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for Chengli Gutu Chanyu (), was the title used by the supreme rulers of Inner Asian nomads for eight centuries until superseded by the title "'' Khagan''" in 402 CE.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 rulin ...
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& ...
, the son of
Xulüquanqu Chanyu
Xulüquanqu () was a Chanyu of the Xiongnu Empire. The brother and successor of the Huyandi Chanyu, he reigned from 68 to 60 BC.
In 64 BC, the Xiongnu raided Jiaohe.
Xulüquanqu died in 60 BC and was succeeded by Woyanqudi
Woyanqudi (), bo ...
. He rebelled in 59 BC with the aid of Wushanmu and
Woyanqudi Chanyu
Woyanqudi (), born Tuqitang (屠耆堂), was a Chanyu of the Xiongnu Empire. The successor to Xulüquanqu Chanyu, he reigned from 60 to 58 BC.
Woyanqudi was a tyrannical ruler. He killed his predecessor's supporters and dismissed his own kinsfo ...
soon committed suicide, leaving the Xiongnu torn apart by factional strife. By 55 BC, only Huhanye and his brother
Zhizhi Chanyu
Zhizhi or Chi-Chi (, from Old Chinese (58 BCE): *''tśit-kie'' < *''tit-ke'';Schuessler 2014, p. 277 died 36 BCE), also known as Jzh-jzh, was a
Xulüquanqu Chanyu
Xulüquanqu () was a Chanyu of the Xiongnu Empire. The brother and successor of the Huyandi Chanyu, he reigned from 68 to 60 BC.
In 64 BC, the Xiongnu raided Jiaohe.
Xulüquanqu died in 60 BC and was succeeded by Woyanqudi
Woyanqudi (), bo ...
*Mother: Unknown
*Brother:
Woyanqudi Chanyu
Woyanqudi (), born Tuqitang (屠耆堂), was a Chanyu of the Xiongnu Empire. The successor to Xulüquanqu Chanyu, he reigned from 60 to 58 BC.
Woyanqudi was a tyrannical ruler. He killed his predecessor's supporters and dismissed his own kinsfo ...
Wulei Chanyu
Wulei (), born Xian, was a chanyu of the Xiongnu Empire. The brother and successor of Wuzhuliu, he reigned from 13 to 18 AD. Xian took part in subjugating Wuhuan lands and as a result upset the Han dynasty. Han envoys attempted to split up the X ...
Huduershidaogao Chanyu
Huduershidaogao (), born Yu, was a chanyu of the Xiongnu Empire. The brother and successor of Wuzhuliu Chanyu, he reigned from 18 to 46 AD.
Biography
Yu was the eldest surviving brother of Wuzhuliu Chanyu upon his death in 13 AD, but Yu was pass ...
(呼都而尸道皋若鞮单于)
*Lady Wang Zhaojun (王昭君)
**Prince Yituzhiyashi (伊屠智牙師)
** Another Prince
**Princess Subu Juci (须卜居次)
**Princess Dangyu Juci (当于居次)
Biography
In 33 BC, Huhanye visited Chang'an as part of the tributary system that existed between the Han and Xiongnu governments. He took the opportunity to request to become an imperial son-in-law and unwilling to honour Huhanye with a real princess, Emperor Yuan ordered that the plainest girl in the harem be selected. A lady-in-waiting named Wang Zhaojun volunteered and the Emperor approved. However, Wang Zhaojun was revealed to be exceedingly beautiful and she is considered one of the Four Beauties of ancient China, alongside
Xi Shi
Xi Shi (Hsi Shih; , ) was, according to legends, one of the renowned Four Beauties of ancient China. She was said to have lived during the end of the Spring and Autumn period in Zhuji, the capital of the ancient State of Yue.
In traditiona ...
,
Diaochan
Diaochan was one of the Four Beauties of ancient China. Although based on a minor historical personage, she is mostly a fictional character. She is best known for her role in the 14th-century historical novel ''Romance of the Three Kingdoms'', ...
, and
Yang Guifei
Yang Yuhuan (; 26 June, 719 – 15 July 756Volume 218 of ''Zizhi Tongjian'' recorded that Yang was killed on the ''bingshen'' day of the 6th month of the 1st year of the Zhide era of Tang Suzong's reign. This date corresponds to 15 Jul 756 on t ...
.
Wang Zhaojun became a favorite of Huhanye Chanyu, giving birth to two sons. Only one, Yituzhiyashi (伊屠智牙師) has been recorded as survived, and Yituzhiyazhi was involved in politics. They also had two daughters, Yun (雲) known as Subu Juci (须卜居次) and Dangyu Juci (当于居次). Yun was created Princess Yimuo and would later become a powerful figure in Xiongnu politics.
Huhanye was defeated by Zhizhi in 51 BC and fled to the
Han dynasty
The Han dynasty (, ; ) was an Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty of China (202 BC – 9 AD, 25–220 AD), established by Emperor Gaozu of Han, Liu Bang (Emperor Gao) and ruled by the House of Liu. The dynasty was preceded by th ...
. Zhizhi also submitted to the Han the following year but declared independence in 48 BC once he saw that they favored his brother. Zhizhi moved further west to attack
Fergana
Fergana ( uz, Fargʻona/Фарғона, ), or Ferghana, is a district-level city and the capital of Fergana Region in eastern Uzbekistan. Fergana is about 420 km east of Tashkent, about 75 km west of Andijan, and less than 20 km ...
and the
Wusun
The Wusun (; Eastern Han Chinese *''ʔɑ-suən'' <
(140 BCE < 436 BCE): *''Ɂâ-sûn'') were an ancient semi-
. In 43 BC, Huhanye moved back north. Zhizhi was killed by the Han at the
Battle of Zhizhi
The Battle of Zhizhi (郅支之戰) was fought in 36 BC between the Han Dynasty and the Xiongnu chieftain Zhizhi Chanyu. Zhizhi was defeated and killed. The battle was probably fought near Taraz on the Talas River in eastern Kazakhstan, whi ...
in 36 BC, leaving Huhanye the uncontested leader of the Xiongnu. Huhanye died in 31 BC and was succeeded by his son Diaotaomogao.
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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*Taskin B.S., ''"Materials on Sünnu history"'', Science, Moscow, 1968, p. 31 (In Russian)
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Huhanye
Chanyus1st-century BC rulers in Asia31 BC deaths