Yelü Chucai

Yelü Chucai (Chinese: 耶律楚材; pinyin: Yēlǜ Chǔcái; Mongolian: Urtu Saqaltu "Longbeard", written in Chinese characters as "吾圖撒合里", July 24, 1190 – June 20, 1244), courtesy name Jinqing (Chinese: 晉卿), was a Khitan statesman from the imperial Yelü clan of the Liao dynasty, who became a vigorous adviser and administrator of the early Mongol Empire under Genghis Khan and later his successor Ögedei Khan. A trained Confucian scholar and court official, he served as scribe-secretary and court astrologer-astronomer during the reign of Genghis Khan, facilitating the latter's meeting with monk Qiu Chuji. Upon the enthronement of Ögedei, his influence increased, being put in charge in 1229 of taxation reform in North China, and being appointed Head of the Great Imperial Secretariat.