Хөшөөний бичээст дурдагдсан Ляо улсын баяр дурсгалын өдөр

The festivals of the Liao Dynasty reflected in the steles

Abstract

The Liao Dynasty, a multi-ethnic dynasty founded by northern nomadic peoples in ancient China, saw its festival culture inherit Khitan nomadic traditions while integrating agricultural rituals of the Central Plains, thus presenting a unique landscape of cultural fusion. This paper takes Liao Dynasty inscriptions as core historical materials and, through historical analysis, compares the differences and complementarities in festival records between such historical sources as The History of Liao and Liao Dynasty inscriptions. The study reveals that Liao Dynasty festivals were not only a manifestation of governance featuring “ruling in line with local customs” but also social arenas where Han and Khitan cultures naturally merged.