Map Introduction

I. Founding Background and Political Status

The Liao Middle Capital (modern Ningcheng County, Inner Mongolia) was constructed in 1007 AD by Emperor Shengzong of Liao, Yelü Longxu. Aimed at consolidating control over the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun, it was modeled after the Northern Song capital, Bianjing, and became one of the Liao's five capitals. Its location was chosen for both strategic and economic reasons: it connected to the Northern Song border in the south, controlled the steppe heartland to the north, and was supported by the fertile lands of the Tuo River basin, facilitating the integration of agrarian and pastoral economies. As the administrative center during the mid to late Liao period, the Middle Capital Circuit governed seven prefectures, including Dading Prefecture and Xingzhong Prefecture, and served as the core area for implementing the Liao's policy of adopting Han Chinese customs.

II. Urban Layout and Ethnic Integration

The Middle Capital featured a triple-walled "'回'-shaped" layout: the Outer City housed commoners of Han, Uighur, and other ethnicities; the Inner City was the residence for lower-level Khitan officials; and the Imperial City was reserved for the nobility. The city contained facilities like the Datong Hostel (for receiving Song envoys) and the Chaotian Lodge (for receiving Silla envoys), reflecting its multi-ethnic diplomatic character. Archaeological evidence shows the market districts of the Outer City retained traces of the Tang lifang ward system, while the Imperial City blended Khitan yurt-style structures with Han-style palaces.

III. Economic and Cultural Exchange

The Middle Capital Circuit engaged in horse and tea trade with the Northern Song through regulated border markets, with an annual volume exceeding a thousand horses. Buddhist culture was particularly flourishing. The brickwork artistry of the extant Great Ming Pagoda (originally built in the Liao period) combines Khitan and Central Plains styles, attesting to the policy of "using Buddhism to aid governance." Chinese classics and the Khitan script were used concurrently here, as evidenced by fragments of the Analects of Confucius discovered at the site of the Imperial Academy, reflecting the Sinicization of the education system.

IV. Military Defense and Decline

The Songshan and Qijin Mountains to the south of the Middle Capital Circuit formed a natural barrier, while the city walls were equipped with over 90 watchtowers, creating a layered defense system. After the Jin Dynasty conquered the Liao in 1125 AD, the Middle Capital was severely damaged, but the Great Ming Pagoda was preserved due to its religious significance. From the Yuan Dynasty onward, its political function was gradually supplanted by Shangdu, and it transitioned into a trade node between the steppe and the Central Plains.

Conclusion

The rise and fall of the Liao Middle Capital Circuit reflects the Liao Dynasty's governing wisdom of "ruling by adapting to local customs." Through cities modeled on Han designs, a diversified economy, and religious tolerance, it achieved a symbiosis of nomadic and agrarian civilizations. Its ruins provide crucial physical evidence for studying ethnic integration in the eastern part of Eurasia during the 10th to 12th centuries.

Knowledge points

• Liao Dynasty
• Northern Song
• Zhongjing Road