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Chanyu

Emperor title of the Xiongnu

Summary

Emperor title of the Xiongnu

quote=Nonetheless, among archaeologists, there are many supporters of the Xiongnu migration to the West. In recent years, S. Botalov (2009) constructed a broad picture of the migration of the Xiongnu to the Urals, and then Europe. In Kazakhstan, A.N. Podushkin discovered the Arysskaya culture with a distinct stage of Xiongnu influence (2009). Russian archaeologists are actively studying the Hun sites in the Caucasus (Gmyrya 1993; 1995)<br>Podushkin, A.A. 2009. Xiongnu v Yuznom Kazakhstane. In: Nomady kazakhstanskikh stepey: etnosociokulturnye protsessy i kontakty v Evrazii skifo sakskoy epokhi: Edited by Z. Samashev, Astana: Ministry of Culture and Information of the Kazakhstan Republic: 147‒154}}</ref>

Chanyu () or Shanyu (), short for Chengli Gutu Chanyu (), was the title used by the supreme rulers of Inner Asian nomads for eight centuries until superseded by the title "Khagan" in 402 AD. The title was most famously used by the ruling Luandi clan of the Xiongnu during the Qin dynasty (221–206 BC) and Han dynasty (206 BC – 220 AD). It was later also used infrequently by the Chinese as a reference to Tujue leaders.

Etymology

"Chanyu from Heaven" Tiles, [[Inner Mongolia Museum

According to the Book of Han, "the Xiongnu called the Heaven (天) Chēnglí (撐犁) and they called a child (子) gūtú (孤塗). As for Chányú (單于), it is a "vast [and] great appearance" (廣大之貌).".

L. Rogers and Edwin G. Pulleyblank argue that the title chanyu may be equivalent to the later attested title tarkhan, suggesting that the Chinese pronunciation was originally dān-ĥwāĥ, an approximation for *darxan. Linguist Alexander Vovin tentatively proposes a Yeniseian etymology for 撐犁孤塗單于, in Old Chinese pronunciation *treng-ri kwa-la dar-ɢwā, from four roots: **tɨŋgɨr- "heaven", *kwala- "son, child", *dar "lower reaches of the Yenisei" or "north", and *qʌ̄j ~ *χʌ̄j "prince"; as a whole "Son of Heaven, Ruler of the North".

Bailey derives from Proto-Iranian *tark- "to speak, command", from Proto-Indo-European **telkʷ-*. He also compares a Saka title with the same semantic shift. Compare also Khotanese ttarkana and Ossetian tærxon.

Dybo derives from a Turkic root meaning "vast as the sky", and compares Old Uyghur *tarḳan-⁠ and tarḳar-. The Old Uyghur tarḳan- listed in her work is not found in Wilkens (2021), and Caferoğlu (1968) glosses tarḳan- as "to feel embarrassed, to get tired of, to worry". tarḳar-, meanwhile, is glossed by both as "to expel, to distance oneself from something; to destroy, to expunge".

List of Xiongnu chanyus

Title	Reconstructed Han period's late Old Chinese and Later Han Chinese pronunciations	Personal Name	Reign
Touman (頭曼單于/头曼单于)	*do-mɑnᴬ		220–209 BC
Modu Chanyu (冒頓單于/冒顿单于)	*mouᴴ-tuən/mək-tuən		209–174 BC
Laoshang Chanyu (老上單于/老上单于)	*louB-dźaŋC	Jiyu (稽鬻)	174–161 BC
Junchen Chanyu (軍臣單于/军臣单于)	*kun-gin		161–126 BC
Yizhixie Chanyu (伊稚斜單于/伊稚斜单于)	*ʔi-ḍiᴴ-ja		126–114 BC
Wuwei Chanyu (烏維/乌维)	*ʔɑ-wi		114–105 BC
Er Chanyu (兒單于/儿单于)	*ńe	Wushilu (烏師廬/乌师庐)	105–102/101 BC
Xulihu Chanyu (呴犛湖/呴犁湖) / Goulihu (句犁湖)	hɨo-li-gɑ / ko-li-ga		102/101–101/100 BC
Qiedihou (且鞮侯)	*tsiɑ-te-go		101/100–96 BC
Hulugu Chanyu (狐鹿姑單于/狐鹿姑单于)	*ɣuɑ-lok-kɑ		96–85 BC
Huyandi Chanyu (壺衍鞮單于/壺衍鞮单于)	*ɣɑ-janB/H-te		85–68 BC
Xulüquanqu Chanyu (虛閭權渠單于/虚闾权渠单于)	*hɨɑ-liɑ-gyan-gɨɑ		68–60 BC
Woyanqudi Chanyu (握衍朐鞮單于/握衍朐鞮单于)	*ʔɔk-janB/H-hɨo-te	Tuqitang (屠耆堂/ 屠耆堂)	60–58 BC
Huhanye Chanyu (呼韓邪單于/呼韩邪单于)	*hɑ-gɑn-ja	59}}
( 稽侯狦)	58–31 BC
Tuqi 屠耆單于, 58–56 BC
Hujie 呼揭單于, 57 BC
Juli 車犂單于, 57–56 BC
Wuji 烏籍單于, 57 BC
Runzhen 閏振單于, 56–54 BC
Zhizhi Chanyu 郅支單于, 55–36 BC
Yilimu 伊利目單于, 49 BC
Fuzhulei Ruodi Chanyu
(復株纍若鞮單于/复株累若鞮单于)	*ńak-te	86}}	31–20 BC
86}}
(搜諧若鞮單于/搜谐若鞮单于)	so-gɛi / ṣu-gɛi	86}}
(且麋胥)	20–12 BC
87}}
(車牙若鞮單于/车牙若鞮单于)	*kɨɑ-ŋa	87}}
(且莫車/攣鞮且莫車)	12–8 BC
p. 87}} (烏珠留若鞮單于/乌珠留若鞮单于)	*ʔɑ-tśo-liu	title=The Division and Destruction of the Xiongnu Confederacy, Rafe de Crespigny, Publications, Faculty of Asian Studies, ANU	url=http://www.anu.edu.au/asianstudies/decrespigny/han_xiongnu.html	url-status=dead	archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110101174028/http://www.anu.edu.au/asianstudies/decrespigny/han_xiongnu.html	archive-date=2011-01-01	access-date=2010-12-17}}
(囊知牙斯)	8 BC – 13 AD
105–107}} (烏累若鞮單于/乌累若鞮单于)	*ʔɑ-lui	Xian (鹹/挛鞮咸)	13–18 AD
108–109}} (呼都而屍道皋若鞮單于/呼都而尸道皋若鞮单于)	*hɑ-tɑ-ńɨ-śi-douH-kou	Yu (輿/挛鞮舆)	18–46 AD
878}}	*ʔɑ-dɑt-te-ɡo		46 AD

Notes

Northern Xiongnu

Chinese name	Reign
Punu Chanyu (蒲奴)	46–? AD
date=May 2021}} (優留)	?–87 AD
Northern Chanyu (北單于)	88–? AD
date=May 2021}} (於除鞬單于)	91–93 AD
Feng-hou (逢侯)	94–118 AD

Southern Xiongnu

Name	Notes	Reign
Sutuhu/Bi (蘇屠胡/比)
Huhanxie the Second (呼韓邪第二)
Xiluo Shizhu Ti (醯落尸逐鞮)	Brought the southern Xiongnu into tributary relations with Han China in AD 50	48–56/55 AD
Qiufu Youti/Mo
(丘浮尤提)		55/56–56/57 AD
Yifa Yulüti/Han
(伊伐於慮提)		56/57–59 AD
Xitong Shizhu Houti/Shi
(醯僮尸逐侯提)		59–63 AD
Qiuchu Julinti/Su
丘除車林提		63 AD
Huxie Shizhu Houti/Chang
(湖邪尸逐侯提)		63–85 AD
Yitu Yulüti/Xuan
(伊屠於閭提/宣)		85–88 AD
date=May 2021}} Shulan
Xiulan Shizhu Houti (休蘭尸逐侯提)		88–93 AD
Anguo (安國)	Started a large scale rebellion against the Han	93–94 AD
Shizi (師子)
Tingdu Shizhu Houti (亭獨尸逐侯提)		94–98 AD
Wanshishizhudi/Tan (萬氏尸逐侯提/檀)	Opposed by Feng Shanyu	98-124AD
98–118 AD
Wujihoushizhudi/Ba
(烏稽尸逐侯提/拔)		124–127/128 AD
date=May 2021}}	Committed suicide under Chinese pressure	127/128–140/142?
date=May 2021}}	Popularly elected	140–143 AD
144}}
Hulan Ruoshi Zhujiu(呼蘭若尸逐就)	Appointed puppet at the Chinese court	143–147 AD
date=May 2021}}
Yiling Ruoshi Zhujiu (伊陵若尸逐就)	Puppet Chinese appointee that escaped Chinese control; incarcerated by Chinese in 158 AD	147–158 AD (d. 172 AD)
145}} (True name unknown; the Chinese moniker has negative connotation; confirmed by Chinese Court as Chanyu in 172 AD)		158–178 AD
145}} (呼徵)		178–179 AD
Qiangqu
(羌渠)	date=May 2021}} killed in Xiuchuge Xiongnu rebellion	179–188 AD
Yufuluo
(於扶羅)	Exiled puppet chanyu, overthrown in the Ordos by the Southern Xiongnu rebels led by the Xiuchuge and Xiluo clans. Led dozens of refugee Xiongnu tribes to Pingyang in Shanxi.	188–195 AD
Marquis of Xubu (須卜骨都侯) (True name unknown)	Installed by the Xiuchuge and rebel faction after they ousted Yufuluo. After his death, his followers abolished the chanyu title and replaced him with a nominal king, but Yufuluo continued to claim the chanyu title in exile.	188–189 AD
Huchuquan (呼廚泉)	date=May 2021}} he ruled over the Pingyang Xiongnu. After Yufuluo died, After he was detained at Ye. In 216, the Chinese court formally abolished the chanyu office.	195–216 AD

Da Chanyu

Chinese name	Data	Personal Name	Reign
Liu Yuan (劉淵)	Founder of the Han-Zhao state, a.k.a. Emperor Guangwen (光文)	Yuanhai (元海)	304–?
Liu Cong (劉聰)	Han-Zhao state, a.k.a. Emperor Zhaowu (昭武)	Xuanming (玄明)	310–?
Liu Can (劉粲)	Han-Zhao state, a.k.a. Emperor Yin (隱)	Shiguang (士光)	?–?
Liu Yin (劉胤)	Han-Zhao state imperial prince	Yisun (義孫)	325–?
Helian Bobo	Founder of the Helian Xia state, a.k.a. Emperor Wulie (武烈)	Qujie (屈孑)	407–?

Chanyu family trees

References

[[:File:Xiongnu museum label.jpg. Museum notice]]
(23 January 2020). "Competing Narratives between Nomadic People and their Sedentary Neighbours". 7thInternational Conference on the Medieval History of the Eurasian Steppe.
Taskin V.S. ''"Materials on history of Dunhu group nomadic tribes"'', Moscow, 1984, p. 305,306, (Таскин В.С. ''"Mатериалы по истории древних кочевых народов группы Дунху"'') {{in lang. ru
''[[Book of Han]]'', [[:zh:s:漢書/卷094上. Vol. 94-I]], 匈奴謂天為「撐犁」，謂子為「孤塗」，單于者，廣大之貌也.
Universität Bonn. Seminar für Sprach- und Kulturwissenschaft Zentralasiens: Zentralasiatische Studien, Vol. 24–26, p.21
Georg, Stefan (2001): Türkisch/Mongolisch tengri "Himmel/Gott" und seine Herkunft. Studia Etymologica Cracoviensia 6: 83–100.
Starostin, Sergei A., and Merritt Ruhlen. (1994). Proto-Yeniseian Reconstructions, with Extra-Yeniseian Comparisons. In M. Ruhlen, ''[https://www.researchgate.net/publication/237452482_Proto-Yeniseian_Reconstructions_with_Extra-Yeniseian_Comparisons On the Origin of Languages: Studies in Linguistic Taxonomy]''. Stanford: Stanford University Press. pp. 70–92. [Partial translation of Starostin 1982, with additional comparisons by Ruhlen.]
"Once again on the Etymology of the title qaɣan", in ''Studia Etyologica Crocoviensia'', (2007) vol. 12, p. 177-185
"Did the Xiongnu speak a Yeniseian language? Part 2: Vocabulary", in ''Altaica Budapestinensia MMII, Proceedings of the 45th Permanent International Altaistic Conference, Budapest'', June 23–28, pp. 389–394.
Bailey, Harold Walter. (1985). "Etymology of Xiongnu Names".
Dybo 2014{{full citation needed. (November 2025)
Wilkens, page 678{{full citation needed. (November 2025)
Caferoğlu 1968, page 226{{full citation needed. (November 2025)
Schuessler, Axel (2014). "Phonological Notes on Hàn Period Transcriptions of Foreign Names and Words". ''Studies in Chinese and Sino-Tibetan Linguistics: Dialect, Phonology, Transcription and Text''. Language and Linguistics Monograph Series. Taipei, Taiwan: Institute of Linguistics, Academia Sinica (53).
Hirth F. Sinologische Beitrage zur Geschichte der Turk-Volker. Die Ahnentafel Attila's nach Johannes von Thurocz. Bull. Imp. Acad, series V, vol. XIII, 1900, No 2, pp. 221–261.
Bichurin N.Ya.. (1851). "Collection of information on peoples in Central Asia in ancient times".
{{rp. 107 filial piety"Pulleyblank, E. G. "Chinese and Indo-Europeans." ''Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland'', no. 1/2 (1966): 9–39. www.jstor.org/stable/25202896.
"The Division and Destruction of the Xiongnu Confederacy, Rafe de Crespigny, Publications, Faculty of Asian Studies, ANU".
[http://www.vostlit.info/Texts/Dokumenty/China/V/Zsinschi/frametext10.htm] {{Webarchive. link. (2011-11-30 note 208)

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