without explanatory glosses to clarify them, how could the present age understand them, or later generations verify them? We have therefore cross-referenced the three sections of this history and compiled an Explanation of the Liao State Language to append here, so that readers need not stumble over unfamiliar terms.
3
Annals of Emperor Taizu
4
使
Yelü and Xiao: the annals open by giving Taizu's surname as Yelü and the empress's as Xiao — showing that two clans were distinguished from the very founding of the state. One account holds that the land where the dynasty arose was called Shili; translators rendered this as Yelü, and the imperial clan accordingly adopted Yelü as its surname. Another account says that Xiao Han, nephew of Empress Shulü and Military Commissioner of the Xuanwu Army, had a sister who also became empress; the consort clan therefore took the surname Xiao. These explanations conflict with the annals, and Chen Daren rejected them. Some also say that in Chinese characters the names appear as Yelü and Xiao, while in Khitan script they appear as Yila and Shimo — but this too cannot be substantiated.
5
Xialaiyi Shilie: the name of a district. Every palace district had its shilie subdivisions, each overseen by appointed officials.
6
Mili: a sub-district, smaller than a full district.
7
Tama and Shali: tama means personal attendants. Shali denotes a young nobleman or attendant lord. An official charged with supervising the people. Later the title was shortened to tama alone.
8
Great Dielie Prefecture: the administrative seat of the Diela tribe. Originally Khan Zuwu and his brother Saben jointly governed it. When Taizu acceded as tribal yilij, the tribe had grown so powerful that it was split into two courts. The characters lie and la are phonetically similar.
9
Yilijin: a senior official commanding troops and horses. At the opening of the Huitong era, the title was changed to Great King.
10
Jihui Guo: a place name with two pronunciations, wo and tuo. A place name.
11
Azhu Shali: azhu is an honorific for one's father or grandfather.
12
Tiyin: an official in charge of clan affairs. Equivalent to the Chinese office of Director of the Imperial Clan.
13
Xi and Xi: the second term is pronounced xi. The name of a state. Land belonging to the Central Capital.
14
Heichezi: a tribal state. So named because its people were skilled at making carts and tents. The Khitan ancestors once sent envoys to learn these crafts from them.
15
Yuyue: a high honorific office with no defined administrative function. Its rank exceeded that of the Northern and Southern Great Kings, and was granted only to men of exceptional merit.
16
仿 <>
Eagle Army: the eagle is a fierce bird of prey; naming an army after it conveys the idea of speed and agility. Later references to the Dragon Army, Tiger Army, and Iron Harrier Army follow the same principle. <Note 1>
17
Nianggai: the first character is pronounced wan. A place name.
18
西西
Western Tower: the Liao had four towers; the one at the Supreme Capital was the Western Tower; Mount Muye was the Southern Tower; Longhua Prefecture was the Eastern Tower; Tang Prefecture was the Northern Tower. The emperors hunted seasonally, moving among the four towers.
19
Adian Yilide: adian is an honorific form of address. Yilide denotes the wife of a high minister.
20
Jiuxia: jiu is the name of a military unit. Xia conveys the meaning of command and restraint.
21
使
Yilibi: equivalent to one of the Three Directors of Affairs; later a Yilibi Court was created to oversee criminal justice. The Song envoy Diao Yue wrote in a poem on his mission to Liao, 'presiding at the banquet, the Yilibi' — showing that this was a chief ministerial office.
22
Shooting Ghost Arrows: when the emperor led a campaign in person, clad in armor, he first sacrificed to his ancestors. On departure he took a condemned prisoner, placed him in the direction of march, and riddled him with arrows — a rite called Shooting Ghost Arrows, intended to ward off misfortune. On the return march, captives were shot instead. Later the practice was incorporated into penal law.
23
Baoli: the name of a villain.
24
Great and Small Goose Armies: designations of two Shiwei military units.
25
Divine standard: carried by attendants. Made from yak tails, it belongs to the category of tasseled spears.
26
Dragon Eyebrow Palace: Taizu selected a site at a reed marsh where three mountains — Tianti, Mengguo, and Bielu — converged, marked it by shooting a golden cuo arrow, and named it Dragon Eyebrow Palace. In the third year of the Sence era, a capital was built there — present-day Linhuang Prefecture. Cuo, pronounced with the ce initial and jiao final: the name of an arrow type.
27
Xiaoli: the name of a Shiwei tribe.
28
Lord Foundation Great Unity Spirit: the name of a god of good fortune. In the land over which this deity presides, if the ruler upholds the highest standards and earns the trust of high and low alike, the realm enjoys peace and the people receive abundant blessings.
29
Talin: an official title. Later the two Shiwei divisions were retitled Vice Director, also known as Minister of Works.
30
Sheli: wealthy Khitan men who wore wrapped headcloths could purchase the title by contributing ten oxen or camels and a hundred horses. It later became a tent-office title, paired with the rank of young lord.
31
Aluduo Li, also known as Aludun. An honorific of high distinction. Of all Liao yuyue officials who also held this title, only Helu did so.
32
Xuandi: the chief prison administrator.
33
Changgun: an official title. Responsible for Yaolian tribal household registers and related affairs; the Changgun of the Six Xi Divisions oversaw Xi clan affairs.
34
Yinzhuan: the name of the ruler of Bohai.
35
Ke Shilu: ke is an official title. Shilu is a person's name. Later titles such as Ke Lang and Ke Taishen follow the same pattern.
36
Ulugu and Alizhi: names of two horses ridden by Taizu and Empress Shulü when accepting Yinzhuan's surrender; they were bestowed on Yinzhuan and his wife.
38
Jiangan: the second character is pronounced gan. The dwelling place of the Husun Xi.
39
Chai Ce: the name of a ritual. Firewood was piled to form an altar, and the emperor received jade memorials from his ministers. When the ceremony ended, a fire was lit to sacrifice to Heaven. Established by Khan Zuwu.
40
Nine Tents of the Yaolian Clan: the palace households of the nine Yaolian khans.
41
Northern Ke and Southern Ke: military command titles, analogous to the Han Northern and Southern Armies.
42
鹿鹿
Sacrifice to the Roe-Deer and Deer Spirits: the Liao people favored hunting roe deer and deer, and each hunt began with sacrifices for a large catch.
43
簿
Linya: an official in charge of documents, commonly called an Academician. Those attached to the Pasturage Offices handled records only.
44
Sese Rite: a rain-prayer ceremony involving willow-shooting, established by Yaolian Khan Su.
45
Rebirth Rite: a national custom performed every twelve years, a ceremony of symbolic rebirth called Rebirth. Only the emperor, empress dowager, crown prince, and yilij could perform the rite. It was also known as Covering Birth.
46
Shensu Gu: a member of the imperial clan who could interpret snake language.
47
𩕳
Puge Jiang: the second character is pronounced with the nai initial and ding final. The name of a princess.
48
San Ke: a military commander, equivalent to Three Commanders.
49
Xiangwen: the chief supervisory official of government offices.
50
Tiliyi: a subordinate official; later elevated to Minister of Education.
51
使
Dala Gan: a county-level official, later promoted to Vice Commissioner.
52
Mabudu: deputy county official, later promoted to magistrate.
53
Mabu: an office of uncertain function, attained by promotion from dala gan.
54
Yashu: an official title. Possibly yashu, an office of the shilie.
55
Shizhu: an attendant-in-waiting of the Yaolian tent.
56
Changshi: a deputy clerk in a government office.
57
Sinugu: an office similar to changshi.
58
Tudugu: a small state beyond the border.
60
Lin: the first character is pronounced dai. A place name: the former Pine Forest region.
61
Zhasayue: an official of the Moli Office, also in charge of palace guard restrictions.
62
Tama: an escort-attendant office.
63
Nongwu: the name of a division.
64
Yegexi: the Song official Qian Yi's household played the leaf-card game of the same name.
65
Annals of Emperors Jingzong and Shengzong
66
使
Feilong Shi: an official in charge of horses, also serving as a vanguard escort.
67
Hengzhang: Dezu's clansmen formed the Three Father Houses, called Hengzhang — the most exalted branch of the imperial clan.
68
Zhuzhang: hereditary official families and others whose property was confiscated became registered zhuzhang households, served by zhuzhang attendants.
69
調
Shaowa Seal: shaowa is a general term for birds of prey; it was used for seal knobs to suggest speed. It was used to mobilize troops, similar to the golden fish tally and silver plaque.
70
Guozhang Ke: the bureaucracy included a Great State Uncle Tent; this was its military commander.
71
Bai'ao Li: when receiving a bride, the clan chose an elder to sit in the inner seat and preside — the Ao Gu. Those escorting the bride bowed in homage, hence the name Bai'ao Li.
72
Baishan Li: the sacrificial rite at Mount Muye.
73
Changwen: an official under the various tents. Also written changgun — the characters are phonetically similar.
74
Wanyi Xianhe Ye: a place name. Originally the Han county of Tuyin, which contained silver mines. Taizu recruited settlers to establish a mining colony there, hence the name Sunken River Smeltery.
75
Hesugun: a Jurchen sub-tribe, also written Hesuguan.
76
Hand-Clasp Rite: when a general defeated the enemy, the emperor clasped his hand in person; if the general was still at the front, an envoy performed the rite on the emperor's behalf. It expressed the emperor's special favor.
77
使
Azagezhi: an official title. Its rank fell below the Commissioner of Military Affairs; it was essentially a dun-rank office.
78
Four Victory Army: surrendered Song troops were divided into two corps — the Four Victory Army and the Return-to-Sagacity Army.
79
Shanjin Si: gold was mined in the Yin Mountains and smelted there, giving the bureau its name; later renamed the Military Command Bureau.
81
𤳖
Bielian Dou: a place name.
82
Huxia: the second character is pronounced with the bei initial and pan final. A personal name among the Boliba Eight Divisions.
83
Jiexi Li: a purification rite before doffing armor, equivalent to a victory libation.
84
Dulujin: a place name. Officials of the Six Courts wintered there.
85
Rite of the Twelve Divine Standards: divine standard is explained above. At all great sacrifices and great court assemblies, the twelve standards were arrayed before the imperial seat.
86
Nansage Bo: a place name.
87
Hezhihuli: a place name.
88
Tuogulie: a place name.
89
Heli: a place name.
90
Annals of Emperor Daozong
91
Talise: a place name.
93
Sanban Yuan Zhihou: the Left Banner, Right Banner, and Attached Banner formed three banners. Zhihou: an official title.
94
Gao Dun: the Liao seating chart distinguished High Dun, Short Dun, and Square Dun rows. From the Grand Chancellor to Azagezhi, all held dun-rank offices.
96
Houliji: a place name.
97
First-Fish Banquet: at the annual ice-fishing, when the first fish was caught, a feast was held — like the First-Goose Banquet.
98
Eshalie: a place name.
99
Oulijin: a place name.
100
Huantaxin Chala: a place name.
101
Sheliang Army: she means to invite or request.
102
Nvgudi: a place name.
103
Luokunsui: a place name.
104
Alizhendou: a place name.
105
西
Hu'ershan: the name of a great general of the Western Regions.
106
Qi'erman: a place name.
107
Husi Oruduo: si may also be written si; a title meaning 'powerful.' Oruduo: the name of a palace tent.
108
Ge'erhan: a title for rulers of the northern steppe.
109
Treatise on Rites
110
Sacrifice to the East: by national custom all sacrifices face east, hence the name.
111
Dilie Madu: an official in charge of ceremonial affairs. Qi Guo Zhua La: zhua la is an official title. The army had a Zhua La Bureau;
112
Ruo Jie: the name of a miscellaneous seasonal rite.
113
Jie: a term for seasonal festival rites.
114
Place of Feeding the Ram: when the great funeral procession set out, the assembled ministers sacrificed rams on the road; this was called the Place of Feeding the Ram.
115
𥜒 𥜒
Feeding at the Stop: when the emperor's coffin was carried out, ministers sacrificed sheep along the route — the Rite of Feeding at the Stop. Whenever an army set out, a female and male roe deer were each sacrificed; this was called yan, a curse against the enemy.
116
使
Before every campaign, a male and female animal were sacrificed in a rite called yan, to curse the enemy.
117
Arrow Verification: when the emperor returned from a distant journey, the Gate Commissioner held the male arrow and the Verification Officer the female arrow; they had to match before entry to the palace.
118
Yan and Chuang: one person bearing a load on the shoulder is yan; two people lifting together is chuang.
119
殿殿 殿殿
Zuan Dui: soldiers gathered in clusters, each forming a unit. Square Dun and Side Halls: at imperial banquets, low-ranking officials sat on square dun in the hall;
120
those not entitled to enter the hall were seated in the side halls to left and right. Dipai: a field mouse.
121
Nainie Yier: New Year's Day.
122
𢘉𢘉 𢘉
Xialipo: the first character is read xia, and po is read po. Xieli Kai: xie is pronounced xia; kai is pronounced po. The feast held for the imperial maternal relatives on the eighteenth day of the sixth month was also called Xialipo.
123
On the eighteenth of the sixth month a banquet was held for the state-uncle clan — also called Xieli Kai.
124
Taosai Yier: the Double Fifth Festival.
125
Saiyi'er She: an auspicious day and hour.
126
Saiyi She: an auspicious day and hour.
127
Bilichi Li: the Double Ninth Festival.
128
Daila: burning armor.
129
Chaowu'erpo: the name of a battle.
130
Zhuo Zhang: zhuo means to stand; zhang means a felt tent or yurt.
131
Treatise on Officials
132
Shilie Xingun: chief of the shilie office.
133
Lingwen: an official title.
134
Mili Mateben: an official title, later promoted to xingun.
135
Mapu: equivalent to mabudu, deputy county official; originally called dala gan.
136
Director of Edict Memorials: an official who managed imperial edicts and memorials.
137
Tixia Si: the military administration office of the various palaces.
138
Pishi Fang: the army included Southern, Northern, Left, Right, and Yellow Pishi units, all commanding elite forces.
139
Ting Fang: equivalent to the Ministry of Works.
140
Meili: an official title held by imperial relatives. Empress Shulü's clan included Shensi Meili and Pogu Meili — their functions are unknown.
141
Mogu: an official of the Wali Bureau.
142
Xianli Talang: an office of the Xi and Bohai states, possibly a corruption of talin.
143
Treatise on Camp Guards
144
Xiangwen: when the Yellow Emperor built palaces, he cast Chiyou's image and set it on the roof ridge — called Chiwen.
145
Wali: a government bureau; every palace tent and tribe maintained one. When imperial clansmen, consort kin, or high ministers were convicted, their families were confiscated and registered here. <Note 6>
146
Zhasayue: also one of the officials of the Moli Office. Zhasa: also an office under the moli bureau.
147
Suan Oruduo: suan means a trusted inner attendant. Oruduo: a palace tent. their glosses give the meaning assigned at their founding.
148
Guo Alian: 'receiving the state.'
149
Duolibe: 'pacifying and settling.'
150
Yeluban: 'flourishing.'
151
Pusuban: same meaning as Yeluban.
152
Nvgu: 'gold.'
153
Guwen: 'jade.'
154
Woduban: 'increase and multiply.'
155
Asi: 'broad and generous.'
156
Aluban: 'assisting and supporting.'
157
Desideben: 'filial piety.'
158
Jianmu: 'left behind.'
159
Treatise on Geography
160
<>
Shushan: Empress Yingtian followed Taizu on campaign; skilled captives were placed in her tent,<Note 11> named Shushan — like the treasure of coral.
161
Yong Prefecture: situated between the Huang and Tu Rivers, hence the name — the character combines 'two' and 'water.'
162
Xie: the first character uses the mu ge cut; the second the hu jie cut. A Bohai commandery and prefecture name.
163
Qielü: both characters in level tone. A county of Xingzhong Prefecture.
164
Xiyang: the first character is pronounced xi. A marsh of Youzhou; see the Zhou Officer of Regions.
165
Zi and Shi: names of marshes in Youzhou, from the same source as above.
166
Duogui: a gate name; the Liao had a Duogui tribe.
167
Ye Lü Yin: ye denotes the astral domain, lü the zodiac position; yin is the celestial lodge of the branch. The northeast — where Yan marks the crossing of the Ji River.
168
Treatise on Rites and Guard
169
A horse-head ornament.
170
Guo Xia Ma: a breed of horse. Horses small enough to ride beneath fruit trees — meaning they are diminutive.
171
Shili Xuegun: the ceremonial crown worn for the Mount Muye sacrifice.
172
Xiedie Belt: the first character uses the ta xie cut, and the second the tu xie cut. The belt worn by military officials.
173
Ganyao: equivalent to zhuyao, fashioned from goose neck and duck head.
174
Humu Mou: a type of helmet.
175
Cha: the first character is pronounced dan. A horse ridden without saddle or bridle is called cha.
176
White tassel: pronounced er. It was made by netting white heron feathers, and was also a kind of felt.
178
Zhuo Ma: grooming or currying horses.
179
Lanzi Army: posted twenty-odd li ahead of the vanguard to reconnoiter enemy movements.
180
使
Gongzi Pu: Liao troops on the march did not dig entrenchments; they bent saplings into bow-shapes as rally points. When envoys from various states came, wooden-tipped bows were set up beside the road to serve as railings and shields.
181
Yunweihu: the meaning is yingyun; it is a scribal error.
182
Bell Courtyard: those with grievances struck a bell to reach the ruler, like the grievance drum.
184
Bell Court: the wronged could strike a bell to reach the emperor — like the grievance drum.
185
Chugu: an official title. Responsible for interrogating prisoners in the northern bureau.
187
Five Shilie: that is, the Five Courts. The court was not divided into five parts; five shilie constituted one court.
188
Liu Zhua: zhua means one hundred. The Liao had the Six-Hundred-Family Xi, which later became the Six Courts. Two Courts: the Diela tribe divided into two.
189
鹿 鹿
Splitting Elk Hide: the character means a male deer. Strong enough to tear apart a male deer's hide.
190
Mofu He: a title for tribal chiefs; also rendered Mofu He.
191
Ruru: er xuan cut. The name of a state.
192
Houjin: a Turkic official title.
193
鹿鹿鹿
Licking-Salt Deer: deer crave salt; alkaline salt was scattered on the ground to lure them, then they were hunted.
194
Nugui: the name of a gamekeeper.
196
Kedun: the Turkic title for an empress.
197
Teili Jian: the Liao title for empress.
198
Nouwo Mo: mo is also written gai. Nouwo: a title for the earth goddess. Mo: a maternal honorific.
199
Yishi and Bali: names of two clans of the imperial maternal relatives' tents.
200
Dragon-Given Gold Belt: Taizu's cousin Duoguzha heard a snake cry under his tent and summoned Shensu Gu, who understood snake speech; the snake said gold lay in a tree by its burrow; they retrieved it and fashioned a belt called "Dragon-Given Gold."
202
Sala: the name of a wine vessel.
203
仿
Yaolian Jiu: a military unit of the Yaolian tent. Units such as Yongxing Palace Division Jiu, Twelve Rows Jiu, and Yellow Pishi Jiu follow the same pattern.
204
禿 禿
Tuli: an official title. Same as the Tuli of the Xi Six Divisions. Tu and tu represent corrupted characters.
205
殿
Qindian Xiaodi: an official title. The Liao had many xiaodi offices; the remainder are not annotated.
206
Za Ding Huang: a ritual classification — boys in infancy are huang; at four, xiao; at sixteen, zhong; at twenty-one, ding. In battle, the young and weak were mixed in to deceive the enemy.
207
Yaonian Ke: the military officer under the Yaonian tent.
208
Dihu: the wooden barriers outside the palace-guard gates. Guduo Rhinoceros: the horn of a thousand-year-old snake, also called dunuo rhinoceros.
209
Two Strings of Pearls: the second character uses the pu wei cut.
210
Five hundred pearls made one bei. Tili Situ: tili is the name of an office.
211
Zhizhong: the first character uses the zhi li cut.
212
A place name.
213
Tangyin: a gaming throw in bo.
214
Lin Ku: a silk register inventory listing every item in a warehouse — called 'facing the storehouse.'
215
<>
Tang Tie: under Liao practice, when a chancellor was appointed or removed, a provisional tang tie with touzi authorization was issued; upon further imperial approval,<Note 19> a formal edict followed. Hence the office of Director of Touzi Affairs. See the Miscellaneous Records of the Yin Mountains.
216
Yilijin Huazhe: Huazhe was a person's name and held the office of Yilijin.
217
Husi: a title meaning 'powerful.' The annals write 'Husi' — the meaning is identical.
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