Yelü Yixin

Biography

Family Background and Early Years

Yelü Yixin came from the Five Courts tribe and was the son of Yelü Diela. His family was so poor that it could not reliably provide food and clothing and was nicknamed “Poor Diela” by fellow tribesmen. The History of Liao records omen stories surrounding his birth: his mother dreamed of a black ram whose horns and tail were removed, interpreted as forming the character for “king”; while the family was traveling at his birth a spring allegedly appeared where there had been no water, and his father later found two jars of wine among thorn bushes. These stories were later associated with Yixin's rise.

As a child Yixin was described as quick and clever. One tale says that while shepherding he fell asleep and, when woken, complained that he had been dreaming of eating the moon and half the sun. His father thereafter stopped making him tend sheep. As an adult he was handsome and outwardly mild but described as inwardly crafty.

Entry into Office and Rise

During Emperor Xingzong's Chongxi era Yixin served as a civil clerk, held the Grand Protector's seal, accompanied officials into the palace, and became a writing attendant after the empress admired his calm bearing. Xingzong also favored him, and he advanced to Guard Grand Protector.

After Yelü Hongji became Emperor Daozong in 1055, Yixin received forty Han households and an associate post in the Inspection Office. Daozong regularly summoned him to discuss difficult political questions. He advanced through the northern administration and privy offices. In 1059 he became Southern Administration Privy Commissioner, was transferred to the northern administration, and was made Prince of Zhao.

In 1063 Yelü Chongyuan rebelled. Before the uprising Yixin had opposed a proposal to send the veteran Yelü Renxian away from court, arguing that an old minister of the previous emperor should not be removed suddenly. After the rebellion was suppressed, Yixin was rewarded for his support with the office of Northern Administration Privy Commissioner, promotion to Prince of Wei, and a long merit title for supporting the dynasty and suppressing the disorder.

Domination of Government and Political Framing

In 1069 Yixin became acting Grand Preceptor and was authorized to act at discretion in military affairs. His power then dominated the court. Gifts and bribes flowed to his household; those who complied with him were recommended and promoted, while upright critics were dismissed or exiled. He formed a faction around Zhang Xiaojie, Yelü Yange, Xiao Shisan, and others and pushed aside officials such as Yelü Renxian, Yelü Liang, and Xiao Hanjianu. A contemporary saying held that it was safer to disobey an imperial edict than a written order from the Prince of Wei.

In 1075 Crown Prince Yelü Jun began taking a major part in government, restricting Yixin's power. To protect his position, Yixin secretly accused the prince's mother, Empress Yide Xiao Guanyin, of adultery with performer Zhao Weiyi and used the “Ten Fragrances Lyrics” case to secure her forced suicide. After her death he promoted the sister of his ally Xiao Xiama as a new empress.

Guard Xiao Hugu once planned to assassinate Yixin from beneath a bridge, but heavy rain destroyed the bridge and the attempt failed. The official Xiao Yanshou memorialized that Yixin and Zhang Xiaojie were collaborating dangerously and should not remain in key positions. Daozong sent Yixin out as governor of the Central Capital. Yixin publicly wept that he had been removed because of slander. His faction reported the complaint to Daozong, who regretted the decision, sent Xiao Yanshou away, and recalled Yixin as Northern Administration Privy Commissioner.

The Crown Prince's Death and Yixin's Fall

After Empress Xiao Guanyin's death, Crown Prince Yelü Jun visibly grieved. Yixin's allies then intensified attacks on him. Following Xiao Shisan's advice, Yixin arranged false accusations that Yelü Sala and others intended to kill Yixin and enthrone the crown prince. An initial investigation found no evidence, so Yixin produced another false confession through Xiao Eduwo. Daozong then ordered executions.

Yixin used extreme torture to secure conformity among the accused, and bodies were left unburied in summer. The crown prince was confined at the Supreme Capital under guards loyal to Yixin. Yixin soon sent Xiao Dalugu and Saba to kill him. When the Supreme Capital governor reported the death, Daozong grieved and considered summoning the prince's wife back to court, but Yixin secretly had her killed as well.

In 1079, before Daozong left on a hunt, Yixin proposed leaving the imperial grandson Yelü Yanxi in the capital, intending to eliminate him. Xiao Wuna objected, and Daozong took the boy with him. The emperor's suspicions deepened when he saw how many officials followed behind Yixin during a northern journey. Yixin was sent out as Southern Administration King, reduced in princely status to Prince of Hunton Commandery, and then transferred to Xingzhong Prefecture.

In 1081 Yixin was convicted of selling prohibited goods abroad. Although the law called for death, ally Yelü Yange invoked privileged consideration and secured a reduced sentence; Yixin was beaten with an iron mace and imprisoned at Laizhou. In 1083, evidence emerged that he planned to flee to Song and had concealed weapons. He was strangled. In 1102 Emperor Tianzuo ordered his coffin opened and corpse mutilated, executed his household, and sent clansmen into slavery.

Major Activities

Political Activity

Yelü Yixin's political career was centered on the accumulation and use of personal power. He rose through ability and his role in the suppression of Yelü Chongyuan's rebellion, but after 1069 used discretionary military authority and control of appointments to promote supporters and remove upright opponents. His faction included Zhang Xiaojie, Yelü Yange, Xiao Shisan, and others.

The “Ten Fragrances Lyrics” Case

In 1075 Yixin accused Empress Yide Xiao Guanyin of an illicit relationship with Zhao Weiyi and used the “Ten Fragrances Lyrics” as evidence. Emperor Daozong ordered the empress to die. The case became one of the best-known miscarriages of justice in Liao history. Yixin then promoted the sister of ally Xiao Xiama as empress, further strengthening his political position.

Framing the Crown Prince

In 1077 Yixin organized false charges that officials were plotting to enthrone Yelü Jun. Through fabricated confessions and severe interrogation he secured the execution of alleged conspirators, Yelü Jun's demotion to commoner, and his confinement at the Supreme Capital. Yixin then arranged the prince's murder and the later killing of his wife.

Travels and Places of Activity

Yixin's career centered on the Liao central capitals, especially the Supreme and Central Capitals. After losing power he served as Southern Administration King and governor of Xingzhong Prefecture and was finally imprisoned at Laizhou.

Personal Relations

Family

• Father: Yelü Diela, whose poverty gave the family the nickname “Poor Diela”
• Mother: surname unknown; associated in the sources with omen stories about Yixin's birth
• Son: Yelü Suiye; married Xiao Wotelan, a niece of Xiao Yuliye, who was later taken into Daozong's harem

Ruler-Minister Relations

• Emperor Xingzong Yelü Zongzhen: favored Yixin early in his career and promoted him
• Emperor Daozong Yelü Hongji: trusted him deeply, later became suspicious, and ultimately approved his punishment
• Crown Prince Yelü Jun: framed and killed through Yixin's machinations
• Imperial grandson Yelü Yanxi, later Emperor Tianzuo: target of an attempted plot; later ordered posthumous desecration of Yixin's body

Allies

• Zhang Xiaojie: chief councillor and political ally
• Yelü Yange: ally who argued for mitigation of Yixin's punishment
• Xiao Shisan: participated in the plot against the crown prince
• Xiao Xiama: imperial son-in-law and ally; his sister became empress
• Xiao Delite: participated in framing the crown prince

Opponents

• Xiao Guanyin: Empress Yide, framed and forced to die
• Xiao Yanshou: official who memorialized against Yixin
• Xiao Hugu: guard who attempted to assassinate him
• Yelü Renxian: senior minister, initially protected by Yixin but later excluded by his faction
• Xiao Wuna: opposed leaving the imperial grandson behind and helped awaken Daozong's suspicions
• Yelü Sala: executed in the fabricated crown-prince case

Historical Assessment

Liao / Contemporary

Xiao Weixin condemned the proceedings against Empress Xiao Guanyin as the destruction of a virtuous empress and mother of the heir on the word of a hostile servant. Xiao Yanshou warned that Yixin's fear of the crown prince and alliance with Zhang Xiaojie made it dangerous for him to remain in a key office. The saying about disobeying imperial edicts rather than the Prince of Wei's slips illustrates how great his power had become.

Yuan Period

The History of Liao placed Yelü Yixin in the “Treacherous Ministers” biographies and used his career as a warning example of officials whose actions harmed the state. His role in the cases of the empress and crown prince receives extensive treatment there.

Ming and Qing Periods

Works such as Wang Qi's Xu Wenxian Tongkao followed the History of Liao in treating Yixin as an archetypal treacherous minister. Li E collected and examined materials on the “Ten Fragrances Lyrics” case. Zhao Yi linked Yixin's political domination with the acceleration of Liao decline.

Modern and Contemporary

Modern general histories have treated Yelü Yixin as a representative figure of factional manipulation and political corruption in the later Liao. The case has also been dramatized in modern historical fiction, Yue opera, and documentary television, where Yixin is typically represented as a villainous court politician.