Yelü

The Yelü clan (Khitan: , spelled əy.er.uu.əld, pronounced Yeruuld; Chinese: 耶律; pinyin: Yēlǜ), alternatively rendered as Yila (Chinese: 移剌; pinyin: Yílǎ) or Yarud, was a prominent family of ethnic Khitan origin in the history of China. The clan assumed leadership of the Khitan tribal confederation in 907 when Abaoji was made khagan. In 916, Abaoji founded the Liao dynasty. After the fall of the Liao dynasty in 1125, members of the Yelü family continued to play significant roles in history, most notably for ruling the Western Liao and during the Mongols era of conquest in the 13th century. Yelü Chucai, the last recorded person to be able to speak and read the Khitan language, is notable for advising Genghis Khan in the Confucian tradition.

The Yelü clan established numerous dynastic regimes in Chinese history: the Liao dynasty, Northern Liao, Western Liao, Eastern Liao, and Later Liao. In particular, the Liao dynasty and Western Liao were powerful empires that had significant impact on regional history.