Xiongnu

Quick Facts: Who was Xiongnu?

Subject:

Xiongnu

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Nomadic confederation of peoples inhabiting the Eurasian steppe from 3rd century BC.

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2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

The Xiongnu (Chinese: 匈奴; [ɕjʊ́ŋ.nǔ]) 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 BC, founded the Xiongnu Empire. After overthrowing their previous overlords, the Yuezhi, the Xiongnu became the dominant power on the steppes of East Asia, centred on the Mongolian Plateau. The Xiongnu were also active in areas now part of Siberia, Inner Mongolia, Gansu and Xinjiang. Their relations with the Chinese dynasties to the south-east were complex, alternating between various periods of peace, war and subjugation.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Ultimately, the Xiongnu were defeated by the Han dynasty in a centuries-long conflict, which led to the confederation splitting in two, and forcible resettlement of large numbers of Xiongnu within Han borders. After their surrender, the Xiongnu in China intermixed with the Han Chinese and other surrounding ethnic minority groups. They were known as one of the "Five Barbarians", as their descendants founded the short-lived dynastic states of Han-Zhao, Xia and Northern Liang in northern China during the Sixteen Kingdoms period. The Jie people, who led the Later Zhao, were also derived from the Xiongnu, as were the Xianbei Yuwen clan of the Northern Zhou during the Northern and Southern dynasties. By the 7th century, the Xiongnu had completely integrated into Chinese society.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Attempts to associate the Xiongnu with the nearby Iranian Saka and Sarmatians were once controversial. However, archaeogenetics has confirmed their interaction with the Xiongnu, and also possibly their relation to the Huns. The identity of the ethnic core of Xiongnu has been a subject of varied hypotheses, because only a few words, mainly titles and personal names, were preserved in the Chinese sources. The name Xiongnu may be cognate with that of the Huns or the Huna, although this is disputed. Other linguistic links—all of them also controversial—proposed by scholars include Turkic, Iranian, Mongolic, Uralic, Yeniseian, or multi-ethnic.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Xiongnu

True or False: “The Xiongnu were always considered a single, unified ethnic group by all neighboring civilizations throughout their history.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): Chinese sources often used 'Hu' as a general blanket term for various nomadic peoples, and the Xiongnu themselves underwent significant admixture with other groups.

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