Editing Xiongnu (section)

=== Southern Xiongnu and Northern Xiongnu ===
[[File:Belt hook depicting animal fight, Xiongnu, 200-100 BC, bronze - Östasiatiska museet, Stockholm - DSC09561.JPG|thumb|Belt hook depicting an animal fight, Xiongnu, 200–100 BC, bronze. Östasiatiska museet, [[Stockholm]].{{sfn|Bunker|2002|loc=p. 104, item 72}}]]
The Xiongnu's new power was met with a policy of appeasement by [[Emperor Guangwu of Han|Emperor Guangwu]]. At the height of his power, Huduershi even compared himself to his illustrious ancestor, Modu. Due to growing regionalism among the Xiongnu, however, Huduershi was never able to establish unquestioned authority. In contravention of a principle of [[fraternal succession]] established by Huhanye, Huduershi designated his son Punu as [[heir-apparent]]. However, as the eldest son of the preceding chanyu, Bi (Pi)—the Rizhu King of the Right—had a more legitimate claim. Consequently, Bi refused to attend the annual meeting at the chanyu{{'}}s court. Nevertheless, in 46 AD, Punu ascended the throne.

In 48 AD, a confederation of eight Xiongnu tribes in Bi's power base in the south, with a military force totalling 40,000 to 50,000 men, seceded from Punu's kingdom and acclaimed Bi as chanyu. This kingdom became known as the '''Southern Xiongnu'''.

==== Northern Xiongnu ====
The rump kingdom under Punu, around the [[Orkhon Valley|Orkhon]] (modern north central Mongolia) became known as the '''Northern Xiongnu''', with Punu, becoming known as the [[Northern Chanyu]]. In 49 AD, the Northern Xiongnu was dealt a heavy defeat to the Southern Xiongnu. That same year, Zhai Tong, a Han governor of [[Liaodong Peninsula|Liaodong]] also enticed the [[Wuhuan]] and [[Xianbei]] into attacking the Northern Xiongnu.{{sfn|Grousset|1970|p=[https://archive.org/details/empireofsteppesh00prof/page/39 39]}} Soon, Punu began sending envoys on several separate occasions to negotiate peace with the Han dynasty, but made little to no progress.

In the 60s, the Northern Xiongnu resumed hostilities as they attempted to expand their influence into the [[Western Regions]] and launched raids on the Han borders. In 73, the Han responded by sending [[Dou Gu]] and Geng Chong to lead a [[Battle of Yiwulu|great expedition]] against the Northern Xiongnu in the [[Tarim Basin]]. The expedition, which saw the exploits of the famed general, [[Ban Chao]], was initially successful, but the Han had to temporarily withdraw in 75 due to matters back home. Ban Chao remained behind and maintained Chinese influence over the Western Regions before his death in 102.''<ref name=":0" />''{{sfn|Grousset|1970|pp=[https://archive.org/details/empireofsteppesh00prof/page/42 42–47]}}

For the next decade, the Northern Xiongnu had to endure famines largely due to locust plagues. In 87, they suffered a major defeat to the Xianbei, who killed their chanyu [[Youliu]] and took his skin as a trophy. With the Northern Xiongnu in disarray, the Han general, [[Dou Xian]] launched an expedition and crushed them at the [[Battle of the Altai Mountains]] in 89. After another Han attack in 91, the [[Northern Chanyu|Northern ''Chanyu'']] fled with his followers to the northwest, and was not seen again, while those that remained behind surrendered to the Han.''<ref name=":0" />''

In 94, dissatisfied with the newly appointed ''chanyu'', the surrendered Northern Xiongnu rebelled and acclaimed Fenghou as their chanyu, who led them to flee outside the border. However, the separatist regime continued to face famines and the growing threat of the Xianbei, prompting 10,000 of them to return to Han in 96. Fenghou later sent envoys to Han intending to submit as a vassal but was rejected. The Northern Xiongnu were scattered, with most of them being absorbed by the Xianbei. In 118, a defeated Fenghou brought around 100 followers to surrender to Han.''<ref name=":0" />''

Remnants of the Northern Xiongnu held out in the Tarim Basin as they allied themselves with the [[Jushi Kingdom|Nearer Jushi Kingdom]] and captured [[Hami|Yiwu]] in 119. By 126, they were subjugated by the Han general, [[Ban Yong]], while a branch led by a "Huyan King" continued to resist. The Huyan King was last mentioned in 151 when he launched an attack on Yiwu but was driven away by Han forces. According to the fifth-century ''[[Book of Wei]]'', the remnants of Northern ''Chanyu''<nowiki/>'s tribe settled as [[Yueban]], near [[Kucha]] and subjugated the [[Wusun]]; while the rest fled across the [[Altai Mountains]] towards [[Kangju]] in [[Transoxania]]. It states that this group later became the [[Hephthalites]].<ref>''Book of Wei'' [https://zh.wikisource.org/wiki/%E9%AD%8F%E6%9B%B8/%E5%8D%B7102 Vol. 102] (in Chinese)</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Gumilev L.N. |title=История народа Хунну |trans-title=History of Hun People |place=Moscow |chapter-url=http://gumilevica.kulichki.net/HPH/hph15.htm |chapter=Ch. 15 |language=ru |url=http://gumilevica.kulichki.net/HPH/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090629204641/http://gumilevica.kulichki.net/HPH/ |archive-date=29 June 2009 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Hyun Jim Kim |title=The Huns |date=2015 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-317-34090-4 |chapter=2 The So-called 'Two-Hundred year Interlude'}}</ref>

[[File:Asia 200ad.jpg|thumb|upright=1.35|Southern and Northern Xiongnu in 200 AD, before the collapse of the [[Han dynasty]].]]

==== Southern Xiongnu ====
[[File:Eastern Han Xiongnu Iron Cauldron (10337027003).jpg|thumb|upright|Xiongnu cauldron, [[Eastern Han]]]]
Coincidentally, the Southern Xiongnu were plagued by natural disasters and misfortunes—in addition to the threat posed by Punu. Consequently, in 50 AD, the Southern Xiongnu submitted to tributary relations with Han China. The system of tribute was considerably tightened by the Han, to keep the Southern Xiongnu under control. The ''Chanyu'' was ordered to establish his court in the Meiji district of [[Xihe Commandery]] and the Southern Xiongnu were resettled in eight frontier commanderies. At the same time, large numbers of Chinese were also resettled in these commanderies, in mixed Han-Xiongnu settlements. Economically, the Southern Xiongnu became reliant on trade with the Han and annual subsidies from the Chinese court.

The Southern Xiongnu served as Han auxiliaries to defend the northern borders from nomadic forces and even played a role in defeating the Northern Xiongnu. However, with the fall of their northern counterpart, the Southern Xiongnu continued to suffer the brunt of raids, this time by the [[Xianbei]] people of the steppe. In addition to the poor climate and living conditions of the frontiers, the Chinese court would also interfere in the Southern Xiongnu's politics and install ''chanyus'' loyal to the Han. As a result, the Southern Xiongnu often rebelled, at times joining forces with the [[Wuhuan]] and receiving support from the Xianbei.

During the late 2nd century AD, the ''Chanyu'' began sending his people to deal with the Han's internal matters; first against the [[Yellow Turban Rebellion]] and then another rebellion in [[Hebei]] in 188. Many of the Xiongnu feared that it would set a precedent for unending military service to the Han court. At the time, another Han vassal, the [[Chuge|Xiuchuge]] people had revolted in [[Bingzhou]] and killed the provincial inspector. Subsequently, a rebellious faction among the Southern Xiongnu allied with the Xiuchuge and killed the ''Chanyu'' as well. The Han court appointed his son, [[Yufuluo]], entitled Chizhi Shizhu ({{lang|zh|持至尸逐侯}}), to succeed him, but he was expelled from his territory by the rebels.

Yufuluo travelled to [[Luoyang]] to seek aid from the Han court, but the court was in disorder from the clash between Grand General [[He Jin]] and the [[Ten Attendants|eunuchs]], and the intervention of the warlord [[Dong Zhuo]]. The ''Chanyu'' subsequently settled down with his followers around [[Linfen|Pingyang]], east of the [[Fen River]] in [[Shanxi]]. In 195, he died and was succeeded as ''chanyu'' by his brother [[Huchuquan]]. Meanwhile, the rebels initially elected their own ''chanyu'', but after he died just a year into his reign, they left the position vacant and had an elderly nominal king put in his place. With the Southern Xiongnu in disarray, many of the tribes opted to distance themselves from the ongoing [[End of the Han dynasty|Han civil war]]. Yufuluo's group and the Xiuchuge were drawn into the conflict from time to time before they were all subdued by the warlord [[Cao Cao]].''<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=De Crespigny |first=Rafe |title=Northern frontier: the policies and strategy of the later Han Empire |date=1984 |publisher=Faculty of Asian Studies, Australian National University |isbn=978-0-86784-410-8 |series=Faculty of Asian Studies monographs |location=Canberra}}</ref>''

The Southern Xiongnu upheaval caused several frontier commanderies such as [[Shuofang Commandery|Shuofang]] and [[Yunzhong Commandery|Yunzhong]] to be lost to hostile tribes, prompting Cao Cao to abolish and abandon them. In 216, he detained Huchuquan in the city of [[Ye (Hebei)|Ye]] and reorganized the last vestiges of the Southern Xiongnu into the Five Divisions (Left, Right, South, North and Centre) around [[Taiyuan Commandery]] in modern-day [[Shanxi]], bringing them closer to the Chinese court's influence. The office of ''chanyu'' remained with Huchuquan at Ye until his death, after which it became vacant, while the Five Divisions were placed under the supervision of his uncle, [[Qubei]]. Each division was led by a local chief, who in turn was under the surveillance of a Chinese resident. This was aimed at preventing the tribes in Shanxi from engaging in rebellion, and also allowed Cao Cao to use them as auxiliaries in his cavalry.{{sfn|Grousset|1970|p=[https://archive.org/details/empireofsteppesh00prof/page/54 54]}}