Yelü Zizhong (耶律資忠)

Overview

The translated histories identify Yelü Zizhong as an aristocrat, diplomat, named individual, and official. This record brings together 12 passages from 2 chapters across 1 history, with names, dates, relationships, offices, and events preserved as source-backed claims.

Names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Personal	Yelü Zizhong	耶律資忠	Yelü Zizhong
Courtesy	Woyan	沃衍	Woyan
Surname	Yelü	耶律	Yelü
Surname	Yelü	耶律
Personal name	Yelü Zizhong	耶律資忠	Yelü Zizhong
Childhood	Zhala	劄剌	Zhala
Given name	Zizhong	資忠

Identity

Historicity: Historical
Identification: Named
Sex: Male

Sex: male
Explicit · liaoshi:088:s0120, liaoshi:106:s0017

Roles

Aristocrat
Diplomat
Named Individual
Official
Scholar
Writer

Life and dates

Death

Explicit · liaoshi:088:s0152

Age

Age: 40 · Reckoning: sui · Statement: had not taken office by age forty
Explicit · liaoshi:088:s0128

Attested activity

Source Date: Text: 統和末 · Reign Id: liao-tonghe · Western Interval: Start: AD 1010 · End: AD 1012
Explicit event contextual date · liaoshi:106:s0009, liaoshi:106:s0017
Source Date: Text: 開泰三年 · Western Year: AD 1014
Explicit event contextual date · liaoshi:088:s0136
Source Date: Text: 開泰中 · Western Interval: Start: AD 1012 · End: AD 1021
Explicit event contextual date · liaoshi:088:s0131
Source Date: Text: 開泰九年 · Western Year: AD 1020
Explicit event contextual date · liaoshi:088:s0139

Family

Sibling of Guoliu (國留)
Kinship Term: elder brother / 兄 · Subject Relative Age: younger
Sibling of Zhao (昭)
Kinship Term: younger brother / 弟 · Subject Relative Age: elder

Origins and identity

Label: Second Father House / 仲父房
Explicit · liaoshi:088:s0120
Label: Yelü clan / 耶律
Explicit · liaoshi:106:s0017

Career and standing

Label: Deputy Regent of the Supreme Capital / 上京副留守 · Action: appointed
Explicit · liaoshi:088:s0135
Label: Linya in charge of Tiyin affairs / 林牙，知惕隱事 · Action: appointed
Explicit · liaoshi:088:s0143
Label: manager of Laiyuan City / 知來遠城事 · Action: appointed
Explicit · liaoshi:088:s0148
Label: Military Commissioner of Bao'an and Zhaode armies / 保安、昭德二軍節度使 · Action: appointed
Explicit · liaoshi:088:s0148
Label: palace guard / 宿衛 · Action: appointed
Explicit · liaoshi:088:s0129
Label: Vice Censor-in-Chief / 中丞 · Action: appointed
Explicit · liaoshi:088:s0131
Status: stripped-of-office · Action: dismissed · Authority Person Id: Yelü Longxu (耶律隆緒)
Explicit · liaoshi:088:s0147

Places and affiliations

Polity Id: liao · Relation: associated
Strongly inferred · liaoshi:106:s0017
Polity Id: liao · Relation: served
Explicit · liaoshi:088:s0129

Learning and skills

literary composition / 辭章
Explicit · liaoshi:088:s0128

Works and attributed material

Work: Collected at the Western Pavilion / 西亭集 · Relation: author
Explicit · liaoshi:088:s0137
Kind: speech · Role: addressee · Other Person Id: Yelü Longxu (耶律隆緒) · Provenance: Mode: quotation
Explicit · liaoshi:088:s0141
Kind: speech · Role: speaker · Provenance: Mode: quotation
Explicit · liaoshi:088:s0142, liaoshi:088:s0150

Events and relationships

Kind: ritual · Role: mourner · Action: attended-Shengzong-funeral
Explicit · liaoshi:088:s0149, liaoshi:088:s0150
Kind: personal · Role: namer · Action: called-Zhalaci-Old-Man-of-Jie-Mountain · Other Person Id: Xiao Zhalaci (蕭劄剌)
Explicit · liaoshi:106:s0017
Kind: diplomatic · Role: envoy · Action: detained-in-Goryeo
Explicit · liaoshi:088:s0136
Kind: diplomatic · Role: envoy · Action: inquired-Goryeo-tribute-delay
Explicit · liaoshi:088:s0133
Kind: diplomatic · Role: returning-envoy · Action: returned-from-Goryeo
Explicit · liaoshi:088:s0139, liaoshi:088:s0140
Relation: refused-to-attach-to · Person Id: Xiao Hezhuo (蕭合卓)
Explicit · liaoshi:088:s0146
Relation: esteemed · Person Id: Xiao Zhalaci (蕭劄剌)
Explicit · liaoshi:106:s0017
Relation: refused-to-attach-to · Person Id: Xiao Bage (蕭把哥)
Explicit · liaoshi:088:s0146

Assessments and attributes

Assessment: slandered across the board and unable to serve fully · Provenance: Mode: self-report · Speaker Person Id: Yelü Zizhong (耶律資忠)
Explicit · liaoshi:088:s0150

Source notes

Historicity: historical
Explicit · liaoshi:106:s0017

References in the histories

Open any source group to read the Chinese and English passage in context.

History of Liao, Chapter 88Volume 88 Biographies 18: Xiao Dilie, Yelu Pennu, Xiao Paiya, Yelu Zizhong, Yelu Yaozhi, Yelu Honggu, Gao Zheng, Yelu Delu, Da Kangyi · 11 passages

Open chapter

耶律資忠耶律瑤質耶律弘古高正耶律的錄大康乂 Yelü Zizhong, Yelü Yaozhi, Yelü Honggu, Gao Zheng, Yelü Delu, and Da Kangyi

耶律資忠，字沃衍，小字劄剌，系出仲父房。 Yelü Zizhong, whose style name was Woyan and childhood name Zhala, came from the Second Father House line.

資忠博學，工辭章，年四十未仕。 Zizhong was broadly learned and skilled at literary composition, yet had not taken office by the age of forty.

數問以古今治亂，資忠對無隱。 Several times the emperor asked him about order and disorder in past and present times; Zizhong answered without concealment.

至是，貢獻不時至，詔資忠往問故。 By this time tribute and offerings did not arrive on schedule. An edict ordered Zizhong to go and inquire into the cause.

資忠每懷君親，輒有著述，號《西亭集》。 Zizhong always yearned for sovereign and kin and would compose writings, which he titled Collected at the Western Pavilion.

帝與群臣宴，時一記憶曰：「資忠亦有此樂乎？」 The emperor feasted with his ministers and at one point recalled: "Does Zizhong also enjoy pleasures such as these?"

九年，高麗上表謝罪，始送資忠還。 In the ninth year Goryeo submitted a memorial begging pardon and at last sent Zizhong back.

資忠對曰：「臣不才，不敢奉詔。」 Zizhong replied: "Your servant lacks talent and dares not accept the edict."

初，資忠在高麗也，弟昭為著帳郎君，坐罪沒家產。 Earlier, while Zizhong was in Goryeo, his younger brother Zhao was a Registered Langjun. For a crime his family property was confiscated.

是時，樞密使蕭合卓、少師蕭把哥有寵，資忠不背俯附，詆之。 At that time Privy Councilor Xiao Hezhuo and Junior Tutor Xiao Bage were in favor. Zizhong would not bow and follow them and spoke against them.

History of Liao, Chapter 106Volume 106 Biographies 36: Outstanding Conduct · 1 passage

Open chapter

耶律資忠重之，目曰頡山老人。 Yelü Zizhong held him in high regard and called him the Old Man of Jie Mountain.