Zhizhi Chanyu
Encyclopedia
Zhizhi Chanyu (died 36 BC) was a Chanyu
of the Xiongnu
at the time of the first Xiongnu civil war, who held the north and west in contention with his younger brother Huhanye who held the south. His original name in Chinese transcription was Luanti
Hutuwusi, i.e. one of the Worthy Prince
s of the East.
When the 12th Chanyu died in 60 BC power was seized by a distant relative. In 58 BC, Huhanye, a younger son of the 12th Chanyu, revolted and made himself the 14th Chanyu.
In 56 BC Zhizhi, an elder brother of Huhanye, revolted, called himself Chanyu, and drove Huhanye out of the royal domain. As Zhizhi grew more powerful, Huhanye moved south and submitted to the Chinese (53 BC). Huhanye then used Chinese support to strengthen himself against his elder brother. Zhizhi tried to offer tribute to the Chinese and sent his son as hostage, but the Han dynasty
favored Huhanye. Growing weaker, in 49 BC Zhizhi began moving west in the hope of reconstituting his empire. In the same year, Yilimu, a brother of the 13th Chanyu, declared himself Chanyu and was killed by Zhizhi. He successfully fought the Wusun
, gained control of the Dingling
and made his capital in the lands of the Jiankun who may have been the Yenisei Kirghiz
(these last two are on the southern edge of Siberia).
In 44 BC he was reported to be on the north slope of the Tianshan
in modern Xinjiang
. The Han court returned his hostage son. For unknown reasons, Zhizhi murdered the envoy who accompanied his son. He made a marriage alliance with the rulers of Kangju
near Lake Balkhash
and led his entire tribe westward. They suffered greatly from cold and only 3,000 people reached Kangju (it is not clear if this was the whole population or counts only fighting men).
In alliance with the Kangju
he plundered the Wusun
. Later he quarreled with the Kangju, killed several hundred of them and forced the Kangju people to build him a fortress on the Dulaishui River (possibly the Ili River
or the Talas River
). It is not clear why Zhizhi would want a fortress since the great advantage of the Xiongnu
was their mobile cavalry. The Chinese commander of the Western Regions
began to fear that Zhizhi was planning to build a large empire and launched a preemptive attack. 40,000 Han troops marched on both sides of the Tarim Basin
and moved toward Lake Balkhash. A Kangju raiding party which was returning from the Wusun attacked the Chinese rear and was later defeated by a Chinese counterattack. The Chinese burned Zhizhi's fort and killed him (Battle of Zhizhi
, 36 BC).
Chanyu
Chanyu , was the title used by the nomadic supreme rulers of Middle and Central Asia for 8 centuries, starting...
of the Xiongnu
Xiongnu
The Xiongnu were ancient nomadic-based people that formed a state or confederation north of the agriculture-based empire of the Han Dynasty. Most of the information on the Xiongnu comes from Chinese sources...
at the time of the first Xiongnu civil war, who held the north and west in contention with his younger brother Huhanye who held the south. His original name in Chinese transcription was Luanti
Luanti
The Luanti was a clan and the ruling dynasty of the ancient Xiongnu that flourished between 3rd century BCE to 4th century CE. The form Luanti is from the Hanshu chapter 94a, l. 7a, and the form Xulianti...
Hutuwusi, i.e. one of the Worthy Prince
Worthy Prince
Tuqi was a high office in the Xiongnu confederation, a title also known to the Chinese as "worthy/wise prince/king". In the 6-8th centuries AD the Chinese annalists used the expression 贤王 Xian wang only in references to the Eastern Türks ....
s of the East.
When the 12th Chanyu died in 60 BC power was seized by a distant relative. In 58 BC, Huhanye, a younger son of the 12th Chanyu, revolted and made himself the 14th Chanyu.
In 56 BC Zhizhi, an elder brother of Huhanye, revolted, called himself Chanyu, and drove Huhanye out of the royal domain. As Zhizhi grew more powerful, Huhanye moved south and submitted to the Chinese (53 BC). Huhanye then used Chinese support to strengthen himself against his elder brother. Zhizhi tried to offer tribute to the Chinese and sent his son as hostage, but the Han dynasty
Han Dynasty
The Han Dynasty was the second imperial dynasty of China, preceded by the Qin Dynasty and succeeded by the Three Kingdoms . It was founded by the rebel leader Liu Bang, known posthumously as Emperor Gaozu of Han. It was briefly interrupted by the Xin Dynasty of the former regent Wang Mang...
favored Huhanye. Growing weaker, in 49 BC Zhizhi began moving west in the hope of reconstituting his empire. In the same year, Yilimu, a brother of the 13th Chanyu, declared himself Chanyu and was killed by Zhizhi. He successfully fought the Wusun
Wusun
The Wūsūn were a nomadic steppe people who, according to the Chinese histories, originally lived in western Gansu in northwest China west of the Yuezhi people...
, gained control of the Dingling
Dingling
The Dingling were an ancient Siberian people. They originally lived on the bank of the Lena River in the area west of Lake Baikal, gradually moving southward to Mongolia and northern China...
and made his capital in the lands of the Jiankun who may have been the Yenisei Kirghiz
Yenisei Kirghiz
The Yenisei Kirghiz, also known as the Khyagas or Khakas, were an ancient people that dwelled along the upper Yenisei River in the southern portion of the Minusinsk Depression from the 3rd century BCE to the 13th century CE...
(these last two are on the southern edge of Siberia).
In 44 BC he was reported to be on the north slope of the Tianshan
Tianshan
Tianshan may refer to:*Tian Shan, a mountain range in Central Asia*Tianshan District, Ürümqi, Xinjiang, China*Tianshan Subdistrict, Ar Horqin Banner, Inner Mongolia, China*Tianshan Town, Ar Horqin Banner, in Ar Horqin Banner, Inner Mongolia, China...
in modern Xinjiang
Xinjiang
Xinjiang is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China. It is the largest Chinese administrative division and spans over 1.6 million km2...
. The Han court returned his hostage son. For unknown reasons, Zhizhi murdered the envoy who accompanied his son. He made a marriage alliance with the rulers of Kangju
Kangju
Kangju was the name of an ancient people and kingdom in Central Asia. It was a nomadic federation of unknown ethnic and linguistic origin which became for a couple of centuries the second greatest power in Transoxiana after the Yuezhi....
near Lake Balkhash
Lake Balkhash
Lake Balkhash is one of the largest lakes in Asia and 12th largest continental lake in the world. It is located in southeastern Kazakhstan, in Central Asia, and belongs to an endorheic basin shared by Kazakhstan and China, with a small part in Kyrgyzstan. The basin drains into the lake via seven...
and led his entire tribe westward. They suffered greatly from cold and only 3,000 people reached Kangju (it is not clear if this was the whole population or counts only fighting men).
In alliance with the Kangju
Kangju
Kangju was the name of an ancient people and kingdom in Central Asia. It was a nomadic federation of unknown ethnic and linguistic origin which became for a couple of centuries the second greatest power in Transoxiana after the Yuezhi....
he plundered the Wusun
Wusun
The Wūsūn were a nomadic steppe people who, according to the Chinese histories, originally lived in western Gansu in northwest China west of the Yuezhi people...
. Later he quarreled with the Kangju, killed several hundred of them and forced the Kangju people to build him a fortress on the Dulaishui River (possibly the Ili River
Ili River
thumb|right|300px|Map of the Lake Balkhash drainage basin showing the Ili River and its tributariesThe Ili River is a river in northwestern China and southeastern Kazakhstan .It is long, of which is in Kazakhstan...
or the Talas River
Talas River
The Talas River rises in the Talas Province of Kyrgyzstan and flows west into Kazakhstan. It is formed from the confluence of the Karakol and Uch-Koshoy...
). It is not clear why Zhizhi would want a fortress since the great advantage of the Xiongnu
Xiongnu
The Xiongnu were ancient nomadic-based people that formed a state or confederation north of the agriculture-based empire of the Han Dynasty. Most of the information on the Xiongnu comes from Chinese sources...
was their mobile cavalry. The Chinese commander of the Western Regions
Western Regions
The Western Regions or Xiyu was a historical name specified in the Chinese chronicles between the 3rd century BC to 8th century AD that referred to the regions west of Jade Gate, most often Central Asia or sometimes more specifically the easternmost portion of it The Western Regions or Xiyu was a...
began to fear that Zhizhi was planning to build a large empire and launched a preemptive attack. 40,000 Han troops marched on both sides of the Tarim Basin
Tarim Basin
The Tarim Basin is a large endorheic basin occupying an area of about . It is located in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in China's far west. Its northern boundary is the Tian Shan mountain range and its southern is the Kunlun Mountains on the northern edge of the Tibetan Plateau. The...
and moved toward Lake Balkhash. A Kangju raiding party which was returning from the Wusun attacked the Chinese rear and was later defeated by a Chinese counterattack. The Chinese burned Zhizhi's fort and killed him (Battle of Zhizhi
Battle of Zhizhi
The Battle of Zhizhi was fought in 36 BC between the Han Dynasty and the Xiongnu chieftain Zhizhi Chanyu. Zhizhi was defeated and killed. The battle was probably fought near Taraz on the Talas River in eastern Kazakhstan, which makes it one of the westernmost points reached by a Chinese army...
, 36 BC).