Editing Xiongnu (section)

==== 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]}}