Quick Facts
Adding us as a Preferred Source tells Google you trust our content, so our articles show up more often in your Google Search, Discover feed, and AI Overviews.
verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies.
Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
YelĂŒ Chucai
Chinese statesman
Also known as: Yeh-lĂŒ Châu-tsâai
YelĂŒ Chucai (born 1190âdied 1244) was a Chinese statesman of Khitan extraction, adviser to Genghis Khan and his son Ăgödei. He established a formal bureaucracy and rationalized taxation system for the Mongol-controlled portions of China. By persuading Ăgödei to spare the inhabitants of northern China in order to utilize their wealth and skills, YelĂŒ gave the Mongols access to the Chinese weapons that later enabled them to conquer the Song dynasty. See also Mongol; Yuan dynasty.
This article was most recently revised and updated by Encyclopaedia Britannica.
Discover the fascinating events that shaped the world, straight from our editors.
By clicking âSign Upâ, you consent to the Britannica
Privacy Policy
and
Terms of Use.