Background

The eastern neighbors of the Xiongnu, the Donghu, hearing of Modu Chanyu's succession and hoping to benefit from the turmoil, they dispatched several envoys in order to test the ability of the new Chanyu. First envoy demanded the Touman's great warhorse (which is considered to be a Xiongnu 'treasure'), although Xiongnu nobles told Modu to reject this request, Modu gave up the horse described as the 'treasure' of Xiongnu^[2] without a second thought. The Donghu interpreted this as a sign of weakness based on fear;^[1] so they sent another envoy to Modu and demanded him to surrender one of his wives. Again Modu complied against the protests of his nobles who wanted to resist. Donghu now regarded the Xiongnu with contempt, they also sent a third envoy to claim title to the desert wasteland that separated them from the Xiongnu. The Xiongnu nobles, who had earlier seen their ruler give up the great horse and woman without any resistance, thought that giving up some useless land would not be a big deal and advised Modu to comply with the Donghu request as before.^[2] Modu suddenly flew into a rage and declared that the horses and women can be sacrificed for peace, but “Land is the basis of a nation”,^[1][2] he ordered the execution of those nobles who favored giving it up.^[1][2][3]

Battle

Modu Chanyu immediately mounted an attack on the Donghu, who, in their overconfidence, had posted neither scouts nor prepared defenses.^[1] The Donghu, who had been fooled by Modu's deception, was caught completely by surprise. They were overwhelmed and incorporated into the Xiongnu Empire.^[2] The whole Donghu people and their livestock fell into Modu’s hands.^[1][3]The Donghu ruler, who had insulted the Xiongnu, was killed and had his skull made into a drinking cup.^[1][3]

Tactics

The Donghu demands were tests of power and Modu’s response was part of a larger design to enable the militarily weaker Xiongnu to win a victory over a mobile opponent.^[1] Modu employed one of the classic steppe tactics, but used it in diplomacy — the feigned retreat. Modu feigned a diplomatic retreat before the ever-increasing Donghu demands. The disagreements in the Xiongnu court about yielding reinforced the image of a new leader who was on the defensive and unable to rule. The Donghu’s last demand for Xiongnu land indicated their overconfidence and triggered a war Modu must have long planned as the only way to catch his enemy off guard.^[1] To be successful the attack had to be both sudden and unexpected. A nomadic people could not be easily defeated if they were given an opportunity to move their people and livestock to safety. Modu was able to strike swiftly because nomads on the steppe were always prepared for war and were extremely mobile.^[1][2]

Aftermath

Modu followed up his victory by defeating also the Yuezhi to the west. During the course of this operation he seized all the remaining land south of the Yellow River that the Ch’in armies had previously taken from the Xiongnu. From here he mounted raids on China in districts left undefended because of the civil war there.^[1]

″The Eastern Hu in the beginning made light of Modun, and were not prepared [for him]. So Modun arrived with troops, attacked, and inflicted great damage and wiped out the Eastern Hu king, and thus captured his people as well as livestock. [He] immediately returned, [then] went west and attacked and routed the Yuezhi, and went south bringing together the Loufan and Boyang kings south of the River [under his control]. [He] entirely took back the land which Qin had sent Meng Tian to take from the Xiongnu by force, by [meeting up] with the Han passes and the previous garrisons south of the River, reaching Chaona and Fushi, and then invading Yan and Dai. At this time, the Han troops were at opposition with Xiang Yu, the Central States were at a standstill with their troops in upheaval, 15 and thus Modun was able to strengthen himself, [obtaining] over 300,000 soldiers that drew a bow.″ [Shiji 110: 2889-90]^[5]

See also

• Han-Xiongnu War
• Han Dynasty
• Battle of Baideng

References

Sources

• Barfield, Thomas J. (1989). The Perilous Frontier: Nomadic Empires and China 221 B.C. to AD 1757 (Studies in Social Discontinuity). Blackwell. ISBN 1-55786-043-2.
• Sinor, Denis (2008) [1990]. The Cambridge History of Early Inner Asia. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9781139054898.
• Kim, Hyun Jin (2015). The Huns (PDF). Oxford: Routledge. ISBN 9781317340911.