In reality, after Emperor Taizong of Liao suffered heavy losses during his invasion of the Central Plains, Khitan society had grown weary of the endless and costly wars of aggression to the south. Emperor Muzong of Liao implemented a policy of recuperation, which resulted in a "population boom" and "good harvests year after year." The Southern Great King, Yelü Talie, and the Northern Great King, Yelü Wuzhi, eventually became "kings who enriched the people."
During the reign of Emperor Jingzong of Liao, the policy of friendship with the Song Dynasty was continued. In 974, the sixth year of Baoning and the seventh year of Kaibao of Emperor Taizu of Song, Yelü Cong, the governor of Zhuozhou, wrote to the governor of Xiongzhou of Song, hoping that the two sides would make peace, and received a positive response.
Empress Xiao (953-1009) witnessed the prosperity of the social economy in the peaceful environment from Yingli (951-968) and experienced the damage to the social economy of the Liao Dynasty caused by the hostility between Liao and Song from Qianheng (979-982).
When Wang Jizhong, a close confidant of Song Zhenzong's vassal state and a Song general, was accidentally captured, Wang Jizhong explained the pros and cons of peace or war to Song Zhenzong and expressed his willingness to write a letter to Song Zhenzong for reconciliation between Liao and Song.
Empress Dowager Xiao then decided to march south in large numbers to force peace with her troops, hoping to end the hostility between Liao and Song once and for all and sign a peace alliance as soon as possible, so as to create a peaceful and favorable development space for her descendants during her lifetime.
2. The flourishing of culture and education and the promotion of the concept of etiquette and law among the Khitans. Before the Treaty of Chanyuan, the Liao Dynasty absorbed a large number of Central Plains bureaucrats and Confucian scholars into the ruling institutions.
After occupying the Yanyun region, while actively utilizing the region's Han Chinese scholars, the emperor also emphasized recruiting talent from the Jin, Zhou, and Song dynasties. In the seventh year of the Tonghe era, "Seventeen Song Dynasty Jinshi scholars returned with their families. The emperor ordered the examination of the successful candidates to be appointed officials at the Imperial Academy, while the remainder were appointed county clerks and lieutenants."
In November of the 12th year of the Tonghe era, the government captured six people, including Wei Desheng, from the Song Dynasty. The government also issued an edict to all the captured Song officials, scholars, and other talented individuals to report their names. At the same time, the government issued an edict to the prefectures and counties to offer their contributions as scholars of outstanding talent.
Due to the constant wars, they had no time to develop culture and education to cultivate their own talents. The relatively backward Khitan ruling class also had limited knowledge of culture and education.
During the reigns of Emperor Jingzong and Emperor Shengzong, the development of feudalism laid the foundation for the advancement of culture and education. The Treaty of Chanyuan closed the door to the absorption of Confucian scholars and bureaucrats from the Central Plains. In order to cultivate talents, the Liao Dynasty attached great importance to the development of education and culture and further implemented the imperial examination system.
Economic and cultural exchanges with the Song Dynasty also broadened the horizons of the Liao people. The overall cultural literacy of the Khitan people improved significantly, and Confucianism dominated the concept of etiquette and law.
This was undoubtedly a major change in Liao Dynasty society.
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