Qiangqui

Qiangqui
Chanyu
Domain and influence of the Eastern Xiongnu
Reign	c. 179–188 CE
Predecessor	Huzheng
Successor	Yufuluo
Dynasty	Maodun
Father	from Qiang (Kiyan) maternal tribe

Qiangqui (aka Jiangqu Chinese: 羌渠; r. 179–188 CE), whose full title is unknown, was a Chanyu of the Southern Xiongnu, a successor to Huzheng (aka Huching, Ch. 呼徵, r. 178-179 CE) of the Southern Xiongnu. Qiangqui was a head of the maternal dynastic tribe Qiang (Kiyan) with a title Western Tuqi-Prince (Wise Prince, Ch. Xian Wang) not eligible for the throne, he was appointed by the Chinese Bailiff for Southern Xiongnu affairs Zhang Xiu, who on his own whim executed Huzheng Chanyu. Although Zhang Xiu was himself executed for his transgression, Qiangqui was confirmed in the Great Chanyu post by the reigning Han Emperor Ling (r. 168–189 CE).

In 51 BCE a pretender to the Xiongnu's throne Huhanye re-established the heqin peace and kinship treaty with the Han empire, and fled to China with a fraction of the Xiongnu, partitioning the Xiongnu state into the Northern Xiongnu and Southern Xiongnu, and establishing a new polity allied with China. The Southern Xiongnu retained a title "Chanyu" for their leader, and started a new dynastic line beginning with Huhanye. Huhanye himself belonged to the 8th generation of the Maodun line of the dynastic paternal Luanti tribe, the tribe Qiang (Kiyan) was a maternal dynastic tribe of the Southern Xiongnu.^[1] During the existence of the Southern Xiongnu state, its Xiongnu population greatly varied depending on the events in the steppe, at times it was swelling with numerous Xiongnu tribes fleeing trouble events, and at times it was losing Xiongnu tribes when they returned after return of peaceful times. The Chinese policies also affected the in and out flows. Until the event with Zhang Xiu in 179 CE, the Southern Xiongnu continued electing their Chanyus without explicit Chinese intervention, Qiangqui was the first Southern Xiongnu Chanyu who broke the traditional Xiongnu succession laws, undermining the integrity of the Southern fraction. Tribes that did not want to recognise a non-eligible leader either revolted against him, or left the area under his control.

The time of Qiangqui's reign was troublesome for the Han Empire, and few records address the Chinese relations with the Southern Xiongnu. Following the covenants of the heqin peace and kinship treaty with the Chinese, in 187 CE Qiangqui sent Southern Xiongnu cavalry troops under command of the Eastern Jükü-Prince (Wise Prince, Ch. Tuqi 屠耆) to attach them to the governor of Yuzhou province Lu Yui, to fight off the raid on the border areas by the Zhongshan province former governor Zhang Shun, allied with Xianbei. That caused a discontent of the elders, who were alarmed that Shanyu would be sending troops frequently.

Next year, in 188 CE, Yilo with others rose in rebellion in the western aimak, numbering 100,000 people, and killed the Southern Shanyu Qiangqui. Qiangqui died on the tenth year of his reign; after him to the throne was raised his son, a Western Tuqi-Prince Yufuluo, probably a Chinese selection. Qiangqui remained in history as the one after whom were named the Jie branch of the Xiongnu, who created the Later Zhao Jie state led by Shi Le.^[2]

Footnotes

References

• Bichurin N.Ya., "Collection of information on peoples in Central Asia in ancient times", vol. 1, p. 146, Sankt Petersburg, 1851, reprint Moscow-Leningrad, 1950 (Qian Han Shu Ch. 94b)