Historical map of the neighborhood of Lin Huangfu in the Liao Dynasty of China

Map Introduction

I. The Khitan Core Region Before the City's Foundation

The area where Linhuang Prefecture was later established (modern Bairin Left Banner, Inner Mongolia) had been a political center of the Khitan since the Tang Dynasty. During the Zhenguan era (627–649 AD), the Tang established the Songmo Protectorate here, governing the eight Khitan tribes. After the An Lushan Rebellion (755–763 AD), the region fell successively under the control of the Uighurs and the Kirghiz until 842 AD, when the Yaonian tribal confederation of the Khitan was re-established. The area was then known as "Western Tower" (Xilou) and became the seat of the Yu Yue King. Archaeological discoveries of Hongshan Culture and Fuhe Culture remains attest to the presence of even earlier civilizations in this region.

II. Establishment as the Liao Capital and Subsequent Development

After Liao Taizu, Yelü Abaoji, declared himself Emperor in 916 AD, the construction of the Imperial Capital began in the 3rd year of the Shence era (918 AD). In 938 AD, Liao Taizong renamed it the Upper Capital (Shangjing) and established Linhuang Prefecture. As the foremost of the five Liao capitals, its planning embodied the principle of "governing according to custom":

• Spatial Layout: The Imperial City imitated the palace system of the Central Plains. A Southern Han-inhabited City housed captives from Yan and Ji, while the northern city area was reserved for Khitan nobility.
• Administrative System: Linhuang Prefecture governed 10 counties implementing a "personal jurisdiction system," where the registered populace was dispersed in settlements around the capital, creating a unique pattern of "county residents scattered throughout the suburbs."
• Economic Function: As a hub on the Steppe Silk Road, it combined pastoralism and agriculture. Bohai people settled in Changtai County introduced rice cultivation techniques.

III. Strategic Adjustments after the Chanyuan Treaty

Following the signing of the Chanyuan Treaty between the Liao and Song in 1004 AD, the status of Linhuang Prefecture underwent subtle changes:

• Declining Military Value: Stabilized borders led to a reduction in garrison troops at the Upper Capital, with some transitioning to military farming.
• Accelerated Cultural Fusion: Han Chinese artisans participated in the expansion of Buddhist temples. The brickwork artistry of the extant Great Ming Pagoda (from the Liao Middle Capital) reflects this multicultural blending.
• Economic Transformation: The rise of border markets made the Upper Capital a distribution center for goods between northern Liao and the Song and Western Xia.

IV. Decline in the Late Liao and Jin Dynasty Legacy

After the Jin Dynasty conquered the Liao in 1125 AD, Linhuang Prefecture was damaged but partially reused during the Jin period. Archaeological findings reveal:

• Urban Remains: The outline of the outer city is submerged under farmland, with only landmark structures like the Great Ming Pagoda surviving.
• Demographic Shifts: Khitan nobility migrated south, with some assimilating into Han culture and others integrating into Mongol tribes.
• Cultural Continuity: Although the Khitan script fell into disuse, Buddhist architectural techniques influenced Jin Dynasty construction.

V. Historical Assessment

The rise and fall of Linhuang Prefecture reflects the Liao Dynasty's governance wisdom of "ruling by adapting to local customs." Its "dual-track" urban layout (Imperial City/Han-inhabited City) and personal jurisdiction system represent an early practice in multi-ethnic state governance. As a confluence of steppe and agrarian civilizations, the historical evolution of this region holds exemplary significance for understanding the Liao Dynasty's process of adopting Han Chinese customs.