Junchen (,
Old Chinese
Old Chinese, also called Archaic Chinese in older works, is the oldest attested stage of Chinese language, Chinese, and the ancestor of all modern varieties of Chinese. The earliest examples of Chinese are divinatory inscriptions on oracle bones ...
(
ZS): *''kun-gin''; r. 161–126 BCE) was the son and successor to
Laoshang Chanyu
Laoshang (; r. 174–161 BCE), whose personal name was Jiyu (), was a Chanyu of the Xiongnu Empire who succeeded his father Modu Chanyu in 174 BCE. Under his reign, the Xiongnu Empire continued to expand against the Yuezhi and the Xiongnu thus ...
. As
chanyu
Chanyu () or Shanyu (), short for Chengli Gutu Chanyu (), was the title used by the supreme rulers of Inner Asian nomads for eight centuries until superseded by the title "''Khagan''" in 402 CE. The title was most famously used by the ruling L ...
of the
Xiongnu Empire
The Xiongnu (, ) were a tribal confederation of nomadic peoples who, according to ancient Chinese sources, inhabited the eastern Eurasian Steppe from the 3rd century BC to the late 1st century AD. Modu Chanyu, the supreme leader after 209 ...
, Junchen outlived the Han emperors
Wen
Wen, wen, or WEN may refer to:
* WEN, New York Stock Exchange symbol for Wendy's/Arby's Group
* WEN, Amtrak station code for Columbia Station in Wenatchee, Washington, United States
* WEN, ICAO airline designator for WestJet Encore
* Wen (surnam ...
(r. 180–157 BC),
Jing (r. 157–141 BC). He died during the reign of the
Emperor Wu of Han
Emperor Wu of Han (156 – 29 March 87BC), formally enshrined as Emperor Wu the Filial (), born Liu Che (劉徹) and courtesy name Tong (通), was the seventh emperor of the Han dynasty of ancient China, ruling from 141 to 87 BC. His reign la ...
(r. 141–87 BC). All three Han emperors confirmed the ''
heqin
''Heqin'', also known as marriage alliance, refers to the historical practice of Chinese monarchs marrying princesses—usually members of minor branches of the ruling family—to rulers of neighboring states. It was often adopted as an appeaseme ...
'' peace and kinship treaty with the Xiongnu.
Life
Junchen succeeded his father,
Laoshang Chanyu
Laoshang (; r. 174–161 BCE), whose personal name was Jiyu (), was a Chanyu of the Xiongnu Empire who succeeded his father Modu Chanyu in 174 BCE. Under his reign, the Xiongnu Empire continued to expand against the Yuezhi and the Xiongnu thus ...
, in 161 BCE.
Although peace with the
Han dynasty
The Han dynasty (, ; ) was an imperial dynasty of China (202 BC – 9 AD, 25–220 AD), established by Liu Bang (Emperor Gao) and ruled by the House of Liu. The dynasty was preceded by the short-lived Qin dynasty (221–207 BC) and a warr ...
generally persisted under his reign, Xiongnu raids still occurred in the years 158, 148, 144, and 142. The Chinese annals note that mutual relations were imperiled on a number of occasions, which included appeals of the Chinese contenders for the Xiongnu's assistance and protection, the Xiongnu's retaliatory raids as punishments for violation of the treaty terms, and one direct Chinese assault against the chanyu. The Xiongnu were especially sensitive about unimperiled trade relations, which were one of the terms of the ''heqin'' treaty, and the Chinese annals specifically note a number of instances of the border trade opening, implying that the border trade was at times banned.
In the summer of 133 BCE, Junchen led a force of 100,000 to attack Mayi in
Shuofang
Shuofang () was an ancient Chinese commandery, situated in the Hetao region in modern-day Inner Mongolia near Baotou. First founded by Emperor Wu of Han in the wake of the successful reconquest of the area from Xiongnu tribes, it was dissolved ...
,
Dai Commandery
Dai Commandery was a commandery (''jùn'') of the state of Zhao established BC and of northern imperial Chinese dynasties until the time of the Emperor Wen of the Sui dynasty (r. AD581–604). It occupied lands in what is now Hebei, Shanxi, ...
.
Wang Hui and two other generals attempted to ambush the Xiongnu at
Mayi with a large force of 300,000, but Junchen retreated after learning about the ambush from a captured local warden. Wang Hui decided not to give chase and was sentenced to death. He committed suicide. The Han army abandoned chariots after this point.
The ambush happened in the 133 BCE, when Junchen Chanyu was lured inside the border, and he almost run into an ambush of a 300,000 strong Chinese army. Only a disclosure by a Chinese officer about the planned ambush saved the Chanyu. After the failed ambush, the treaty was practically abrogated, the relations soured, the border traders were assaulted, in 127 BC the Chinese army attacked and expelled the Xiongnu tribes
Loufan Loufan may refer to:
* Loufan (tribe) (樓煩), a Xiongnu-associated nomadic tribe; see Loufan County, Shanxi Province, China
* Loufan Commandery (樓煩郡, part of modern Xinzhou), former commandery in what is now Xinzhou Prefecture, Shanxi, Chi ...
and ''
Bayan'' (白羊王) from the
Ordos Ordos may refer to:
Inner Mongolia
* Ordos City, Inner Mongolia, China
**Ordos Ejin Horo Airport
* Ordos Loop of the Yellow River, a region of China
**Ordos Plateau or "the Ordos", land enclosed by Ordos Loop
*Ordos Desert, in Inner Mongolia
*Ordos ...
, and then built fortifications and forts to retain the captured territory.
In the spring of 129 BC,
Wei Qing
Wei Qing (died 106 BC), courtesy name Zhongqing, born Zheng Qing in Linfen, Shanxi, was a Chinese military general and politician of the Western Han dynasty who was acclaimed for his campaigns against the Xiongnu, and his rags to riches life ...
and three other generals led a cavalry force of 40,000 in an attack on the Xiongnu at the frontier markets of Shanggu. Wei Qing successfully killed several thousand Xiongnu and took 700 prisoners. General
Gongsun Ao
Gongsun Ao (died 96 BCE) was a Chinese military commander and general during the Western Han Dynasty of China. He was noted for participating in the imperial campaigns against the Xiongnu.
Life
Gongsun Ao was from Beidi which is presently in mod ...
was defeated and lost 7,000 men. He was reduced to commoner status.
Li Guang
Li Guang (184-119 BC) was a Chinese military general of the Western Han dynasty. Nicknamed "Flying General" by the Xiongnu, he fought primarily in the campaigns against the nomadic Xiongnu tribes to the north of China. He was known to the Xiong ...
was defeated and captured but managed to escape by feigning death and returned to base. He was reduced to commoner status.
Gongsun He
Gongsun () is one of the few Chinese compound surnames.
Famous people with this surname include:
* Gongsun Xuanyuan, reputed name of the Yellow Emperor; other sources say his surname was Ji
* Gongsun Shu, emperor of Chengjia
* Gongsun Shan Y ...
failed to find the Xiongnu. That winter the Xiongnu attacked
Yuyang in
You Province
You Prefecture or You Province, also known by its Chinese language, Chinese name Youzhou, was a prefecture (''Zhou (country subdivision), zhou'') in North China, northern China during its imperial era.
"You Province" was cited in some ancient so ...
in retaliation.
In the autumn of 128 BC,
Wei Qing
Wei Qing (died 106 BC), courtesy name Zhongqing, born Zheng Qing in Linfen, Shanxi, was a Chinese military general and politician of the Western Han dynasty who was acclaimed for his campaigns against the Xiongnu, and his rags to riches life ...
and Li Xi led a force of 40,000 and defeated the Xiongnu north of
Yanmen Commandery
Yanmen Commandery was an administrative subdivision (''jùn'') of the state of Zhao established BC and of northern imperial Chinese dynasties until AD758. It occupied lands in what is now Shanxi and Inner Mongolia. Its first seat was at Shanwu ...
.
In 126 BC, the Xiongnu led a force of 90,000 under the Wise King (Tuqi) of the Right to attack
Dai Commandery
Dai Commandery was a commandery (''jùn'') of the state of Zhao established BC and of northern imperial Chinese dynasties until the time of the Emperor Wen of the Sui dynasty (r. AD581–604). It occupied lands in what is now Hebei, Shanxi, ...
, killing its grand administrator Gong You. They also raided
Dingxiang and
Shang
The Shang dynasty (), also known as the Yin dynasty (), was a Chinese royal dynasty founded by Tang of Shang (Cheng Tang) that ruled in the Yellow River valley in the second millennium BC, traditionally succeeding the Xia dynasty and f ...
, taking several thousand captives. Junchen died in the same year and his younger brother, a ''Eastern Luli-Prince''
Yizhixie Chanyu
Yizhixie (; r. 126–114 BC) was the brother of Junchen Chanyu and his successor to the Xiongnu throne. Yizhixie ruled during a time of conflict with the southern Han dynasty under the military expansionist, Emperor Wu of Han (r. 141–87 BC) ...
(or ''Ichisye'') ascended the throne (r. 126-114 BCE).
[Bichurin N.Ya., ''"Collection of information on peoples in Central Asia in ancient times"'', vol. 1, Sankt Petersburg, 1851, p. 32–37]
Footnotes
References
*Bichurin N.Ya., ''Collection of information on peoples in Central Asia in ancient times'', vol. 1, Sankt Petersburg, 1851, reprint Moscow-Leningrad, 1950
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Chanyus
2nd-century BC rulers in Asia