In early tenth century, a northern minority of Qidan nationality roving around north of the Great wall, came onto the arena of the Chinere history. Since then, the Qidan culture as an ruling class exerted its imperceptitle influenced on the Han nationality. Culturally, it not only affected the Han nationality’s materialistic culture (Such as the tasic necesscties of life: food, clothing, shelter and movement) but also their society cultrue (including marriage, chied-tearing, turial and funeral acticities, language, and surname of a family); Regionally, Qidan culture influenced the Han nationtity whithin the area of Northern Qidan of the Liao Dynasty, also those in central China under the jurisdiction of the Northern Song Dynasty; Viewed from span of time, the culture not only exerted its infueuce for the 200 years of the Liao Dynasty, but also extends to this date, after eight or nine hundred years and trace of Qidan culture can still be found in an old haunt where Qidan people lived before.
