Founder and first emperor of the Liao Dynasty (872-926), known for unifying the Khitan tribes, creating a writing system, and establishing law and administration.

General of the Liao dynasty (died 998) known for his military strategy and battlefield successes during the conflicts with the Song dynasty over the Sixteen Prefectures.

Yelü Dashi (1087-1143), a Chinese-educated Khitan leader and the founder of the Western Liao dynasty in Central Asia.

Yelü Chucai (1190-1244), a Khitan statesman and advisor to the Mongol Empire; he was instrumental in establishing administrative systems and taxation in north China, steering the Mongols away from mass destruction of the population.