How did the Khitan establish the Liao dynasty in Liaoning?

The Khitan established the Liao dynasty (907–1125) by expanding from the borders of Mongolia into southern Manchuria—a region encompassing modern-day Liaoning—and areas south of the Great Wall.123

The process was driven by Abaoji, a powerful Khitan leader who consolidated authority by transforming a tribal confederation into a hereditary monarchy. Abaoji organized his followers into military units known as ordos and, following the collapse of the Tang dynasty in 907, formally declared himself emperor in 916.421

To maintain control over their diverse territories, the Liao implemented a dual administrative system:
* Northern Administration: Governed the nomadic Khitan tribes based on traditional tribal laws, rites, and steppe customs to preserve their ethnic identity.12
* Southern Administration: Governed the sedentary farming populations in regions like Manchuria and North China using a Chinese-style bureaucracy modeled after the Tang, including tax regulations and an examination system.123

This structure allowed the Khitan to rule their conquests while resisting total assimilation into Chinese culture.12