China: Mystery of Khitans Solved

JoongAng Ilbo ^ | 08/05/04 | Yoo Kwang-jong

[TigerLikesRooster]

/begin my translation

Locations marked with black/grey human symbols are where Daol Tribe live today. Yunnan on the lower left, Daol Autonomous District in Inner Mongolia on the upper right.

Mystery of Khitans Solved

• After their country's demise a millennium ago, they 'vanished' from history
• Chinese scholars tracked down their descendants via DNA test
• Allied with Mongols, they were sent all over the world... widely spread out
• People such as Daol tribe in Yunnan province carry their blood line.

'People fierce as hawks'

That was the assessment of Khitans who rose from N.E. China and went on to be a major threat to China a millennium ago. Khitans, a formidable kingdom, mounted three invasion against Koryo(the Kingdom in Korea at the time), starting at AD 993. In AD 1018, General Kang Gam-chan defeated Khitans led by General So Bae-ap at the battle of Gui-ju, which forced them to give up their territorial ambition for Koryo.

Then such fierce Khitans, since the rise of Yuan dynasty founded by Mongols, had suddenly vanished (from history.) How could a people disappear in a blink?

The question of Khitans' disappearance , which has remained as a mystery in Chinese history is now being solved bit by bit. The progress is made by research on historical records of Khitans, and tests using DNA analysis.

Chinese scholars revealed recently, "An ethnic minority called Daol Tribe, who live in N.E. China, inherited significant amount of Khitan blood." 120 thousand strong Daol Tribe, living where Xinganling Mountains, clear blue Nun River, and wide-open steppe in Hurun-Bei-ol converges, have been viewed as the most likely descendants of Khitans. The rationale was that their habitat is close to steppe of Inner Mongolia, where Khitans used to live. Chinese scholars scientifically proved it this time. They extracted genetic materials from bones of the buried bodies from the tombs of Liao Dynasty(Khitan Kingdom.)

Oral legends of founding myth among Daol Tribe also serve as evidence that they are the descendants of Khitans. The legends says, "A group of Khitan troops came to this land and build a fortress for their defense, then became our ancestors." In the past, after the wide-ranging study of Daol's founding myth and customs, language, history, scholars during Ching dynasty cautiously determined, "Daol Tribe might be descendants of Khitans."

Chinese also confirmed that 100 thousand Daol Tribe live in an area of Yunnan Province, S.W. China. They found out that people in a small village of Yunnan keeps in a shrine a framed writing which says Yayol, the Chinese rendition of Khitan founder Assuru. After comparing the DNA from Daol people with those from the bodies of Khitan tombs, Chinese concluded, "Daol Tribe in Yunnan inherited paternal bloodline of Khitans."

Why descendants of Khitan spread so far apart today? Based on their research and archeological findings, Chinese scholars explain, "Because Khitans were vanguards of Mongol troops."

It goes as follows: Since the fall of Khitan kingdom by Jurchen Chin, Khitans hated Jurchens so much that Khitans allied with Mongols. Soon after that, Mongols led by Genghis Khan grew as a huge empire. Fearless Khitans became the spearhead of conquering troops of Yuan Dynasty(Mongol Empire), and were sent all over the world. As a result, Khitans were dispersed, and lost opportunity to rise as a major ethnic group in China again. Chinese also presented a story that some Khitans migrated to Khorman area in current Iran and converted to Islam after their Kingdom fell.

Beijing, Yoo Kwang-jong

/end my translation

[TigerLikesRooster]

Ping!

[risk]

ping

[Clara Lou]

Interesting! There is a lot of interesting news like this coming out of China these days. It makes history interesting. Thanks for the translation.

[Khurkris]

Thanks for the translation TLR. Good Stuff. I wonder what the DNA from Persia will show?

[blam]

Good article, thanks.

GGG Ping.

[MrNatural]

ping

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks, TigerLikesRooster.

Please FREEPMAIL me if you want on, off, or alter the "Gods, Graves, Glyphs" PING list --
Archaeology/Anthropology/Ancient Cultures/Artifacts/Antiquities, etc.
The GGG Digest -- Gods, Graves, Glyphs (alpha order)

[RightWhale]

So the Khitans were among those who sacked Baghdad and destroyed the Moslim Empire. Their descendants are still living in the Middle East, mixed with semitic blood, French blood, every blood that got there.

[nopardons]

bttt

[asgardshill]

Then such fierce Khitans, since the rise of Yuan dynasty founded by Mongols, had suddenly vanished (from history.)

A few of the sturdier Khitans made it to Scandinavia, where they remain a mighty force today.

[Cacique]

But the real question is. How does this affect the price of beans and cabbage?

[happygrl]

This is in your field.

[Cronos]

Thanks for the link Happy Girl, my info on Chinese History is woefully inadequate -- I mostly delve into Middle-Eastern, European, Indo-Irani history.

[SunkenCiv]

[SunkenCiv]