Map Introduction

I. Establishment and Geographical Scope of the Tokyo Circuit

The Liao Dynasty's Tokyo Circuit (also known as Tokyo Liaoyang Prefecture) was one of the Liao's five capitals. Its administrative seat, Liaoyang (modern Liaoyang City, Liaoning Province), was originally established in 928 AD as Dongping Commandery, later elevated to the status of Southern Capital, and finally renamed the Eastern Capital (Tokyo) in 938 AD. The Tokyo Circuit's jurisdiction extended east to the Korean Peninsula, west to the Bohai Bay, north to the mouth of the Amur River (Heilongjiang), and south to the Liaodong Bay, encompassing most of modern Liaoning, southern Jilin, and parts of Heilongjiang. Its core area centered on Liaoyang, connected to the Central Plains via the "Liaoxi Route" (also known as the Lulong Route), forming a strategic configuration described as "one city controlling three rivers" – the Liao, Hun, and Taizi Rivers.

II. Political and Military Functions

As the pivotal base for Liao administration in the northeast, the Tokyo Circuit served dual political and military functions. During the reign of Emperor Shengzong (983–1031 AD), the circuit expanded southward and its defensive system was reinforced with beacon towers and naval ports, such as the Muyang Fortress in Lushun. Liao Taizu once dispatched a naval expedition against Japan, demonstrating the dynasty's emphasis on maritime frontiers. Furthermore, the Tokyo Circuit was a crucial area for resettling Bohai migrants, establishing "Appanage Prefectures and Counties" (touxia zhouxian) to consolidate control.

III. Economy and Trade Networks

Leveraging agriculture and handicrafts from the Liao River basin, the Tokyo Circuit developed an economic system centered on maritime and overland trade. Its ports, including Liaoyang and Gaizhou, engaged in trade with Japan, Goryeo, and the Song Dynasty, dealing in goods like silk, porcelain, and furs. Iron mining in Anshan reached a significant scale, and Liao ironworking technology was advanced, as evidenced by archaeological finds such as exquisitely crafted silver-inlaid horse trappings. In the Ling River (Daling River) area, specialized "Silk and Sericulture Households" supplied silk exclusively for the imperial court, forming a distinctive local industry.

IV. Culture and Social Structure

The Tokyo Circuit was a melting pot of Khitan, Han Chinese, Bohai, and other ethnic cultures. Buddhism spread through Liaoyang into the wider Northeast region. Artefacts like white porcelain and "cockscomb" ewers exhibited a blend of nomadic and agrarian characteristics. As a transportation hub, Liaoyang preserved ancient road networks dating from the Warring States period to the Sui and Tang dynasties, such as the "Liaoxi Route" and the "Yalu River Route," which facilitated cultural exchange.

V. Interactions during the Northern Song Period and Decline

Limited trade occurred between the Northern Song and the Tokyo Circuit through regulated border markets like Xiongzhou, but political connections were weak. After the Jin Dynasty conquered the Liao in 1125 AD, the Tokyo Circuit became a base for the Jin's campaigns against the Central Plains, and its historical role gradually diminished.

Conclusion

Over its more than 200-year history under Liao rule, the Tokyo Circuit evolved from a military frontier into the economic and cultural center of Northeast Asia. Its maritime and overland trade networks, along with its model of multi-ethnic governance, exerted a profound influence on subsequent periods.

Knowledge points

• Liao Dynasty
• Tokyo Road