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{{Short description|207–907 CE Mongolic steppe people of Northeast China}}
{{Other uses|Xi (disambiguation){{!}}Xi}}
{{History_of_Manchuria}}
The '''Kumo Xi''' ({{CJKV|t=[[wikt:庫|庫]][[wikt:莫|莫]][[wikt:奚|奚]]|s=[[wikt:库|库]][[wikt:莫|莫]][[wikt:奚|奚]]|p=Kùmò Xī}}<ref name="Xu Elina-Qian, p.296b">Xu Elina-Qian, p.296b</ref>), also known as the '''Tatabi''', were ancient [[steppe]] people located in current [[Northeast China]] from 207 CE to 907 CE. After the death of their ancestor [[Tadun]] in 207, they were no longer called [[Wuhuan]] but joined the [[Khitan people|Khitan Xianbei]] in submitting to the [[Yuwen]] [[Xianbei]]. Their history is widely linked to the more famous [[Khitan people|Khitan]].<ref name="Xu Elina-Qian, p. 268">Xu Elina-Qian, pp.268-271</ref>

During their history, the Kumo Xi engaged in conflict with numerous Chinese dynasties and with the Khitan tribes, eventually suffering a series of disastrous defeats to Chinese armies and coming under the domination of the Khitans. In 907, the Kumo Xi were completely assimilated into the Khitan-led [[Liao dynasty]] of China.

==Etymology==
[[Omeljan Pritsak]] reconstructs the ethnonym underlying [[Middle Chinese]] *''kʰuo<sup>H</sup>-mɑk̚-ɦei'' as ''qu(o)mâġ-ġay''. The first element ''qu(o)mâġ'' is from *''quo'' "yellowish" plus denominal suffix *''-mAk'', cognate with [[Mongolian language|Mongolian]] ''qumaġ'' "fine sands" and with [[Turkic languages|Turkic]] ''qumaq'' and ''qum''.<ref name="Golden, P.B. 2003 p. 16-17">Golden, P.B. (2003) "Cumanica II: The Ölberli (Ölperli): The Fortunes and Misfortunes of an Inner Asian Nomadic Clan" in ''Nomads and their neighbours in the Russian Steppe'' note. 49 p. 16-17 of 5-29</ref> As for *''ɦei'', Christopher Atwood (2010) proposed that it reflects an ''i''-suffixed form of [[Old Chinese|OC]] 胡 *gâ > ''[[Donghu people|hú]]''.<ref>Atwood, Christopher P. "The Qai, the Khongai, and the Names of the Xiōngnú" International Journal of Eurasian Studies II. p. 47-53</ref> Further, ''gâ'' is etymologically uncertain: [[Peter Benjamin Golden]] (2003) proposes several Mongolic etymologies: ''ɣai'' "trouble, misfortune, misery", ''χai'' "interjection of grief", ''χai'' "to seek", ''χai'' "to hew", albeit none compelling.<ref>Golden, Peter B. (2006). "Cumanica V: The Basmils and Qipčaqs" in ''Archivum Eurasiae Medii Aevi'' 15: notes 24–25. p. 17 of 13-42</ref><ref>Golden, P.B. (2003) "Cumanica II: The Ölberli (Ölperli): The Fortunes and Misfortunes of an Inner Asian Nomadic Clan" in ''Nomads and their neighbours in the Russian Steppe'' note. 49 p. 17 of 5-29</ref>

Pritsak proposes that the ''qu(o)mâġ-ġay'' comprised two [[Proto-Mongols|Proto-Mongolic]] groups: the ''Qu(o)mâġ'', whom he linked to the [[Kimek tribe|Kimek]] and the Qun/[[Cumans]] (whose ethnonym possibly meant "yellow") and the ''Qay'' proper. However, Golden thinks that ''qu(o)mâġ-ġay'' simply means "desert Qay" or "sand Qay", referring to their earlier habitat.<ref name="Golden, P.B. 2003 p. 16-17"/>

As for the exonym ''Tatabï'' given to Kumo Xi by [[Göktürks]], [[Yury Zuev]] (2002) compares ''Tatabï'' to [[Avestan]] ''tata apo'' and proposes an etymology from [[Iranian languages|Iranic]] *''tata-api'' "falling waters", after having noted that the name of a Xī-(奚)-associated tribe ''Bái-Xí'' 白霫 (< MC *''bˠæk̚-ziɪp̚'') literally meant "white downpour/torrent" in [[Chinese language|Chinese]], and that the Xī (奚) and Xí (霫) occupied the same area, Zhongjing (中京).<ref>Toqto'a et al. ''Liaoshi'', [https://zh.wikisource.org/wiki/%E9%81%BC%E5%8F%B2/%E5%8D%B7116#%E5%A4%AA%E7%A5%96%E7%B4%80 Vol. 116] "奚、霫 [...]　國名。中京地也。" Tr. "''Xī, Xí'' ... the name of a state in Zhongjing area."</ref><ref>Zuev, ''Early Türks: Sketches of history and ideology'', Almaty, Daik-Press, 2002, p. 66. (In Russian). Original text: "''бай-си'' 'белый ливень' или просто си 'ливень/поток'"</ref>

==Origin==
[[File:Eastern Hu.png|thumb|450px|Lineage of the Kumo Xi]]
The Kumo Xi were descendants of the [[Wuhuan]]. The ''[[Book of the Later Han]]'' records that “the language and culture of the [[Xianbei]] are the same as the Wuhuan”. Along with the Xianbei, the Wuhuan formed part of the [[Mongols|proto-Mongolic]]<ref name=":Kradin">{{Cite journal |author = [[Nikolay Kradin|Kradin N. N.]] |format= |url= https://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/heterarchy-and-hierarchy-among-the-ancient-mongolian-nomads |title= Heterarchy and hierarchy among the ancient Mongolian nomads |journal= Social Evolution & History|type=  |orig-year= | agency =  |edition=  |year= 2011 |volume=  10|number= 1|pages = 198 |series=  |issn =  |doi =  |bibcode =  |arxiv =  |pmid =  |archive-url =  |archive-date =  |language=  |quote=  }}</ref> [[Donghu people|Donghu]] confederation in the 4th century BC. The [[Weishu]] (Description of the Khitan, Vol. 1000, 2221) records that the Kumo Xi and Khitans (descendants of the Xianbei) spoke the same language.

The ''[[Book of Wei]]'' (Description of the Khitan, Vol. 100, 2223) records :
{{quote|契丹國, 在庫莫奚東, 異種同類, 俱竄於松漠之間. 登國中, 國軍大破之, 遂逃迸, 與庫莫奚分背.<br />The Khitan state was situated east of the Kumo Xi. They were different ethnic groups but belonged to the same ethnic stock, and fled to the region of Songmo together. During the period of [[Emperor Daowu of Northern Wei|Dengguo]] (386-395), they were severely defeated by the imperial troops. Therefore, they (the Khitan) fled in disorder and split off from the Kumo Xi.}}

The ''[[Book of Sui]]'' records:
{{quote|奚本曰庫莫奚, 東部胡之種.<br />The Xi were originally called the Kumo Xi. They were of Donghu origin.}}

The ''[[New Book of Tang]]'' records:
{{quote|奚亦東胡種, 為匈奴所破, 保烏丸山. 漢曹操斬其帥蹋頓蓋其後也.<br />The Xi were also of Donghu (the eastern barbarians) origin. They were defeated by the Xiongnu (under [[Modu Chanyu]]), and then sought refuge in the Wuwan Mountains. During the Han Dynasty, Cao Cao killed their leader [[Tadun]]. (The Xi) were the descendants.}}

==History==
In 388 AD, the Kumo Xi and Khitans fought with the Xianbei-led [[Northern Wei|Northern Wei dynasty]]. The conflict severely weakened the Kumo Xi while the Khitans were not as badly affected, resulting in their split into separate polities.<ref>Xu Elina-Qian 263-264, 268 for details on this hypothesis: there is no clear source stating that the Khitans fled, but the following decades show that the Khitans were not weakened by the defeat in 388 as much as Kumo Xi were.</ref> 

By the early [[Tang dynasty]] (around the 7th century AD), the (now named) Xi had become subordinate to the Khitans. After the Khitans' [[Li-Sun Rebellion]] (696-697) and revolt of [[Ketuyu]] (730-734), the Xi regained their position of dominance. The Xi then entered a golden age, lasting from approximately 755 to 847. During this period the Xi were friendly with [[An Lushan]], and supported An in his [[An Shi Rebellion]] (756-763), plundering Han territories frequently within this period. This aggressive policy seems to have consumed Xi forces, especially weakening their demographic vitality, allowing the less aggressive Khitans to dominate them. Xi raids into Tang territory provoked successive heavy responses from the Tang court, resulting in battles in the 760s and in 795 that were disastrous for the Xi. After 795, the Xi became a tributary people to the [[Tang dynasty|Tang]].<ref>Xu Elina-Qian p.269: defeated by [[Liu Ji (general)|Liu Ji]] in 795, and [[Li Zaiyi]] in 830. p.270: defeated by [[Zhang Zhongwu]] in 847</ref>

The [[Uyghur Empire]] (744-840) collapsed in the 840's. When the Tang dynasty simultaneously displayed signs of division, the Xi rose in rebellion in 847, and were subsequently and disastrously defeated by [[Zhang Zhongwu]], the frontier commander of [[Lulong County|Lulong]]. The Xi were never able to recover from their defeat in 847. In the late ninth century AD the Khitans rose to eventually absorb the remnants of Xi people, and established the [[Liao dynasty]] in 907.<ref name="Xu Elina-Qian, p. 268" />

==Cultural heritage==
It is believed that the ''[[Xiqin (instrument)|Xiqin]]'', a bowed, stringed instrument that is the ancestor of the Chinese ''[[Erhu]]'', the Mongolian ''[[Khuuchir]]'' and ''[[Matouqin|Morin khuur]]'', was derived from a Xi instrument.<ref>Suhe Balu</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://mongol.undesten.mn/wiki/show/name/%D0%A5%D1%83%D1%83%D1%87%D0%B8%D1%80 |title=Үндэстний нэвтэрхий толь |access-date=2015-04-08 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131116080549/http://mongol.undesten.mn/wiki/show/name/%D0%A5%D1%83%D1%83%D1%87%D0%B8%D1%80 |archive-date=2013-11-16 }} Хуучир mongol.undesten.mn</ref>

==See also==
* [[Proto-Mongols]]

==Notes==
<references/>

==References==
* Suhe Balu. [https://web.archive.org/web/20110707013004/http://www.0438.cn/Html/caifu/3735.html "The Ancient Legend of the Morin Khuur: The Ancient Legend of Guo'er Luosi"]. ''Songyuan Culture''. www.0438.cn May 12, 2009. Retrieved on July 4, 2011.
* {{Xu Elina-Qian|1=See especially pages: '''268-271''', 284a.}}

{{Mongolic ethnic groups |state=expanded}}
{{Historical Non-Chinese peoples in China}}

[[Category:207 establishments]]
[[Category:States and territories disestablished in 907]]
[[Category:States and territories established in the 3rd century]]
[[Category:Ethnic groups in Chinese history]]
[[Category:Khitans]]
[[Category:Mongol peoples]]
[[Category:Wuhuan]]