Bohai population remaining in the Khitan Empire Liao in period 926-1029 (on the basis of Russian and Korean materials)

Abstract

The issue of Bohai people in the Liao Empire after the destruction of their state in 926 CE is a very complicated and important one in understanding the fate of ethnic groups in East Asia in the medieval period. As is known, after 926 many Bohai people remained in the Liao Empire, because they did not want to emigrate to other regions (such as the Koryo kingdom, Japanese Empire or the lands of the Jurchen tribes). Over two centuries the policy of Khitan rulers towards the Bohai population changed several times. This article considers the specifics of the situation of the population from the former Bohai state in Liao and analyzes the roles of Bohai people in the Khitan state. The time period of my research in this work is limited to 1029, which saw the biggest rebellion of the Bohai people in the East Capital of Liao. This event demonstrated the altered position of the Bohai population remaining in the Liao Empire.