Donghu people
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| Ongoing Mediation:
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Donghu referred to the nomadic federation formed by the Mongolic ethnic groups of Donghu, Wuhuan, and Xianbei.
Name
Donghu was one of the three Mongolic ethnic groups in the nomadic federation formed by the Donghu, Wuhuan and Xianbei. After the Donghu became powerful in the end of the Warring States, they led the federation. Whereas Donghu was a Chinese transcription, the Mongolian reference was Tünghu[1].
The earliest Chinese record of Donghu (东胡) was found in the “Chapter on the Meeting of Kings” (王会篇) compiled during the Warring States from the 5th to the 3rd century B.C., indicating that the Donghu were active during this period[2]. The earliest record of the Xianbei was found in the oldest Chinese classic, Guoyu, indicating that the Xianbei had contact with the Zhou Dynasty as early as the eleventh century BCE and that “Donghu and Wuhuan were ethnic groups who belonged to the Xianbei series”[3].
A Brief History
The Donghu, Wuhuan, and Xianbei originally resided in the areas of Laoha River, Xilamulun River, and Greater and Lesser Ling Rivers respectively in northern Manchuria. When they migrated southward during the Shang and Zhou Dynasties, the three groups managed on their own. Around the late Western Zhou and early Spring and Autumn periods, they developed into a federation in the form of an ancient kingdom. Their military power rose by the time of the Warring States and entered into a powerful state. Archaeological discoveries associated them with the Upper Xiajiadian Culture, which was characterized by the practice of agriculture, animal husbandry, hunting, handicrafts and bronze art. Through the usage of bronze weaponry and armored cavalry in warfare, they maintained extensive dominance over the Xiongnu on their west[4][5][6].
By the time of the rule of the Xiongnu Chanyu, Touman (c. 220 BCE to 209 BCE), the crown prince Maodun killed Touman and took the throne of Chanyu. The Donghu King sent officials for condemnation and demanded for horses and land, in an effort to continue maintaining dominance over the Xiongnu. However, this brought a surprise attack from the Xiongnu cavalry and out of negligence, the Donghu federation was destroyed[7][8]. Thereafter, the Wuhuan moved to Mt. Wuhuan whereas the Xianbei moved northward to Mt. Xianbei of the present Daxinganling.
Reference List
- ^ Hao, Weimin (郝维民) and Qimudedaoerji (齐木德道尔吉), 2007, Neimenggu tong shi gang yao [Outline of Comprehensive History of Inner Mongolia] 内蒙古通史纲要. Beijing (北京), Renmin chu ban she [People's Press] 人民出版社. p. 17).
- ^ Lin, Gan [林干] (2007). Donghu shi [The Donghu History] 东胡史. Huhehaote [呼和浩特], Nei Mengguo ren min chu ban she (Inner Mongolia People's Press] 内蒙古人民出版社. p. 1-2
- ^ Zhu, Xueyuan [朱学渊] (2008). Qin Shi Huang shi shuo menggu hua de Nüzhen ren [The First Emperor of the Qin was a Jurchen who spoke Mongolic language] 秦始皇是说蒙古话的女真人. Shanghai [上海], Huadong shi fan da xue chu ban she [Eastern Chinese Normal University Press] 华东师范大学出版社, p. 75.
- ^ Ma, Changshou [馬長壽] (1962). Wuhuan yu Xianbei [Wuhuan and Xianbei] 烏桓與鮮卑. Shanghai [上海], Shanghai ren min chu ban she [Shanghai People's Press] 上海人民出版社.
- ^ Liu, Xueyao [劉學銚] (1994). Xianbei shi lun [the Xianbei History] 鮮卑史論. Taibei [台北], Nan tian shu ju [Nantian Press] 南天書局.
- ^ Wang, Zhongluo [王仲荦] (2007). Wei jin nan bei chao shi [History of Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties] 魏晋南北朝史. Beijing [北京], Zhonghua shu ju [China Press] 中华书局.
- ^ Watson (1993), p. 134-5.
- ^ Lü, Jianfu [呂建福], 2002. Tu zu shi [The Tu History] 土族史. Beijing [北京], Zhongguo she hui ke xue chu ban she [Chinese Social Sciences Press] 中囯社会科学出版社. p. 15-16.
- Di Cosmo, Nicola. (1999). "The Northern Frontier in Pre-imperial China", in Cambridge History of Ancient China, Cambridge University Press, pp. 885-966.
- Lebedynsky, Iaroslav. (2007). Les nomades. Editions Errance, Paris. ISBN 9782877723466
- Pulleyblank, Edwin G. (1983). "The Chinese and Their Neighbors in Prehistoric and Early Historic China," in The Origins of Chinese Civilization, University of California Press, pp. 411-466.
- Watson, Burton. (1993). Records of the Grand Historian by Sima Qian. Translated by Burton Watson. Revised Edition. Columbia University Press. ISBN 0-231-08167-7.
- Yu Ying-Shih. (1986). "Han Foreign Relations," in The Cambridge History of China. 1. The Ch'in and Han Empires, Cambridge University Press, pp. 377-462.