Chapter 2 Chapter 1 White Horse and Green Bull

Among the fifty-six ethnic groups in China, there is no Khitan ethnic group.So, why did this nation that once established a powerful Liao state in northern China, this nation that once made great contributions to Chinese civilization, this nation as strong as steel disappear?What kind of nation is the Khitan? There is a very beautiful and moving legend about the origin of the Khitan nation.There are two big rivers in Northeast China, one is called Tuhe, which originated from Yiwulu Mountain, and is now called Laoha River; the other is called Huangshui, which originated in today’s Hebei Province, and is now called Xilamulun River.The confluence of Tuhe River and Huangshui River is the place where the Khitan nation was born.According to the "Khitan Kingdom Chronicles", the ancestors of the Khitan people were immortals in the sky.A man came from the sky on a white horse, walked freely along the Tuhe River, and was deeply attracted by the beautiful scenery of the river bank.At this time, a fairy in the Heavenly Palace may be too cold to be at a high place, and she wants to go down to the earth to see the beauty of the world, so she comes here in a green ox cart.The white horse and the blue cow meet at the confluence of the two rivers - Konoha Mountain.The flowers on the grassland are in full bloom, fragrant and fragrant, and the river water is sparkling.On a beautiful day, the two fell in love at first sight, privately engaged for life, became husband and wife, and later gave birth to eight sons.The descendants of these eight sons reproduced and became the later Khitan Eight Divisions.In human history, most of the known nations have such a legendary origin, and this legendary origin has been passed down orally from generation to generation, and is deeply believed by this nation.

"Liao History and Geography" records: "It is said that a god and a man rode a white horse from the Futu River in Mayu Mountain to the east, and a goddess drove a green ox cart down the Panhuang River in the pine forest on the flat ground. When they arrived at Muye Mountain, the two rivers merged, and they met. Spouse, give birth to eight sons. Afterwards, the family lineage gradually flourished and was divided into eight tribes." The Khitan people firmly believe in the origin of their own nation—the meeting of white horses and green oxen in Muye Mountain, the combination of immortals riding white horses and fairies riding ox carts, and multiplication into the Khitan nation.Not only are they convinced, the Khitan people also built the Ancestral Temple for the White Horse Immortal and the Green Bull Immortal in Muye Mountain.They respected the White Horse Immortal as their first Khan, and called the Green Bull Fairy Ketun (Kedun, which means "Queen" in Khitan. Basically, nomads in the north, like the Khitans , including the later Mongols, all called the queen Ke Dun).Temples were built to worship, and the incense was endless.

"Liao History and Geography" records: Yongzhou, "There is Muye Mountain. The Khitan Ancestor Temple is built on it. The Qishou Khan is in the South Temple, and Ke Dun is in the North Temple. Painting and sculpture of the statues of the two saints and the eight sons." Especially when the Khitan people want to send troops to fight, they must use white horses and green cattle to sacrifice their ancestors, that is, Khan and Ketun.So, in the Temple of the Ancestor, Khan and Ketun were fired together. What does this mean?It shows that at least in the concept of Khitan people, the status of male gods and female immortals is equal, that is to say, the status of men and women is equal.So when we listen to the storytelling "The General of the Yang Family", we will more or less leave such an impression that the emperor of the Liao Dynasty does not seem to be in charge of things, and it is Empress Dowager Xiao who is in charge.This was a special case in the Central Plains dynasty, but it was a common practice in the Liao Dynasty. This may be because the Liao Dynasty still preserved the legacy of the matrilineal clan.

Every time Khan and Ketun were sacrificed together, the Khitan people would sacrifice them with white horses and green bulls. This sacrifice was quite grand.The ancient Chinese traditional society was mainly based on farming, and the Khitan people also learned part of farming later.Economic development, we look at GDP today, what do we look at at that time?The five grains are plentiful and the six animals are prosperous.The five grains are plentiful, food; the six animals are prosperous, and animal husbandry. Which of the "six animals" is the most precious?horses and cows.What are horses used for?Fighting, so horses cannot be slaughtered, and cattle must be used to cultivate land, so horses and cattle are the most precious among the six animals.The Khitan sacrificed to their ancestors and cut white horses and green cattle, which shows the solemnity of the sacrifices and their worship of their ancestors. They deeply believe in the origin of their own nation.