CHIN 50W Lecture Notes - Lecture 11: Taoism, Chinese Clothing, Khitan Large Script
Document Summary
Nomads and sedentary farmers lived in the border zone since the han dynasty. While cultural differences were less clear-cut here. Tribes of nomads roamed the steppe and raided each other. Nomads formed coalitions and confederations but these did not always last long. Since the han, northern nomads had been a significant political force. On the border, nomads, farmers, and soldiers interacted with one another. Some farmers were kidnapped or joined nomadic tribes. Some tribesmen settled in border towns and adopted settled ways. Were pastoral steppe nomads, a rising power. They had no permanent settlements and moved from site to site with herds of horses and camels. During the height of tang power, they had sent tribute to the tang court (as vassals) The collapse of the dynasty changed this relationship. Nomads, headache for government and their tax purposes. The khitan originally ruled by a congress that all tribal elders attended to select a leader.
