Xianbei
The Xianbei (; ) were a Proto-Mongolic ancient nomadic people that once resided in the eastern Eurasian steppes in what is today Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, and Northeastern China. They originated from the Donghu people who splintered into the ...
chieftain who lived during the late
Eastern 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 ...
period of China. It was under Tanshihuai when the Xianbei became a unified polity and posed a constant threat to the Han dynasty's northern borders for many years. After his death, however, his state quickly fell apart as his grandsons failed to maintain the support of the tribes.
Life
Early life and rise
Tanshihuai's mother was the wife of a man named Touluhou (投鹿侯). While Touluhou was serving in the
Xiongnu
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 20 ...
army for three years, his wife gave birth to him at home. When he returned, Touluhou believed Tanshihuai to be the product of an affair and wanted to kill him before his wife intervened. She claimed that while she was out in the day, she had heard the sound of a
thunderstorm
A thunderstorm, also known as an electrical storm or a lightning storm, is a storm characterized by the presence of lightning and its acoustic effect on the Earth's atmosphere, known as thunder. Relatively weak thunderstorms are someti ...
. When she looked up, a piece of
hail
Hail is a form of solid precipitation. It is distinct from ice pellets (American English "sleet"), though the two are often confused. It consists of balls or irregular lumps of ice, each of which is called a hailstone. Ice pellets generally fal ...
fell into her mouth, and she became pregnant with Tanshihuai after she swallowed it. Although Touluhou did not believe her, he decided not to kill him, only forcing her to send him away. The wife secretly gave Tanshihuai to her parents for them to raise.
As Tanshihuai was growing up, he was described as brave, strong and resourceful. At the age of 14 or 15, a leader from a different tribe robbed his grandfather's cattles and horses. On horseback, Tanshihuai chased them down and recovered all the stolen animals, which made him renown among his people. As an adult, his laws and judgements were fair, and his followers did not object to them, so he was elected to be the main leader of his tribe. He moved his base to Mount Danhan (彈汗山; in present-day
Shangdu County
Shangdu County ( Mongolian: ''Šaŋdu siyan'', Шанду шянь; ) is a county of south-central Inner Mongolia
Inner Mongolia, officially the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China. Its ...
,
Inner Mongolia
Inner Mongolia, officially the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China. Its border includes most of the length of China's border with the country of Mongolia. Inner Mongolia also accounts for a ...
), where he built a court on the banks of the Jieqiu River (歠仇水).
Tanshihuai's soldiers and horses were strong, and many of the tribes in the east and west submitted to him. He conducted raids on the Han dynasty's borders and blocked the Dingling's encroachment from the north. He also repelled Buyeo's attacks from the east and attacked the
Wusun
The Wusun (; Eastern Han Chinese *''ʔɑ-suən'' <
(140 BCE < 436 BCE): *''Ɂâ-sûn'') were an ancient semi- in the west. His territory was comparable to the former
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 ...
, covering more than 14,000 '' li'' from east to west and 7,000 ''li'' from north to south including mountains, rivers, swamps and
salt lake
A salt lake or saline lake is a landlocked body of water that has a concentration of salts (typically sodium chloride) and other dissolved minerals significantly higher than most lakes (often defined as at least three grams of salt per litre). ...
s.
War with the Han dynasty
In 156, Tanshihuai led around three to four thousand cavalry to invade the Han dynasty's Yunzhong County. He led more attacks on the Han's northern borders in 158, 159 and 163. In 166, the Xianbei allied with the
Southern Xiongnu
The Xiongnu (, ) were a tribal confederation of nomads, nomadic peoples who, according to ancient Chinese historiography, Chinese sources, inhabited the eastern Eurasian Steppe from the 3rd century BC to the late 1st century AD. Modu Chanyu, ...
to attack nine border commanderies, plundering them and killing many of the local officials and people. The Han sent the general,
Zhang Huan
Zhang Huan (; born 1965) is a Chinese artist based in Shanghai and New York City.
He began his career as a painter and then transitioned to performance art before making a comeback to painting. He is primarily known for his performance work, but a ...
, to attack them, and the Xianbei withdrew from the border fortresses. Fearing their inability to restrain him, the Han sent their envoys with official
seals
Seals may refer to:
* Pinniped, a diverse group of semi-aquatic marine mammals, many of which are commonly called seals, particularly:
** Earless seal, or "true seal"
** Fur seal
* Seal (emblem), a device to impress an emblem, used as a means of a ...
and ribbons to Tanshihuai, offering him the title of King in hopes of reaching a peace agreement. However, Tanshihuai rejected them and only intensified his intrusion.
Tanshihuai divided his domain into three sections; from Youbeiping to the east up to
Liaodong
The Liaodong Peninsula (also Liaotung Peninsula, ) is a peninsula in southern Liaoning province in Northeast China, and makes up the southwestern coastal half of the Liaodong region. It is located between the mouths of the Daliao River (the ...
, encompassing over twenty cities including the
Buyeo
Buyeo or Puyŏ ( Korean: 부여; Korean pronunciation: u.jʌ or 扶餘 ''Fúyú''), also rendered as Fuyu, was an ancient kingdom that was centered in northern Manchuria in modern-day northeast China. It is sometimes considered a Korea ...
and
Yemaek
Yemaek or Yamaek () was an ancient tribal group in the northern Korean Peninsula and Manchuria who are regarded by some scholars as the ancestors of modern Koreans. They had ancestral ties to various Korean kingdoms including Gojoseon, Buyeo, Go ...
tribes, formed the eastern part. From Youbeiping to the west up to
Shanggu
Shanggu Commandery ( zh, 上谷郡) was a commandery in imperial China from the Warring States period to Tang dynasty. It was located in present-day Hebei and Beijing.
The commandery was established by the state of Yan for the defense against the ...
, including over ten cities, formed the central part. From Shanggu to the west up to
Dunhuang
Dunhuang () is a county-level city in Northwestern Gansu Province, Western China. According to the 2010 Chinese census, the city has a population of 186,027, though 2019 estimates put the city's population at about 191,800. Dunhuang was a major ...
and the
Wusun
The Wusun (; Eastern Han Chinese *''ʔɑ-suən'' <
(140 BCE < 436 BCE): *''Ɂâ-sûn'') were an ancient semi-, including over twenty cities, formed the western part. Each section was governed by a chieftain appointed by Tanshihuai, who swore fealty to him.
During the reign of
Emperor Ling of Han
Emperor Ling of Han (156 – 13 May 189), personal name Liu Hong, was the 12th and last powerful emperor of the Eastern Han dynasty. Born the son of a lesser marquis who descended directly from Emperor Zhang (the third Eastern Han emperor), L ...
, the Xianbei attacked the border commanderies of
You
In Modern English, ''you'' is the second-person pronoun. It is grammatically plural, and was historically used only for the dative case, but in most modern dialects is used for all cases and numbers.
History
''You'' comes from the Proto- ...
,
Bing
Bing most often refers to:
* Bing Crosby (1903–1977), American singer
* Microsoft Bing, a web search engine
Bing may also refer to:
Food and drink
* Bing (bread), a Chinese flatbread
* Bing (soft drink), a UK brand
* Bing cherry, a varie ...
and Liang provinces, leaving countless dead and devastating the regions. In 177, the Han launched a counterattack on the Xianbei. They sent the generals
Xia Yu Xia Yu may refer to:
*Yu the Great, also known as Xia Yu, legendary founder of the Xia dynasty
* Xia Yu (actor) (born 1978), Chinese actor
*Ha Yu (actor)
Wong Sing (born 14 June 1943), better known by his stage name Ha Yu, is a Hong Kong actor ...
,
Tian Yan
Yan, Marquis of Tian (; died 375 BC) was from 383 to 375 BC ruler of the State of Qi, a major power during the Warring States period of ancient China. His personal name was Tián Yǎn (田剡), and ancestral name Gui ( 媯).
Reign
Yan's father ...
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 ...
,
Tute Ruoshi Zhujiu
Tute Ruoshi Zhujiu succeeded his father Jucheer as chanyu of the Xiongnu in 172 AD. In 177 AD, Tute and a contingent of horsemen took part in an expedition against the Xianbei. They were heavily defeated and only a quarter of their forces retur ...
to venture beyond the
Great Wall
The Great Wall of China (, literally "ten thousand Li (unit), ''li'' wall") is a series of fortifications that were built across the historical northern borders of ancient Chinese states and Imperial China as protection against Eurasian noma ...
. The Han army marched over 2,000 ''li'' before facing Tanshihuai in battle and were heavily defeated. Only one-tenth of the Han army returned safely, and later that winter, the Xianbei raided
Liaoxi
Liaoxi () was a former province in Northeast China, located in what is now part of Liaoning and Jilin provinces. It existed from 1949 to 1954, and its capital was Jinzhou
Jinzhou (, ), formerly Chinchow, is a coastal prefecture-level city ...
.
In 178, the Xianbei raided
Jiuquan Commandery
Jiuquan, formerly known as Suzhou, is a prefecture-level city in the northwesternmost part of Gansu Province in the People's Republic of China. It is more than wide from east to west, occupying , although its built-up area is mostly located in ...
. At the time, the Xianbei population had grew to the point that farming, herding and hunting alone could not longer sustain them. Therefore, Tanshihuai went to the Wuhouqin River (烏侯秦水; modern-day Laoha River,
Liaoning
Liaoning () is a coastal province in Northeast China that is the smallest, southernmost, and most populous province in the region. With its capital at Shenyang, it is located on the northern shore of the Yellow Sea, and is the northernmost ...
) to promote fishing, but initially had no success. Hearing that the Han people (汗人, not to be confused with 漢人
Han people
The Han Chinese () or Han people (), are an East Asian ethnic group native to China. They constitute the world's largest ethnic group, making up about 18% of the global population and consisting of various subgroups speaking distinctive ...
) were excellent fishers, he led his cavalry to attack them in the east and captured thousands of them. He relocated them to live along the Wuhouqin River to fish for the Xianbei and alleviate their food shortage. While the earlier ''
Records of the Three Kingdoms
The ''Records or History of the Three Kingdoms'', also known by its Chinese name as the Sanguo Zhi, is a Chinese historical text which covers the history of the late Eastern Han dynasty (c. 184–220 AD) and the Three Kingdoms period (220– ...
'' refer to these captured people as "Han people", the later ''
Book of the Later Han
The ''Book of the Later Han'', also known as the ''History of the Later Han'' and by its Chinese name ''Hou Hanshu'' (), is one of the Twenty-Four Histories and covers the history of the Han dynasty from 6 to 189 CE, a period known as the Later ...
'' refer to them as " Wa people" (倭人), with "Wa" being an old term for
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
. K. H. J. Gardiner and
Rafe de Crespigny
Richard Rafe Champion de Crespigny (born 1936), also known by his Chinese name Zhang Leifu (), is an Australian sinologist and historian. He was an adjunct professor in the College of Asia and the Pacific at the Australian National University. ...
reason that it is feasible that "Han people" refers to the people of Panhan county (番汗縣) in
Liaodong Commandery
Liaodong Commandery ( zh, 遼東郡) was a commandery in imperial China that existed from the Warring States period to the Northern dynasties. It was located in modern Liaoning, to the east of the Liao River.
The commandery was created by the stat ...
, which was well within Tanshihuai's area of influence, and the far-fetched suggestion that Tanshihuai invaded Japan by sea could hardly be considered when the Xianbei at the time could not effectively fish for themselves.
Death and descendants
Tanshihuai died at the age of 45 in 181 and was succeeded by his son, Helian, signifying an attempt at shifting away from the elective-based system of succession to a hereditary system. However, in the coming decades, the vast state that Tanshihuai had built would quickly fall apart.(光和中，檀石槐死，時年四十五，子和連代立。) ''Hou Hanshu'', vol.90 Around 189, Helian was killed during a raid on Han, and the chieftains acclaimed his nephew, Kuitou as his successor since his son, Qianman, was too young at the time. Once Qianman became of age, however, he challenged Kuitou's succession and caused many of the Xianbei chieftains to break away. Following Kuitou's death, his domain was divided between his brothers, Budugen and Fuluohan, but by 233, they were both killed by a rival chieftain,
Kebineng
Kebineng (died 235) was a Xianbei chieftain who lived during the late Eastern Han dynasty and Three Kingdoms period of China. He rose to power during the late Eastern Han dynasty after the warlord Cao Cao defeated the Wuhuan tribes in northern C ...
. That same year, Fuluohan's son, Xieguini, surrendered to the
Bing province
Bingzhou, or Bing Province, was a location in ancient China. According to legend, when Yu the Great (c. 2200 BC-2100 BC) tamed the flood, he divided the land of China into the Nine Provinces. Historical texts such as the ''Rites of Zhou'', and "Tr ...
, though what became of him afterwards is unknown.
Records of the Three Kingdoms
The ''Records or History of the Three Kingdoms'', also known by its Chinese name as the Sanguo Zhi, is a Chinese historical text which covers the history of the late Eastern Han dynasty (c. 184–220 AD) and the Three Kingdoms period (220– ...
Book of the Later Han
The ''Book of the Later Han'', also known as the ''History of the Later Han'' and by its Chinese name ''Hou Hanshu'' (), is one of the Twenty-Four Histories and covers the history of the Han dynasty from 6 to 189 CE, a period known as the Later ...