Once upon a time, the group known as the Ruru was a descendant of the Donghu and had the surname Yujiumu. In the early days, during the first year of the Shishen era, there was a captured slave whose hair reached his eyebrows and had even forgotten his own name. His master gave him the name Mugulü, meaning "bald head." The name "Mugulü" was phonetically similar to "Yujiumu," so his descendants later adopted it as their surname. As he grew up, Mugulü transformed from a slave into a cavalryman. During Emperor Mu's reign, he committed a crime and faced execution, so he fled into the vast valleys, gathering more than a hundred other fugitives and seeking refuge with the Chuntulun tribe. After Mugulü died, his son Che Luhui was known for his exceptional combat skills, gradually amassing a following and pledging allegiance to the state. Later, their ancestors regarded them as ignorant and insect-like, so they renamed them Ruru.
After Che Luhui passed away, he paid annual tribute of horses, livestock, and sable fur, migrating south in winter and returning north in summer. After Che Luhui's death, his son Tunukui succeeded him; after Tunukui's death, his son Batui took over; after Batui's death, his son Disuyuan ascended. Upon Disuyuan's death, his followers divided into two factions. Disuyuan's eldest son Pihouba inherited his father's territory in the east, while his second son Yunheti established a presence in the west. When Emperor Zhao Cheng died, Yunheti allied with Weichen and betrayed us. As a result, the court sent troops to deal with them, and the Ruru fled in every direction. We pursued them and caught up with them at the foot of Chuangshan Mountain, south of the desert, where we defeated them in a major battle and captured half of their forces.
Pi Houba and Wu Ji led the remaining defeated soldiers and fled. The court sent Changsun Song and Changsun Fei to pursue them, and they crossed the desert. Song arrived at Pingwang River, defeated Wu Ji, captured him, and then killed him for all to see. Fei arrived at Zhuoxie Mountain, caught up with Pi Houba, who surrendered along with his subordinates. We captured the son of Yungueti, He Duo Han, as well as his brothers Jie Guizhi, Shun, Holu, and several hundred members of their tribes, and distributed them to different tribes. Yungueti fled west, hoping to find refuge with Wei Chen. Taizu caught up with him, pursued him to Bana Mountain, and Yungueti surrendered once more, with Taizu comforting him as he had before.
Nine years ago, He Duo Han and Shun abandoned their father and fled west with their troops. Changsun Fei pursued them with light cavalry, caught up with them at Bana Mountain in Shangjun, killed He Duo Han, and annihilated his army. Shun fled with several hundred people to Pi Houba. Pi Houba resided in a remote southern area, five hundred miles from his original territory, and sent his four sons to keep an eye on Shun.
Before long, Shun joined forces with his men, captured Pi Houba's four sons, and then turned around and attacked Pi Houba. Pi Houba's sons, with the remaining soldiers, fled to the Gaoche Holu tribe for refuge. Shun was both cruel and cunning, particularly skilled at deception. A month later, he surprisingly released Pi Houba, returned his four sons to him, and made it appear as if nothing had transpired. In truth, his plan was to gather them all together and then eliminate them. He quietly mustered his forces and launched a sudden attack on Pi Houba, resulting in his death. Pi Houba's sons Qibai, Wu Jie, and fourteen others sought shelter with Taizu.
After killing Pi Houba, Shelun was afraid that the court would send troops to take revenge on him, so he led his troops to raid various tribes to the west of Wuyuan and then fled north of the desert. Emperor Taizu bestowed the titles of An Yuan General and Ping Shu Marquis upon Qi Ba and Wu Jie. Meanwhile, Shelun formed a marriage alliance with Yao Xing. Emperor Taizu sent General Cai Guan to attack the tribes of Tuxi Chu Fu and Suge Yan, while Shelun sent troops to aid Suge Yan but ended up being defeated by Tuxi Chu Fu.
Shelun headed north of the desert to confront the Gaoche people, deep into enemy territory, systematically annexing various tribes and growing increasingly arrogant. He camped near the Luo River, establishing military regulations: one thousand men formed a regiment with a general; one hundred men formed a squad with a captain; rewarding those who charged bravely while executing those who fled or showed cowardice on the spot. They had no written records at that time, so generals and captains estimated troop strength using sheep dung, later learning to use notched wood for counting.
To their northwest were the descendants of the Xiongnu, a particularly wealthy and powerful nation, led by Ba Yeji, who commanded his forces against Shelun. Shelun clashed with them at the Egen River, winning a decisive victory, and then incorporated Ba Yeji's forces, becoming extremely powerful. They grazed their livestock in search of water and grass, with Yaqi to the west, Goguryeo to the east, the desert to the north, and the vast desert to the south. They often convened meetings north of Dunhuang and Zhangye. The neighboring smaller states were relentlessly bullied into submission, leaving them no choice but to comply. As a result, Shelun declared himself "Qiu Dou Fa Khan." "Qiu Dou Fa" was akin to the Wei state's "Jiayu Kaizhang," while "Khan" corresponded to the title of "Emperor" in the Wei state.
The custom of the Rouran people is that the monarch and ministers are bestowed titles based on their achievements, just as we in China bestow posthumous titles upon the deceased. Once a person has passed away, no additional titles are given to them. The Emperor Taizu once said to the Minister Cui Xuanbo, "The Rouran people used to be particularly aggressive and arrogant, always coming to plunder. When they fled, they rode on cows and herded calves. As a result, the cows became exhausted and couldn't move, and the calves couldn't keep up either. People from other tribes taught them to trade the calves for the cows, but the Rouran people said, 'If the mother can't even move, how can the calf?' They refused to exchange and were eventually captured by the enemy. Now this young fellow, Shelun, is learning from China, establishing laws and building an army, but has become a threat. The Daoists say that when a sage appears, great thieves will also emerge, and this statement is indeed true."
In the fifth year of the Tianxing period of Northern Wei, a guy named Shelun heard that Emperor Taizu of Wei was going to campaign against Yao Xing, so he took the opportunity to invade the border, advancing all the way to Canhe Mountain, even reaching Chai Mountain and the Good North Marsh to the south. At that time, the Wei Dynasty sent Prince Changshan Zun with ten thousand cavalrymen to pursue him, but they were unable to catch up. During the Tianci period, Shelun's brother Yue Dai and others conspired to kill Shelun and support Da Na to take over. When their plan was exposed, Da Na and the others quickly surrendered. The Wei Dynasty then appointed Da Na as the Champion General and Marquis of Xiping, and Yue Dai as the Captain of the Yue Cavalry and Yiyang Son. Three years later in the summer, Shelun once again harassed the border; in the winter of the first year of Yongxing, he invaded the border again. In the second year of Yongxing, Emperor Taizong of Wei personally led an army to attack him, and Shelun died while fleeing. His son Duoba was too young to control the people of the tribes, so they elected Shelun's brother Hulü as their leader, calling him the Khan of Benevolence and Sorrow. The people of the Wei Dynasty claimed he was remarkably handsome.
Hulü Xiangbei annexed the Hegu and Shuguo nations to the north and defeated the Pili Chen tribe to the east. Three years later, Hulü's clan leader, Yuehouduo Qian, along with several hundred others, surrendered. Hulü, fearing the power of the Wei Dynasty, stayed put and did not dare to invade to the south, thus stabilizing the northern border. In the first year of Shenrui, Hulü made a marriage alliance with Feng Ba, who gave his daughter in marriage to Hulü. Hulü's elder brother's son, Buluzhen, told Hulü, "Your daughter is marrying so far away that she'll probably miss home and could get sick. It's better to have the daughters of Shuli, Wudiyan, and others accompany her." Hulü wasn't on board with that. After Buluzhen left, he told Shuli and others, "Hulü wants your daughters to accompany his daughter to a distant place." So Shuli and the others conspired together, had warriors ambush near Hulü's tent at night, captured him when he came out, and then sent Hulü's daughter and their own daughters to be with the dragon spirit. They then enthroned Buluzhen as their leader. Once Buluzhen became the leader, he handed all the power over to Shuli. In the past, Gaoche Chiluohou rebelled and led the Selun to attack many tribes. The Selun were really grateful to him and saw him as a key figure. Buluzhen and Selun's son Sheba went over to Chiluohou's place and assaulted his young wife. Chiluohou's wife told him about this, and he wanted to enthrone Datan as the leader, even giving Datan a golden
Da Tan, the servant of the Shalun clan named Pu Hun, previously led an army stationed at the western border. He was skilled at winning people's hearts, earning the support of the common folk, who called him Muhanjiesheng Khan, meaning "Victorious" in Wei. After Hulü father and son arrived in Helong, Feng Ba appointed them as Shanggu Marquis.
Fearing for his safety, Da Tan led his army south to invade the border, prompting Emperor Taizong to personally lead the troops against him. Da Tan fled in fear. Emperor Taizong sent Shan Yanghou Xi Jin and others to pursue, but they encountered heavy snow, and seven or eight out of every ten soldiers either froze to death or were injured. Upon hearing of Emperor Taizong's death and Emperor Shizu's ascension, Da Tan was overjoyed. In the autumn of the first year of Shiguang, he attacked Yunzhong again. Emperor Shizu personally led the troops to attack and reached Yunzhong in three days and two nights. Da Tan's cavalry surrounded Emperor Shizu in more than fifty ranks, closing in on the emperor one by one, forming a wall. The soldiers were all very scared, but Emperor Shizu remained calm, and everyone finally felt relieved.
Before this, Da Tan's younger brother Da Na and Shalun fought for the country. After failing, Da Na fled to Da Tan for refuge. Da Tan appointed Da Na's son Yu Zhijin as the leader of the army, but the soldiers shot Yu Zhijin dead. Da Tan, afraid, retreated. The following year, Emperor Shizu launched a large-scale expedition to conquer him, launching a simultaneous attack with five armies from both east and west: Prince Pingyang Changsun Han and others set off from Heimo, Ruyin Duke Changsun Daosheng set off from between the Heibai deserts, the emperor's chariot set off from the central road, Duke Dongping E Qing set off from the western Linyuan, and Prince Yicheng Xi Jin, General Anyuan, and others set off from the western Erhanshan. After the armies reached the southern desert, they left behind supplies, and light cavalry, carrying enough food for fifteen days, pursued Da Tan deep into the desert. Da Tan's tribe was terrified and fled north.
In the eighth month of the first year of the Shenwu era, Datan sent his son to lead over ten thousand cavalry to invade the border, killing and plundering the residents along the border before fleeing. The vassal state of Gaoche pursued them and defeated them. The Gaoche army returned from Guangning, but they did not manage to catch up with Datan.
In April, Emperor Taiwu of Wei was conducting military drills in the southern suburbs, preparing to attack Datan. The ministers were all opposed to the proposed military action, and several officials used celestial signs to advise Emperor Taiwu not to proceed, but he ultimately followed Cui Hao's advice and decided to go to war. At that time, a messenger from Jiangnan returned, saying that Emperor Wen of Song, Liu Yilong, wanted to attack Henan. The messenger reported to Emperor Taiwu, "You must hurry back and tell the Wei ruler to return Henan to us, or we will unleash our full military might!"
Emperor Taiwu laughed heartily and said to his ministers, "That Liu Yilong is like a little turtle, unable to fend for himself; how could he have the ability to attack us? Even if he could come, if we do not first eliminate the threat, waiting to be attacked from both sides would be a huge blunder! I have decided to go to war!" Thus, Emperor Taiwu led his army to depart from the eastern route, aiming for Heishan; Prince Pingyang, Changsun Han, set out from the western route, targeting Da'e Mountain, with both armies planning to rendezvous on enemy territory.
In May, the army reached the southern edge of the desert region, leaving behind their supplies and advancing lightly toward Lishui. The Datan forces retreated westward. A tribal leader of Datan, Pi Li, was leading his men toward Datan when he ran into Changsun Han's forces. Changsun Han immediately ordered the cavalry to attack, killing several hundred Datan warriors. Upon hearing this news, the Datan people panicked and fled with their families, burning their homes and vanishing without a trace, not knowing where they had gone. As a result, the Datan people scattered and took refuge in the valleys, while livestock wandered the plains, left untended. Emperor Taiwu advanced westward along Lishui, passing the old encampment of the Han general Dou Xian.
In June, the army arrived at Mianyuan River, over 3,700 li from Pingcheng. Emperor Taiwu divided his troops to conduct searches, with the eastern forces reaching Hanhai and the western forces reaching Zhangye River, crossing the Yanran Mountains to the north, stretching east and west for more than 5,000 li, and north and south for 3,000 li. The various Gaoche tribes killed many members of the Datan tribe, resulting in the surrender of over 300,000 individuals, and over a million enemy soldiers and horses were captured. In August, Emperor Taiwu heard that the Gaoche tribes in the eastern part were gathering at Yini Pond, with many people and livestock, about 1,000 li away from the official army. Therefore, Emperor Taiwu sent Left Attendant An Yuan and others to attack. When the army arrived at Yini Pond, the Gaoche tribes, upon seeing the army's arrival, surrendered in droves.
The Datan tribe was facing difficulties; their leader died of illness, and his son Wuti succeeded him and declared himself Chilien Khan. The Wei Dynasty regarded him as quite powerful and even considered him sacred. Four years later, he dispatched envoys to pay tribute. Previously, our cavalry patrolling the north captured over twenty individuals that Wuti had sent to scout the south. The Emperor rewarded them with new clothes and sent them back. Wuti and his people were extremely grateful, which prompted them to come and pay tribute. The Emperor warmly received their envoys before sending them off.
In the second month of the third year of Yanhe, the emperor married Princess Xihai off to Wu Ti, and also sent people to bring Wu Ti's sister into the palace, making her the Left Zhao Yi. Wu Ti also sent his brother Tu Lu Kui and hundreds of followers to pay tribute, sending two thousand horses. The emperor was thrilled and showered them with gifts. In the second year of Taiyan, Wu Ti turned against the emperor, reneged on the peace treaty, and invaded the border. Four years later, the emperor personally led a campaign against Wuyuan. King Le Ping Pi and Duke He Duo Luo led fifteen armies from the east, while King Yongchang Jian and King Mu Shou led fifteen armies from the west. The emperor led his troops down the central route. When they reached Junji Mountain, the central route split into two. Prince Chenliu Chong marched from Daze towards Zhuoxie Mountain, while the emperor headed north from Junji Mountain towards Tianshan. When they reached Baifu Mountain, the emperor had a stone tablet inscribed to commemorate the journey, but they did not find the Rouran people and returned. At that time, there was a severe drought in the northern desert, with no water or grass, resulting in the deaths of many horses. Five years later, the emperor launched another campaign westward against Juqu Mujian, leaving King Mu Shou to assist Emperor Jingmu in handling political affairs. King Jiji and King Chong stationed twenty thousand troops in the southern desert to guard against the Rouran people. Wu Ti once again invaded the border, catching King Shousu completely unprepared. The enemy advanced to Qijie Mountain, sending the capital's residents into a panic as they rushed to the imperial city. Sikong Changsun Daosheng held them off at Tutui Mountain. When Wu Ti invaded, he left his brother Qiliegui in the north to confront our army. King Jiji and King Chong defeated Qiliegui and captured him north of the Yinshan Mountains. Qiliegui wailed, "Juqu has betrayed me!" We also captured his uncle He Wu Lu Hu and five hundred generals, executing tens of thousands of enemy troops. When Wu Ti heard this, he fled, and Changsun Daosheng pursued him to the southern desert before returning.
In the fourth year of Zhenjun's reign, the emperor led troops to the Southern Desert again, dividing into four routes: Prince Fanhe of Le'an and Prince Chong of Jianning each led fifteen armies from the east, Prince Leping led fifteen armies from the west, the emperor personally led the troops along the central route, and King Chen of Zhongshan led fifteen armies at the rear. When the emperor reached Luhun Valley, he encountered the enemy, and Wuti fled again, only to be defeated when pursued to the Egen River. The emperor returned after reaching Shishui. Five years later, the emperor went to the Southern Desert again in an attempt to ambush Wuti, but Wuti had already fled far away, so the emperor had to return.
Wuti died, and his son Tuhezhen succeeded him, claiming the title of Chuke Khan, which was recognized by the Wei Dynasty. In the tenth year of the first month, the emperor led troops on a northern expedition, with King Na of Gaochang leading the army from the east, King Jieer from the west, and the emperor and King Jingmu setting out from the central route through Zhuoxie Mountain. Tuhezhen's generals, such as General Er Mian Tabo and others, brought thousands of families to surrender.
At that time, the army had marched thousands of miles, and Tuhezhen had just ascended the throne; terrified, he fled far away. In September, the emperor launched yet another northern expedition, with King Gaochang attacking from the east and King Jie advancing from the central route, with plans to meet at Difechi. Tuhezhen concentrated the elite national forces and a large amount of military resources, heavily surrounding King Gaochang. King Gaochang dug a deep moat to defend, and the two sides remained in a stalemate for several days. Tuhezhen issued challenges repeatedly but lost each time because he saw that although King Gaochang had fewer troops, the defense was very strong. Fearing that the main army was approaching, he broke the siege and fled at night. King Gaochang pursued him relentlessly for nine days and nights. Tuhezhen grew increasingly fearful, abandoned his supplies, and fled over Qionglong Ridge. King Gaochang seized Tuhezhen's supplies, returned with his troops to meet the emperor's army at Guangze. King Jie also captured over a hundred thousand of Tuhezhen's soldiers, along with a significant amount of livestock and goods.
From that point on, Tuhezhen became isolated and weakened, fleeing to a remote area, leading to a peaceful border. In the fourth year of the Taian era, the emperor launched another northern expedition with a hundred thousand cavalry and fifteen thousand chariots, with banners stretching for miles, successfully crossing the desert. Tuhezhen fled once more, and his subordinate, Mofu Wuzhu, brought several thousand families to surrender. The emperor had his achievements inscribed locally before returning with his troops. After the conquest, Emperor Shizu sought to recuperate, and the Rouran, fearing the emperor's might, fled north, unwilling to venture south again.
In the fifth year of the era of peace, Tuhezhen died, and his son succeeded him as the True Khan of the Suirobu, referred to as Hui by the Wei Dynasty. In what he proclaimed as the first year of Yongkang, he led his troops to invade the border, only to face a crushing defeat at the hands of the northern forces.
In the fourth year of the Huangxing era, this young man invaded the border again, and the emperor personally led a large army north to launch a campaign against him. King Li Tui of Jingzhao and Duke Yuan Pi of Dongyang led various troops to attack from the west, while King Li Yun of Rencheng and others attacked from the east. King Li Ci of Ruyin and Duke Luo Wuba of Jinan led the vanguard, and King Li Yuanhe of Longxi served as the rear guard. The various armies gathered by the Nü River, and the emperor personally rallied the soldiers, and issued an order stating, "In battle, strategy is important, rather than sheer numbers. You must fight valiantly for me; I have already thought of the battle plan!" Then, the emperor handpicked five thousand elite soldiers to challenge the enemy and deployed many decoy troops to confuse them. The enemy's forces were routed, and we pursued them for more than thirty miles, killing over fifty thousand and capturing more than ten thousand. The seized weapons and equipment were innumerable. Overall, the campaign lasted over ten days and traveled over six thousand miles. The emperor also renamed the Nü River to Wuchuan and composed a "Song of the Northern Expedition," inscribing it on stone to commemorate this significant victory.
In the year 475 AD, I (the author) wanted to marry into the Ruru tribe (a branch of the Xianbei tribe), but the court officials felt that I had always been in conflict with the border tribes and suggested cutting off ties and sending troops to confront them. The emperor (Emperor Xiaowen of Northern Wei) said, "The Ruru tribe is like beasts, greedy and without morality. I want to engage with them sincerely and cannot just turn my back on them immediately. They, Yucheng, now realize their mistakes and have sent people to seek peace and propose marriage; how can we ignore them?" The emperor then ordered a reply stating, "Regarding your proposal of marriage, this is the first time this proposal has been made. We have carefully considered it and feel it is not very suitable. You see, 'a man should marry someone of higher status, and a woman should marry someone of lower status' is a principle clearly stated in the yin-yang and eight trigrams. The first marriage should be taken seriously and conducted with proper ceremonies; this reflects a gentleman's respect for the fundamental principles of relationships. If we do not take the beginning seriously, it will surely be difficult to handle in the future." As a result, Yucheng kept scheming, and throughout Emperor Xiaowen's reign, he never brought up the marriage again.
In April of 476 AD, the Ruru tribe sent Mohe and others to offer tribute of fine horses and sable furs. The Bibai emissaries said they had heard that the treasures of the Celestial Empire were numerous and beautiful, and they wanted to see for themselves. The emperor ordered the officials to display the palace's treasures, gold, silver, jade, beautiful silk fabrics, fine horses from the imperial stables, rare birds and beasts, and all sorts of good things from the world on the streets of the capital for the Ruru envoys to see. After viewing, Bibai and the others said to each other, "Oh my, we have never seen such splendor in a great country in our lives!"
In February of 477 AD, the Ruru tribe sent Bibai and others to pay tribute again, and they also brought up the marriage proposal. The emperor (referring to Emperor Xiaowen of Northern Wei) thought about wanting to appease them, so he agreed. Although the Ruru tribe came to pay tribute every year, the agreements made by both sides were never fulfilled, and the marriage proposal remained unresolved.
Nine years later, my father died, and my son Dou Lun took the throne, claiming the title of Fugu Dun Khan, while the Wei folks called him Heng. He even declared the first year of Taiping. This Dou Lun was a tyrant, especially brutal and bloodthirsty. His ministers, Hou Yiting and Shi Luohou, repeatedly advised him to stop being evil and improve relations with the Wei state, urging him not to constantly think about invading them. Dou Lun got really angry when he heard this and wrongly accused Shi Luohou of plotting against him, killed him, and wiped out his whole family!
In August of the sixteenth year, our Wei Emperor Xiaowen Gaozu sent out Yangping Wang Yuan Yi and Zuo She Lu Rui as the top commanders, leading General Huli Huan and eleven other generals with seventy thousand cavalry to campaign against Dou Lun. During this time, the Gaoche people, led by A Fu Zhi Luo, fled west with over a hundred thousand troops and made themselves the bosses. Dou Lun and his uncle Na Ge chased in two different directions, with Dou Lun going west from the northern side of Xunqi Mountain and Na Ge pursuing from the Jinshan side. As a result, Dou Lun kept getting beaten by A Fu Zhi Luo, while Na Ge kept winning. The people of the Rouran state saw this and declared that Na Ge was the chosen guy, wanting to make him Khan. Na Ge flat-out refused, stating, “I can't even be a good minister, how could I?”
Nage became the Khan, declaring himself Khan of Khans, and was known as Yuele in the Wei Kingdom. He established the regnal title Taian in the first year of his reign. After Nage's death, his son Futu succeeded him, claiming the title of Khan of Khans, known as Xu in the Wei Kingdom, with the regnal title Shiping in the first year of his reign. In the third year of Zhengshi, Futu sent an envoy, Ge Xiwuluba, to offer tribute and request reconciliation with our Wei Kingdom. However, Emperor Xiaowendi completely disregarded him and issued a direct order to Ge Xiwuluba, saying: "Your Rouran ancestors were traitors to Great Wei. We have temporarily tolerated communication with you, but now that the Rouran are weakened, we are no longer intimidated by you. Great Wei is now strong, just like the Han Dynasty, dominating the Central Plains and commanding respect in all directions. We have temporarily eased our stance towards you in the north because the situation in the south is still unsettled. Reconciliation is not possible at the moment. If you genuinely submit, we won't be unreasonable." In the first year of Yongping, Futu sent Ge Xiwuluba with a letter and a sable fur, but Emperor Xiaowendi still refused to accept them and replied as before.
When Futu went on a campaign against the Gaoche, he was killed by the Gaoche king Mieotu. His son Chounu succeeded him, declaring himself Khan of the Rouran, a title acknowledged by the Wei court to signify his authority. Chounu proclaimed himself emperor in his first year of reign. In September of the fourth year of Yongping, Chounu sent the monk Hongxuan to offer a tribute of pearl statues. In winter of the third year of Yanchang, Emperor Xiaowendi of Northern Wei sent the General of Chariots and Cavalry, Mayishu, to meet Chounu, but Mayishu passed away before he could set out, and the matter was left unresolved.
Chounu was a strong man skilled in battle. Four years later, he sent envoys, including Shijin Wei Bijiang, to pay tribute. In the first year of the Xiping era, he launched a western campaign against the Gaoche, achieving a great victory, capturing the Gaoche king Mi'e Tu, killing him, and suppressing all the rebels, thus strengthening the country. The following year, he sent Shijin Wei Bijiang, Hexi Wuliuba, Gong Guli, and others to pay tribute. In February of the first year of Shengu, the Northern Wei Emperor Su met with Gong Guli and twenty others at the Xianyang Palace, and sent the secretary Xu He to read the edict, which indicated that the tribute rituals of the Rouran were incomplete.
Initially, after Dou Lun's death, Gai ascended to the throne, and Fu Tu married Dou Lun's wife, Lady Lu of the Ling clan, and had six children including Chounu and Anagui. After Chounu became Khan, he suddenly lost a son named Zu Hui, who had gone missing. There was a man named Fu Shengmu, whose wife was called Dou Hundi Wan, in her twenties, a shaman and healer who often exhibited mysterious behavior. Chounu had previously placed his trust in her and often allowed her to enter the palace. Wan said that the child was now in heaven, and she could call him down. Chounu and his mother were overjoyed to hear this, and in the following year during the mid-autumn festival, they pitched a tent in the marshes, fasting for seven days to pray to heaven. After one night, Zu Hui suddenly appeared in the tent, saying he had always been in heaven. Chounu and his mother embraced him with tears of joy, and summoned the people of the nation to celebrate, granting Wan the title of Holy Woman and appointing her as a Khadun, and promoted Wan's husband, Fu Shengmu, while bestowing rewards of three thousand head of cattle and sheep.
Di Wan was skilled in sorcery and was also beautiful, so Chou Nu was particularly fond of her and trusted her words, which led to chaos in the court. After several years, Zu Hui grew up. When his mother asked him, Zu Hui replied, "I have always been at Di Wan's house and have never been to the heavens. Di Wan deceived me about going to the heavens." His mother told Chou Nu about this, and Chou Nu said, "Di Wan can foresee the future; we must trust her and not heed slander." Eventually, Di Wan grew fearful and framed Zu Hui, leading Chou Nu to secretly kill him.
During the Zhengguang years, Chou Nu's mother sent Mo He, Qu Fen, and Li Ju Lie to assassinate Di Wan. However, they failed in their mission, which infuriated Chou Nu, who wanted to take revenge on them. That wasn't the end; A Zhi Luo came to challenge Chou Nu, and after a battle, Chou Nu's forces were defeated. After the defeat, upon returning to their base, he was killed by his own mother and her ministers. Then, Chou Nu's brother, A Na Gui, was appointed as the leader.
A Na Gui held the position for ten days when his nephew, Qi Li Fa, led tens of thousands of troops to challenge his rule. A Na Gui lost the battle and fled south on a fast horse with his brother Yi Ju, returning to their ancestral home. But that wasn't the end; A Na Gui's mother, Hou Lü Ling Shi, along with his two brothers, were all killed by Qi Li Fa, and A Na Gui was unaware at the time.
In September, as A Na Gui was preparing to attend court, Emperor Tang Su Zong sent Chamberlain Lu Xi Dao as the chief envoy and Cavalry Regular Meng Wei as the deputy envoy to welcome him, hosting him in the outskirts. The Minister of Works and Jing Zhao Yin Wang Ji also went north to greet him, while Chamberlain Cui Guang and Palace Attendant Yuan Zuan hosted a banquet in the outskirts, escorting him all the way into the palace.
In October, Emperor Su Zong received him at the Xianyang Hall. Officials of fifth rank or higher, royal relatives, and envoys from vassal states were lined up in the courtyard of the hall. Nobles and ministers entered the hall and stood facing north in the courtyard. After everyone had taken their positions, the courtiers led the nobles and ministers into the hall, with Anagui standing below the princes. Then, Anagui's younger brother and two uncles were also led into the hall, standing below the other officials.
Emperor Su Zong sent the Imperial Secretary Cao Daoxuan to read a decree to express his condolences to Anagui. Anagui said, "Your Majesty's grace is truly abundant, commanding my brother and uncles to attend the banquet, but I have another cousin who held a higher rank than these two uncles when he was in the north. I respectfully request that Your Majesty also permit him to enter the hall." Emperor Su Zong approved the request, placing Anagui's cousin beneath his brother and above the two uncles. As the banquet was nearing its end, Anagui stood behind his seat, holding a memorial. The Imperial Secretary Chang Jing asked if he had something to say. Anagui requested permission to speak before the emperor, and Emperor Su Zong allowed him to do so.
Anagui knelt down and said, "My ancestors came from the Northern Wei." Emperor Suzong replied, "I already know." Anagui stood up and continued, "My ancestors were originally nomadic herders before settling in the northern steppes." Emperor Suzong requested more details, to which Anagui explained, "My ancestors have lived in the north for generations, always longing for the Central Plains culture. Due to civil strife and the rebellion of the Gaoche people, we couldn't send envoys to express our loyalty. When the situation stabilized, my brother sent envoys to the Northern Wei to express our desire to submit. When Cao Daozhi came to the north, we sent five ministers to accept the decree. However, before we could deliver our message to the court, the Gaoche invaded, killed my brother, and made me the leader. Hearing of Your Majesty's virtues, I hastily came to pledge my loyalty to the Northern Wei." Emperor Suzong requested further details, and Anagui explained that he fled to seek help for his country in turmoil, hoping for assistance to return and restore order.
"I came to the court in haste because my homeland is in peril, my elderly mother is still in the north, separated by thousands of miles. My people have scattered and fled. Your Majesty's benevolence exceeds that of heaven and earth. I hope you can grant me troops to return to my homeland, eliminate the rebels, and gather my scattered people. If my mother is alive, I can reunite with her and honor my filial obligations. If she has passed away, I can seek revenge for her. I will lead my people, be loyal to Your Majesty, pay tribute on time, and never slack off. I have much to convey, and thus I have written a memorial for Your Majesty's consideration." Anagui handed the memorial to the attendant Chang Jing to present to the Emperor.
Soon, Suzong appointed Ana Guo as the Duke of Shuofang and King of Rouran, bestowing on him clothing, a crown, a carriage canopy, a salary, and ceremonial guards, treating him on par with the imperial family. In December, Suzong felt that Ana Guo's country did not have a stable ruler, so he considered bringing them back and settling them. He earnestly prayed to the heavens for a solution to this problem. At that time, the court officials had differing opinions; some said they should be brought back, while others disagreed. Yuan Yi, the military leader, was the chancellor at that time, and Ana Guo secretly gifted him one hundred catties of gold, which led to their successful return to the north.
In the first month of the second year after that, Ana Gui and his fifty-four companions requested to depart. Emperor Suzong received Ana Gui along with five of his uncles and brothers at the West Hall, had them sit on the steps of the hall, and sent the Imperial Secretary Mu Bi to offer his regards. After Ana Gui and his companions expressed their gratitude and took their leave, the Emperor rewarded Ana Gui with two sets of fine Mingguang armor, six sets of iron armor, two elegantly adorned silver spears, two red-lacquered spears and ten black-lacquered spears, along with two sets of beautifully crafted bows and arrows, six black-lacquered shields, each paired with a knife and a type of weapon known as chuang, red-lacquered war horns, two sets of colorful brocade quilts, thirty sets of yellow satin bedding, one embroidered robe from the Emperor's private collection, twenty sets of red robes and hats, and one thousand pieces of various colored silk fabrics. Additionally, there were red narrow pants and wide purple pants with linings, eighteen tents, six yellow cloth curtains, one hundred shi of new rice, eight stones of wheat flour, five stones of hazelnut flour, four bronze Wu Yu vessels, two soft iron Wu Yu vessels, each holding two hu of wine, four black lacquered bamboo wine vessels, each holding two liters of wine, two female attendants, five hundred horses, one hundred and twenty camels, one hundred cows, five thousand sheep, ten sets of red lacquer plates, and two hundred thousand stones of grain. All these items were sent to their encampment. The Emperor also sent the attendants, Cui Guang and Huang Men Yuan, to see them off outside the city.
After Anagui ran away, his uncle and brother, namely Shili Fa, led tens of thousands of Brahmin soldiers to pursue him and kill him. As a result, Shifa was defeated in battle. Shifa fled to Doudouyu, where he was killed. The Brahmins elected a leader for themselves, who referred to himself as Mioukeshe Juke Khan, meaning "quiet" in Chinese. At this time, General Anbei and Commander of Huaishuo Town, Yang Jun, reported: "I have heard that they have appointed a new leader, who is Anagui's cousin. Those ruthless barbarians have their own leader now; they are unlikely to welcome someone who killed their brother. If we recklessly go there, it will harm the nation's prestige; only a significant increase in our troops can ensure Anagui's safe return to the north."
In February, Emperor Suzong ordered that the envoy Ju Ren, who had previously gone to the Rouran to serve as a messenger, go again to communicate with the Brahmins and express the intention to welcome Anagui back to his fief. However, the Brahmins were extremely arrogant and showed no humility, even criticizing Ju Ren for his lack of proper etiquette, while Ju Ren insisted on his principles and did not yield. The Brahmins sent a high official, Mo He, and five others, along with two thousand soldiers, to accompany Ju Ren to welcome Anagui. In May, Ju Ren returned to the town and reported on the situation there. Anagui was frightened and too afraid to return, submitting a request to return to the capital. At that moment, the Brahmins were defeated by the Gao Che tribe and fled with a dozen tribes to Liangzhou to surrender, so tens of thousands of Rouran people came to welcome Anagui.
In July, Anagui submitted a report: "Two Rouran men, Yuantuisha and Huanhe Zhan, arrived in town on the 26th, reporting that the country is in great chaos, as tribes plunder one another, and the northern tribes are hoping for the court's rescue. I now request that the court grant me 10,000 elite soldiers as per the previous favor, so that I can lead them back to the north of the Qihe River to pacify the unruly populace. If my request can be granted, this endeavor will surely succeed." The court assigned this matter to the Ministry of Personnel and the Ministry of Rites for deliberation. In August, the court appointed Cavalry Commandant Wang Zunya to swiftly offer comfort to Anagui, and he received numerous rewards. In September, the Rouran's second-in-command, Sin, led his troops to surrender at Huai Shuo Town, claiming to be the brother of Anagui, and provided a list of reasons for requesting troops from the court, and also requested that Anagui be included.
In October, a large group of court officials, including Prince Yong of Gaoyang, Li Chong, Hou Gang, Yuan Qin, Yuan Yi, Prince Anfeng Yanming, Yuan Xiu Yi, Li Yan, Yuan Zuan, Zhang Lie, Lu Tong, and others, jointly submitted a petition to the emperor saying: “We have heard that during the Han Dynasty, there were the Southern and Northern Chanyu, and during the Jin Dynasty, there were also Eastern and Western Chanyu, all established to restrain each other, resist foreign enemies, and serve as a shield for the nation. Now, after discussing, we believe there is a place called Tu Ruoxi Quan north of Huai Shuo, and west of Dunhuang in the Xihai Commandery, both of which were military fortresses from the Han and Jin periods. These two places have flat terrain and fertile land. Anagui should be assigned to the western Tu Ruoxi Quan, and the Brahmin should be assigned to the Xihai Commandery, allowing them to lead their respective tribes and gather the scattered people. As for their titles and treatment, we ask for your discretion, Your Majesty. Their officials should retain their original positions and customs. Anagui's residence, being outside the border, should be given some preferential treatment, to demonstrate the court's benevolence and authority. We suggest drawing 200 people from each of the three towns: Woye, Huai Shuo, and Wuchuan, supervised by the military leaders of each town, to supply them with food, provisions, and weapons, and to send them to their stationed locations, where houses should be built for them, and they should return after the project is completed. Those who come from the north to surrender, those who surrender to the Brahmin, should be given food by the officials of the state and towns according to regulations, sent to Huai Shuo for Anagui, with someone from the town designated to distribute the food based on headcount. Those living in the capital should decide for themselves whether to stay or leave. As Anagui has just begun establishing a base, he likely has little in reserve, so please allocate 2,000 hu of dry millet from Shuozhou, transported by the official camels. The Brahmin, residing in the Xihai Commandery, should not receive the same treatment as Anagui. Anagui and his group have only just established border defenses, and messengers should be sent separately with the emperor’s orders to hasten to visit them and assign them responsibility for military strategies.” The emperor agreed to their suggestions.
In December, the emperor appointed General Anxi and the Minister of Justice Yuan Hongchao to concurrently serve as the Executive Secretary and sent them to Dunhuang to settle the Brahmins. As a result, not long after, the Brahmins conspired with their subordinates to rebel and fled to Yeda, and surprisingly, all three of Yeda's wives were actually sisters of the Brahmin! In the end, they were subdued by the imperial army and captured.
During the period from 757 to 758 AD, Anagui wrote to the court requesting the release of grain as planting seeds. Emperor Suzong approved and granted him ten thousand shi of grain. However, in 758 AD, a severe famine broke out in Anagui's territory, and he took his men to raid in the Sene region. Emperor Suzong quickly sent Yuan Fu, the Left Chancellor of the Ministry of Personnel, to persuade him. After Yuan Fu arrived, he was captured by Anagui, who took Yuan Fu with him, seizing two thousand civilians and hundreds of thousands of livestock, fleeing northward. Later, Anagui released Yuan Fu.
The emperor was furious and dispatched General Li Chong with a hundred thousand cavalry to pursue them. They pursued for over three thousand miles, reaching the Han Sea, but still failed to catch up and had to turn back. Later, Anagui fled to Luoyang, where Emperor Suzong personally met with him in the West Hall. In 759 AD, Anagui died in a lodging south of Luoyang, and the emperor posthumously honored him with the titles of Envoy with Full Authority, General of Pacifying the West, Inspector of Qinzhou, and Duke of Guangmu, granting him high honors.
In the same year, Liu Hanbaling from Woye Town rebelled, and several other towns followed suit. In the spring of 760 AD, Ana Gui led his army to quell the rebellion, and the court sent him numerous rewards. Ana Gui received the emperor's decree, led a hundred thousand troops from Wuchuan Town, marched west to Woye, and won many battles. In April, the emperor sent Feng Jun to comfort Ana Gui and rewarded him with many things. Ana Gui's territory stabilized, his military strength increased, and he proclaimed himself 'Chilean Head Bean Khan', a title that sounded quite prestigious, akin to an official title granted by the emperor. In October, Ana Gui sent envoys to pay tribute once more.
In April 759 AD, Ana Gui sent Gong Fengjing and others to pay tribute. After the tribute was received, Emperor Suzong specifically issued a decree saying, "The northern barbarian tribes always rebel, but your Rouran tribe's leader has been loyal and has assisted the court in quelling the rebellion. I am deeply grateful! I know that you are currently stationed in Shuofang, bordering Zhu Rong's forces. You must keep a close watch on your subordinates to prevent them from plundering. Recently, I received your letter saying you still want to continue the eastern expedition for the court, but your Rouran tribe has always inhabited the northern desert, which is ill-suited for the hot summer, so hold off for now, and I will issue further orders later." In reality, the court was concerned that Ana Gui might be unpredictable. Since then, Ana Gui has regularly sent envoys to pay tribute.
At the beginning, Empress Dowager Xiao Zhuang issued a decree, saying: "Those with great achievements shall be rewarded generously, and those with high moral character shall have their reputation resound. The leader of the Rouran tribe, Ana Gui, guarded the northern border, repelling foreign invaders, making the Yin Mountains free from conflict, and the Weak River no longer stirred up with dust. His accomplishments could be engraved on Wolf Mountain and remembered in the vast sea. His loyalty is profound, and his achievements are difficult to fully repay. Therefore, he should be commended with special ceremonies. How can we treat him with ordinary etiquette? From now on, there is no need to announce his name when praising and paying respects to him, and there is no need to address him as a subject when presenting memorials."
In the first year of Taichang, in June, Ana Gui sent Wu Jue, Lan Shu, and others to pay tribute and requested to marry a princess for his eldest son. In the second year of Yongxi, in April, the Emperor decreed to betroth Princess Langye of Fanyang to him. Before the marriage could take place, the Emperor made his way to the capital. King Xianwu of Qi sent envoys to persuade him, and Ana Gui sent envoys to pay tribute and request a marriage alliance. King Xianwu of Qi, wanting to forge alliances from all corners, betrothed his sister, Princess Le'an of Changshan, to Ana Gui, renaming her Princess Lanling. Ana Gui sent a thousand horses as a dowry to welcome the princess, and the court dispatched Zongzheng Yuanshou to escort her north. Since then, the tributes have continued. Seeing the growing prestige and reputation of King Xianwu of Qi, Ana Gui requested to marry his daughter to him, and Emperor Jing agreed to the marriage. From then on, the border became peaceful.
The Xiongnu Yumen Mohuai was a person from outside the Liaodong region; his ancestors were distant relatives of the Southern Chanyu, and they have been serving as leaders in the east for generations. Their language is very different from that of the Xianbei people. They all cut their hair, leaving only the hair on top of their heads as decoration, trimming it once it grows a few inches long. Women wear long tunics that reach their ankles, but do not wear skirts. In the autumn, they collect bird heads to make poison, used to hunt birds and other animals.
Mo Huai was ruthless, exploiting the common people mercilessly, and in the end, he was overthrown by his own men. Everyone rallied behind his brother Pu Bo as the new leader. After Pu Bo died, his son Qiu Buqin succeeded him and married a woman of the Shangpingwen clan. After Qiu Buqin died, his son Mo Yi ascended the throne, and his name was the same as that of the founding emperor, which posed some challenges. Mo Yi sent his brother Qu Yun to fight Murong Yi, but he was defeated by Murong Yi; he then dispatched another force known as Su Yan to attack Murong Yi at Jicheng, but they were defeated once more by Murong Yi.
At that time, Mo Yi commanded a vast army and considerable power, declaring himself king and styling himself as Chanyu, while the border tribes both feared and resented him. After Mo Yi died, his son Xun Niyan ascended the throne and marshaled his forces to Jicheng to fight Murong Yi. Murong Yi's son Han was stationed outside at that time, and Xun Niyan addressed his men: "That kid Han is always brave and a skilled fighter; he will undoubtedly be a significant threat in the future, so we must neutralize him first. We needn't concern ourselves too much with the people in the city." So he sent a few thousand cavalry to mount a surprise attack on Han.
After Han heard the news, he sent someone to impersonate a messenger from Duan Mobao to tell Xun Niyan, "I've wanted to kill that kid Han for a long time. I heard you're coming to fight him; that's great! I'm already prepared, so hurry over!" Actually, Han had set up an ambush for him a long time ago. Xun Niyan believed it to be true, he had no defenses at all, and charged straight into the ambush, resulting in his capture by Han. Han quickly sent someone to inform Murong Xie and then pursued the enemy, arriving before dawn. Murong Xie also brought all his troops to provide support. Seeing that the situation was dire, Xun Niyan hurriedly organized his forces to counterattack. As soon as the battle began, Han charged into Xun Niyan's headquarters and set it on fire, leading to an instant collapse of Xun Niyan's army. Xun Niyan rode away alone, leaving everyone else to be captured.
Xun Niyan and his son had dominated the northern frontier and even received a jade seal engraved with three buttons, claiming he was chosen by heaven, always boasting about himself. After this defeat, his attitude changed immediately; he sent numerous gifts and formal apologies, sending envoys to pay tribute to Emperor Zhao. Emperor Zhao was pleased and gave his daughter in marriage to him.
After Xun Ni Yan died, his son Qide Gui ascended to the throne and went to fight Murong Kai, but Murong Kai managed to fend him off. In the third year of Emperor Hui's reign, Qide Gui was stationed at Jiaoshui, fortifying his position and refusing to engage in battle; yet he sent his brother Xiba Dui to launch a surprise attack on Murong Kai's son Ren, near Berlin. Ren, in turn, defeated Xiba Dui and even killed him. Murong Kai then attacked Qide Gui and defeated him; Qide Gui sneaked away alone at night while all his men became captives. Capitalizing on his victory, Murong Kai pursued and stormed Qide Gui's city, seizing countless treasures and relocating tens of thousands of households to his territory. Earlier, a giant turtle had washed ashore and died in Pingguo, but it was only when Qide Gui was defeated that people remembered this event.
The people of the Yidougui tribe, quarreling over the spoils of war, ended up killing each other and finally obtained a turtle, after which they crowned themselves kings. He fought against Murong Huang, sending his chancellor Mo Hun to attack Murong Huang, but Mo Hun got caught up in wine and pleasure, indulging in hunting and entertainment, and was soundly defeated by Murong Huang, leading to the deaths of over ten thousand soldiers. In the eighth year after the state was founded, Murong Huang again attacked Yidougui, who put up a fight but was ultimately defeated, losing a formidable general named She Yigan. Yidougui fled to the northern steppes and eventually escaped to Goryeo. Murong Huang moved over five thousand households of the Yidougui tribe to Changli, and from that point on, the Yidougui tribe was dispersed and eventually vanished.
Duan Jiu Liu Juan's ancestor came from Liaoxi. His great-uncle was named Lu Juan, who was sold into slavery in Yuyang to serve the Wuwan Taiku, and held a very low status. Later, the lords of Youzhou held a meeting, and everyone brought their spittoons except for Lu Juan. Consequently, someone spat into Lu Juan's mouth. Lu Juan actually swallowed the spit and then looked westward and prayed, "I hope that my lord's wisdom and fortune will be transferred to my belly!" Later, a famine broke out in Yuyang, and the Taiku recognized Lu Juan's strength, so he sent him to Liaoxi to search for food and recruit those who had fled or rebelled, which led to Lu Juan's growing power. After Lu Juan's death, his brother Qi Zhen took over; following Qi Zhen's death, his son Wu Mu Chen succeeded him, who was Duan Jiu Liu Juan's father. Wu Mu Chen took control of Liaoxi and pledged allegiance to the Jin Dynasty. He commanded over thirty thousand households, with around forty to fifty thousand able-bodied fighters. During Emperor Mu's reign, Youzhou governor Wang Jun frequently relied on the Duan family and held them in high regard; therefore, he submitted a memorial to confer the title of Duke of Liaoxi to Wu Mu Chen and also granted him the seal of the Grand Chanyu. Wang Jun sent Wu Mu Chen to engage Shi Le at Longshan, near Changshan, achieving a significant victory.
After Wu Muchen's death, Jiu Liujuan took the throne. Jiu Liujuan, along with his brother Shipi and cousin Mobao, led over fifty thousand cavalry to surround Shile's army in Xiangguo. When Shile climbed the city wall and saw that Jiu Liujuan's soldiers had put down their weapons and were sleeping soundly, he took advantage of this opportunity to select his best troops and charged straight at Mobao, capturing him alive. Shile brought Mobao to his table and they drank and feasted together, having a great time, and they agreed to become father and son. After they swore an oath, Shile released Mobao. After Mobao was released, Jiu Liujuan and the others withdrew their troops back to Liaoxi, without rewarding Wang Jun. From then on, Mobao didn't dare to urinate towards the south; when others asked him why, he said, "My father is in the south." He was grateful that Shile did not kill him, and that was his way of expressing gratitude.
When Liujuan died, his son was still young and left an orphan with a widowed mother. Shile's son Shipi and Liu Kun's son Liu Qun went to mourn. Shipi secretly brought troops to seize the opportunity to kill his uncle Mobao and take his territory. When Mobao and the others learned about this, they dispatched troops to intercept them, resulting in Mobao capturing Shipi and Liu Qun.
Shi Pidao fled back to Jicheng, fearing capture by Liu Kun. He deceived Liu Kun into believing he was inviting him to dinner and then seized the opportunity to kill Liu Kun. After killing Liu Kun, Shi Pidao engaged in conflict with Shi Mobao and Shi Yulin, and his men scattered. He planned to retreat with his remaining troops to Shanggu, hoping to use the rugged terrain of Jundu Mountain to fend off Shi Mobao and his forces. Later Zhao's Emperor Pingwen learned of this and secretly dispatched elite cavalry to confront him. Terrified, Shi Pidao fled south to Leling. Eventually, Shi Le dispatched Shi Hu to Leling to confront Duan Wenyang, defeating and capturing him alive. Shi Pidao subsequently surrendered to Shi Le along with his subordinates and several fortresses.
Shi Mobao declared himself Inspector of Youzhou and stationed himself in Liaoxi. After Shi Mobao died, the common people rallied around Shi Rilu's brother, Shi Huliao, as their leader. Under Emperor Lie of Later Zhao, Shi Huliao was appointed General of the Cavalry, Inspector of Youzhou, Grand Chanyu, and Duke of Beiping. His brother, Shi Yulan, was appointed General of the Armed Forces, Inspector of Jizhou, and Duke of Bohai. In the inaugural year of the state, Shi Hu launched a campaign against Shi Huliao, who fled to Pinggang Mountain and sought sanctuary with Murong Huang, only to be killed by him. Shi Yulan fled to Shi Hu, who provided him with five thousand Xianbei troops to station at Lingzhi. After Shi Yulan's death, his son Shi Kan succeeded him. When Ran Min rebelled, Shi Kan led his followers south and seized control of Qi. Murong Jun sent his brother Murong Xuangu to lead troops to attack Shi Kan at Guanggu, capturing Shi Kan and bringing him to Jicheng. Murong Jun gouged out his eyes, killed him, and executed over three thousand of his followers.
Gaoche, descendants of the ancient Chidi, were originally called Dili. The northern tribes referred to them as Chile, while those in the Central Plains called them Gaoche and Dingling. Their language was similar to that of the Xiongnu, but also slightly different. Some claim their ancestors were related to the Xiongnu. Among the Gaoche tribe were the Di clan, Biaore clan, Hulv clan, Jiepi clan, Hugu clan, and Yiqijin clan.
According to folklore, the Xiongnu Chanyu had two daughters who were incredibly beautiful, and the common folk believed they were divine beings. The Chanyu said, "I have such beautiful daughters, how can I let them marry just anyone? I will offer them to the heavens." So, he constructed a high platform in a remote area of the northern lands and placed his daughters on it, saying, "Let the heavens come and claim them!" Three years later, their mother wished to bring her daughters back, but the Chanyu replied, "Not yet, it’s not time!" Another year passed, and suddenly an old wolf began howling day and night near the platform. It even dug a hole beneath the platform and stayed there without leaving. The younger daughter remarked, "My father placed me here to present me to the heavens. Now that the wolf has come, maybe it's a divine being sent by the heavens!" She felt compelled to go down and join the wolf. The older sister, alarmed, exclaimed, "That's a beast! Isn’t that an insult to our parents?" The younger sister ignored her, went down, became the wolf's mate, bore children, and eventually her descendants thrived, eventually forming a nation. Therefore, the Gaoche people love to sing loudly, and their songs echo like the howl of a wolf.
It is said that the Wudu General, beneath him, each tribe has its own leader, who have rough temperaments but are very united within their own tribes. Once they encounter external enemies, they can immediately support each other. In battles, there's no real formation; everyone fights independently, charging forward one moment and retreating the next, unable to maintain a prolonged fight. Their lifestyle is coarse, and they behave in a crude and uninhibited manner. During marriage, they use cattle and horses as bride price, taking pride in this. After the marriage arrangements are settled, the groom prepares vehicles and horses for the bride to choose from. Once the woman is on the horse, she sits with her chest and back exposed in the carriage, while the horse's owner stands outside the carriage, waving his hands to spook the horse. If the horse doesn't throw her off, it's selected; if it does, the process continues until they have the required number.
They don't cultivate grain or brew alcohol there. On the wedding day, both men and women come together, bringing along mare's milk, cooked meat, and good wine. The host welcomes the guests without any formalities, and afterward, the guests are invited to stay the night. The next day, the bride is taken back to her family, and then the groom's side heads back to the bride's family to pick the best horses from the herd. Even if the parents and brothers are torn up inside, they don’t say a word. They tend to avoid marrying widows but are especially compassionate toward them. They mark their livestock, and even if the horses are pastured in the wild, they won't easily go missing. They aren't too concerned about hygiene. They have a special fondness for thunder and lightning; whenever it thunders, they shout loudly, shoot arrows into the air, and then pack up and leave. The next autumn, when the horses are fattened up, they return to the original place of thunder, bury antelopes, light bonfires, draw their swords, and have a shaman perform prayers. This ceremony is kind of like the purification rituals of the Han people. Then everyone rides in circles on horseback, running hundreds of laps until it's done. Everyone holds a bunch of willow branches, sticking them upright into the ground, and then pours mare's milk over the branches. The women wrap sheep bones in animal hides, wear them on their heads, and braid them into their hair, making it look like they're sporting fancy crowns.
When a person dies, they dig a pit, allowing the deceased to sit in it with their arms outstretched, holding a bow, a dagger, and a spear, just as they were during their life, and then display them outdoors without burying them. If someone dies from a lightning strike or a plague, prayers are offered for the deceased. If all is well, they will hold rituals. They will slaughter a large number of livestock, burn the bones, and then ride horses in circles, sometimes for hundreds of laps. People of all ages participate; the safe sing and dance in celebration, while the bereaved mourn and weep. They always follow the water and grass, wear animal skins, eat meat, and their method of raising cattle and sheep is similar to that of the Rouran people, except their wheels are larger and have more spokes.
It is said that these Gao Che people later moved to a place over a hundred miles northwest of Luhun Lake, and their tribal power grew stronger, frequently waging war against the Rouran and often coming to our country to steal things. Our founding emperor personally led troops against them, decisively defeating several of their factions.
Later, the founding emperor crossed the Ruoluo River, journeyed westward to Luhun Lake, took light cavalry units, and advanced northwest for over a hundred miles, launching a surprise attack that took them by surprise, capturing over twenty thousand prisoners, along with many cattle, sheep, and horses. Following that, the founding emperor went to Wolf Mountain to pursue the remaining Gao Che people and defeated them as well. During the emperor's inspections of various regions, he divided the generals into two routes: east and west, while the founding emperor personally led the main force down the middle route, setting out from the northwest direction of Bozan River, sweeping through the various Gao Che factions, and the armies converged simultaneously, defeating over thirty Gao Che tribes. King Wei Yi also led troops from the northwest direction of the desert, marching over a thousand miles to defeat the last seven Gao Che tribes.
Now, the Gaoche people were thoroughly terrified, and all the tribes were in a state of panic. Emperor Taizu started a large-scale hunt from the southern side of Niuchuan, surrounding the Gaoche people. The cavalry and infantry tightly surrounded them, with a circumference of over seven hundred li, driving various wild animals inside. Then, these wild animals were herded to Pingcheng, and the Gaoche people were settled in Luyuan, with the south bordering Taiyin, the north near the Great Wall, the east adjacent to Baideng, and the west connected to the Western Mountains. Before long, the Gaoche leader Li Hemofuchilijian brought over nine hundred tribes to surrender, and Emperor Taizu appointed him as the General of Valor and granted him a Sima and a Canjun, along with a reward of twenty thousand hu of grain. Later, another Gaoche leader, Jie Pimofubandoujian, also brought over thirty tribes to surrender and was made the General of Distant Valor, also receiving a Sima and a Canjun, along with clothing and annual grain supplies.
After the Shelun tribe was utterly defeated, they gathered the remnants and moved to the north of the desert, invading Gaoche territory. A Gaoche leader named Bei Houli thought this was quite manageable, saying, "The Shelun have just regrouped, their forces are weak, and they have few horses, making them easy to deal with!" So he led his troops to attack and directly charged into the Shelun camp. The greedy Gaoche warriors, oblivious to the consequences, began to loot houses and women, and drifted off to sleep. The Shelun ascended to a vantage point, quickly summoned their scattered tribes, about a thousand people, and took advantage of the dawn to launch a surprise attack on the Gaoche camp. As a result, only about one-tenth or one-twelfth of the Gaoche people were able to escape. Seeing this situation, Bei Houli quickly surrendered and was granted the title of Duke of Mengdu.
Beihouli is a man of integrity and exceptional bravery; in battle, he charges into the fray with unmatched ferocity! People in the north dread the sound of children crying, for as soon as someone says, "Beihouli is coming," the child instantly quiets down. The girls sing in their little tunes: "To find a good husband, one should be like Beihouli!" This just goes to show how beloved he is by everyone. He is also adept at yarrow divination, and it is always accurate, which is why the emperor particularly favors him, granting him many rewards and allowing his son Hetang to serve in the palace. After Beihouli's death, Emperor Taizu was very regretful and held a state funeral for him, posthumously enfeoffing him as the Loyal and Brave King. Later, the emperor dispatched General Yiwei with twenty thousand cavalry to the north to deal with the remaining factions of the Gaoche, namely the Yuanhe and Wupin, defeating them as well. During Taizu's reign, the various tribes were divided, and the Gaoche tribe was known for being particularly unruly and hard to manage, so they were allowed to form a tribe of their own.
It is said that later, after the emperor triumphed over the Rouran and returned in glory to the southern desert region, he learned that the eastern Gaoche, around Yinipei, had a large population and livestock, located over a thousand miles away from the army. The emperor planned to send Left Minister Anyuan and others to attack them. Minister of Works Changsun Han and Secretary Liu Jie strongly urged him not to, but the emperor did not listen and still sent Anyuan and others, leading more than ten thousand newly allied Gaoche soldiers to Yinipei. Upon seeing the large army arrive, the various Gaoche factions surrendered one after another, with hundreds of thousands surrendering and more than a million cattle, sheep, and horses being seized. These Gaoche people were relocated to areas a thousand miles away in the southern plains. They rode their high carts, trailing the water and grass, developing their herding practices, and after a few years, gradually learned to cultivate grains, paying annual tribute to the court. As a result, the prices of horses, cattle, and sheep dropped significantly, and wool and leather accumulated in massive quantities.
During the reign of Emperor Gaozong, the five tribes of the Gaoche ethnic group gathered together to offer sacrifices to the heavens, with participation reaching into the tens of thousands. At the grand ceremony, there were horse races, sacrifices, singing, and dancing, creating a festive atmosphere. The Gaoche people claimed that since their ancestors, there had never been such a grand occasion. The emperor himself also attended the event, and everyone was very happy. Later, Emperor Gaozu summoned the Gaoche people to join the army in a southern expedition, but they were unwilling to march south and instead elected Ge Shuzhe as their leader to revolt in the north, even advancing to attack Jinling. General Yu Wenfu led troops to pursue them but returned in defeat. The emperor then appointed General Pingbei and Prince Ji of Jiangyang to lead the campaign against them. Prince Ji first sent people to appease Ge Shuzhe, who fled to the Rouran territory but later had a change of heart and surrendered with his followers.
The Gaoche people, in total, have twelve surnames: Qifu Li, Tulu, Yizhan, Dalian, Kuhe, Dabogan, Alun, Moyun, Sifen, Fufu Luo, Qiyuan, and Youshu Pei. Previously, the Fufu Luo tribe was under Rouran control. During the reign of Dou Lun, the Rouran fell into internal chaos, leading to the fragmentation of the state, and Fufu Luo's Afuzhiluo and his brother Qiongqi led more than one hundred thousand Gaoche individuals.
In the 11th year of Taihe, Dou Lun invaded the border, and despite strong objections from Afuzhiluo and his followers, Dou Lun did not listen. In anger, Afuzhiluo led his people and horses to revolt and head west, proclaiming himself king in the northwest region, and his people called him "Hou Lou Fule", which means "Great Emperor" in the Wei language. His brother Qiongqi was called "Hou Bei", equivalent to the "Crown Prince" in Wei. The two brothers maintained a close relationship, dividing their territories with Afuzhiluo in the north and Qiongqi in the south. Dou Lun pursued them but faced repeated defeats at the hands of Afuzhiluo, eventually forcing him to relocate to the east with his followers.
Fourteen years later, merchants from the Afozhiluo faction crossed the border to the capital and presented two arrows, saying, "The Rouran are enemies of the Emperor. I tried to dissuade them but failed, so I defected here to declare myself king. I am willing to lead an expedition against the Rouran for the Emperor." The emperor was initially skeptical, so he sent an envoy, Yuti, to investigate the situation. Afozhiluo and Qiongqi sent their envoy, Bo Jie, to accompany Yuti to pay their respects to the emperor and offer local specialties. The emperor then ordered that the officials Kezu Hun, Changsheng Xia, and Yuti of the Yuanwai Sanqi Shilang be rewarded with a set of high-ranking official's clothing, as well as a hundred bolts of silk in various colors. Later, Qiongqi was murdered by Yeda, and his son Mi'e Tu and others were captured. His followers scattered; some surrendered to the court, while others fled to the Rouran. The emperor then dispatched General Xuanwei and Commander Meng Wei of the Feather Forest to pacify the surrendering people and resettle them in Gaoping Town.
Afozhiluo's eldest son conspired with his wife to kill him but ended up being killed by Afozhiluo instead.
Afozhiluo was too brutal for anyone to tolerate, so they conspired to kill him and then supported his clansman Baliyan as their new king.
More than a year later, the Yeda people rode in chariots and elevated Namio Tuo to the throne. The Yeda people assassinated Balyan and welcomed Namio Tuo as their king. After becoming king, Namio Tuo sent envoys bearing gifts of a gold ingot, a silver ingot, two gold staffs, seven horses, and ten camels. The emperor granted Namio Tuo sixty pieces of multicolored silk. The emperor expressed appreciation for Namio Tuo's loyalty and issued a stern warning against any interference with his envoys. Later, Namio Tuo engaged in battle against the Rouran king Futu in the northern region of the Pulei Sea, was defeated, and fled westward for over three hundred miles. Futu set up camp in the northern mountains of Yiwu. King Qu Jia of Gaochang requested a relocation to the interior, and the emperor sent Meng Wei to escort him. Upon seeing Meng Wei's army at Yiwu, the Rouran fled. Hearing this, Namio Tuo pursued them, defeating Futu in the northern region of the Pulei Sea, cut off Futu's hair, and presented it to Meng Wei. He also sent gifts of five dragon horses, gold and silver furs, and many other items. The emperor bestowed upon him musical instruments, eighty musicians, ten pieces of red silk, and sixty pieces of multicolored silk. Namio Tuo also dispatched his subordinate Mohe to Fenyuwu to present some goods to Che Zhen.
During the early reign of Emperor Suzong of the Tang dynasty, Mi'e Tu fought against the king of the Rouran, Chou Nu, and suffered a disastrous defeat, resulting in his capture. Chou Nu, in a fit of madness, bound Mi'e Tu's legs to the bow of his horse and dragged him to death, then made his head into a drinking cup! All of Mi'e Tu's soldiers surrendered to Yeda. After several years, Yeda finally allowed Mi'e Tu's brother, Yi Fu, to return home.
Yi Fu reclaimed the throne and sent envoys to the court, requesting formal recognition. The court dispatched envoys, including Gu Kai, to confer titles upon Yi Fu, naming him General of the West, Duke of Xihai, and King of the Gao Che. Later, Yi Fu dealt a heavy blow to the Rouran, forcing their king, Polomen, to flee to Liangzhou. During the reign of Emperor Zhengguang of the Northern Wei, Yi Fu sent envoys to pay tribute and requested several items: a red palanquin with curtains and cushions, a saddle, an umbrella, a fan, five blue car covers, five red lacquered fans, ten drums, and ten horns. The court granted all his requests.
Subsequently, Yi Fu engaged in another battle with the Rouran, but he was defeated and fled back in disgrace, only to be killed by his own brother, Yue Ju, who then took the throne for himself. During the Tianping era of the Northern Wei, Yue Ju was also defeated by the Rouran. Yi Fu's son, Bi Shi, killed Yue Ju and became king. During the Xinghe era of the Northern Wei, Bi Shi was again defeated by the Rouran. Yue Ju's son, Qu Bin, fled from the Rouran to our territory. King Xianwu of Qi sought to recruit distant tribes, so he petitioned the court to confer the title of King of the Gao Che upon Qu Bin and appointed him as General of Anbei and Governor of Sizhou. Not long after, Qu Bin fell ill and died.
At the very beginning, during the time of Emperor Taizu, there was a tribe known as Tutu Lin, living by the Nu River, which colluded with the Jiehe tribe and consistently disobeyed the court's orders. In the third year of the Denguó era, Emperor Taizu personally led his troops to the west, crossed the Ruoluo River, and continued westward to attack them. Upon reaching the Nu River, he defeated the Jie Ru tribe. In the spring of the following year, he relocated all the people and livestock of their tribe before returning.
There were also the Hetu Lin and Hexi tribes, which had lived together for generations but each had their own leaders. They banded together and frequently raided the area around Yixin Mountain. In the fifth year of the Denguó era, Emperor Taizu personally led his troops to fight against them, and Murong Ling also brought troops to support, resulting in a crushing defeat for them. The leaders of Hetu Lin, Wudi Yan, and Hexi, Kuhan, surrendered along with their clansmen.
By the second year of the Huangshi era, the emperor led troops to attack Zhongshan and camped at Baishi. That night, Murong Bao launched a surprise attack at midnight, causing the soldiers to panic and flee back to their capital. When they passed through Bingzhou, Murong Bao actually rebelled and planned to attack Jinyang. Fortunately, Yuan Yan, the governor of Bingzhou, managed to quell the rebellion. However, not long after, the tribal leaders Niwuni of Hetu Lin and Chinugen of Hexi mustered their forces and revolted at Yinguang. Duke Nan'an, Yuan Shun, was sent to suppress them but his efforts failed, leading to the deaths of several thousand people. Upon hearing this, Emperor Taizu dispatched General Anyuan, Yu Yue, to quell the rebellion, and they eliminated Niwuni and the others.
Next, there was another tribe known as Houlu Lin, with a population of over ten thousand, who had long grazed their livestock near the mountains and rivers. During the Denguó era, their leader Chifa conducted raids around the Kusha River. In the summer of the eighth year of the Denguó era, Emperor Taizu decisively defeated them and captured their deputy general, Yangu Yan, along with others.
Let's talk about the Xue forces, who have been stationed between the three cities. After Wei Chen was defeated, their leader Tai Xifu surrendered along with his men, and the Taizu Emperor even reassured them. After the emperor returned to court, Wei Chen's son Qu Gai sought refuge with the Xue forces. Upon hearing this, the Taizu Emperor sent someone to order Tai Xifu to bring Qu Gai to him. Tai Xifu brought Qu Gai out to present to the envoy and said, "Now that they are down and out, they come to me for refuge. How could I possibly abandon them? How could I bear to send him out?" So he refused to send him. Upon hearing this, the Taizu Emperor was furious and personally led troops to attack. At that moment, Tai Xifu was already attacking Cao Fuyin, and the imperial forces took the opportunity to strike, breaking through their city and capturing Tai Xifu's wife, children, and treasures, relocating the populace. Tai Xifu did not manage to return in time and fled to Yao Xing, and shortly thereafter, he fled back to Lingbei. The Xianbei and various other Hu tribes west of Shangjun responded to him. In the fifth year of the Tianzi era, Qu Gai completely looted the Zongfu. After Tongwan was pacified, the people of the Xue forces also became ordinary citizens.
Speaking of a branch of the Xianbei from Qiantun Mountain, the Po Duolan tribe, their leader Mu Yigan was quite a formidable character, with strong and capable soldiers under him, looting and plundering from the western city of Jincheng to the eastern city of Anding for several years, bullying the surrounding tribes. In the fourth year of Tianxing, the court dispatched Wang Zun from Changshan to Gao Ping to confront him. Realizing the situation was dire, Mu Yigan fled with several thousand cavalry, moving the common people to the capital. The remaining tribes dispersed and fled, and were subsequently defeated by Helian Qu Gai.
Next, the court took action against some wealthy but arrogant tribes, including Fu and Suguyan. In the fifth year of Tianxing, the Material Officer General and Tu led six thousand cavalry in a surprise attack and successfully captured them all.
There was also a group called Yue Le Bei Ni, who were relocated to the west of Mount Muba in the fifth year of the Yongxing era. In July, the court dispatched Xi Jin to launch a campaign against them, defeating them and relocating their people. Historical records indicate that the Xiongnu of the Han Dynasty and the Xianyun of the Zhou Dynasty have long been a threat to the Central Plains. During the Wei and Jin periods, various ethnic groups competed with one another, traversing the desert's edge and occasionally harassing the borders. In fact, they were all descendants of the Donghu, branches of Modu Chanyu. Groups like the Ruru are descendants of the Xiongnu, with unclear ancestry tracing back eight generations. They fled like wild beasts, gradually growing stronger and moving as fast as the wind, coming and going at will, causing constant alarm in the capital, where the war chariots were never at peace. This is why the ancestors of Wei had to take up arms and demonstrate their might, seizing their livestock, integrating their tribes, and driving them to desolate, uninhabited lands. It wasn't that they relished fighting or wielding weapons; they simply had no other choice but to resolve the issue this way.
