契丹 qì dān

DEFINITIONS

  1. Qidan or Khitan, ethnic group in ancient China, a branch of the Eastern Hu people inhabiting the valley of the Xar Murun River in the upper reaches of the Liao River 遼河|辽河[Liao2 He2]

CHARACTERS

契 qì deed, contract, bond; engrave
丹 dān cinnabar (native HgS); vermilion (artificial HgS used as pigment)