Kubla Khan

1 9.5

Mongol ruler who took control of China and built his capital where Beijing now stands

proper noun
/ˈkuːblə kɑːn/

: Kubla Khan

In the 13th century, Kubla Khan expanded the Mongol Empire and established the Yuan dynasty in China.

Examples

Kubla Khan played a crucial role in connecting East and West by inviting Marco Polo to his court.
The poem by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, titled Kubla Khan, was inspired by the emperor's legendary palace.
Modern Beijing stands on the site where Kubla Khan built his magnificent capital.
Kubla Khan was a great ruler.
Did Kubla Khan love art?
The Great Wall of China was reinforced under the leadership of Kubla Khan during his reign.
Many scholars credit Kubla Khan with creating the cultural exchange between China and Europe.

Synonyms

Kublai Khan

vsKubla Khan

1 7.9

Mongolian emperor who ruled China and started the Yuan dynasty from Beijing

is the same name presented in a different spelling form

Surface Forms

Kubla Khan main

Morphology

Kubla + khan

This is a proper name formed from an unknown given name plus the title 'khan'. A B1 learner who knows 'khan' (a ruler) will readily infer that 'Kubla Khan' refers to a person who is a ruler, but they cannot derive the specific historical identity, dates, or actions from the constituents alone. Because the title gives partial meaning but not the full referential content, the item is semi-transparent.

Etymology

Kubla Khan was a Mongol emperor who built a great capital where modern Beijing now stands and was famous for his rich, exotic palace. The strong image of that palace inspired Coleridge's poem, so today Kubla Khan often brings to mind a powerful ruler or an exotic 'palace' and 'wealth'.