As everyone knows, the Xiongnu are the old enemies of the Han people, and the two sides have been fighting for hundreds of years, and the grievances and grievances are difficult to sort out. However, what is little known is that there is an ancient adage among the Huns: don't build a city in front of the Han people! What kind of wisdom is behind this seemingly simple admonition? Why were the Xiongnu so jealous of the Han city? What is even more incredible is that many years after the fall of the Xiongnu, an invincible Mongol Khan ignored this ancient admonition. He built a city unscrupulously in front of the Han people, and what a tragic end did he end up with? And who is this Mongol Great Khan? Why did he make such a fatal mistake? Let's follow the footsteps of history and uncover this little-known past to find out.
In the long river of Chinese history, the name Xiongnu was like a lightning bolt, cutting through the sky of the Central Plains Dynasty. However, the relationship between the Xiongnu and the Han people can be traced back to a much longer era.
According to the Historical Records, the ancestors of the Xiongnu can be traced back to the descendants of the Xia Dynasty. When the Shang Dynasty replaced the Xia Dynasty in ruling the Central Plains, a group of descendants of the Xia Dynasty was forced to move north to the vast grasslands. In this vast land, they merged with the local nomadic peoples, and gradually formed the powerful tribe of the Xiongnu.
This history tells us that the Xiongnu are not simply nomadic people, and their blood has the genes of the Central Plains civilization flowing in their blood. It is this special origin that makes the Xiongnu not only retain the characteristics of nomadic people in their later development, but also have certain characteristics of agricultural civilization.
Over time, the Xiongnu gradually grew stronger. They graze cattle and sheep on the grassland, and live a life of chasing water and grass. However, the rich land of the Central Plains has always been a lingering dream in their hearts. During the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, the Xiongnu began to frequently harass the borders of the Central Plains.
After the Qin Dynasty unified China, in order to resist the invasion of the Xiongnu, the Great Wall was built. Although this majestic line of defense blocked the southward movement of the Xiongnu to a certain extent, it did not completely solve the problem. On the contrary, the construction of the Great Wall stimulated a stronger desire for the Xiongnu to attack.
After the establishment of the Han Dynasty, the contradictions between the Xiongnu and the Han Dynasty intensified. Especially during the reign of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, the war between the two sides reached a white-hot stage. Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty adopted various means such as "harmony" and "tribute" in an attempt to alleviate the contradictions with the Xiongnu. However, these measures have not had the desired effect.
In the end, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty decided to take military measures to completely solve the Xiongnu problem. He sent Wei Qing, Huo Qubing and other famous generals to lead the army to the north and dealt a heavy blow to the Xiongnu. In these battles, the Han army penetrated deep into the hinterland of the Xiongnu many times, and even occupied the dragon city of the Xiongnu for a time.
However, despite the Han Dynasty's major military victories, it was not easy to completely eliminate the Xiongnu. This is because the Xiongnu had the unique advantage of a nomadic lifestyle. They can move quickly and move freely across the vast grasslands. When the Han army pursued, the Xiongnu could easily retreat into the distant depths of the desert. However, due to the limitation of logistics and supply, it was difficult for the Han army to fight on the grassland for a long time.
It was this nomadic way of life that allowed the Xiongnu to repeatedly save themselves from danger in their long-term confrontation with the Han Dynasty. They could temporarily avoid the edge when the Han Dynasty was strong, and make a comeback when the Han Dynasty was weak. This flexible survival strategy became the greatest advantage of the Xiongnu.
However, the development of history is always full of drama. It was this advantage that the Xiongnu were once proud of, but eventually became the source of their decline. When the Xiongnu began to try to build fixed cities, their original advantages gradually disappeared, and finally laid the foundation for their own destruction.
Although the Xiongnu had the upper hand in the confrontation with the Han dynasty with their nomadic lifestyle, over time they gradually exposed a fatal weakness: building cities. This seemingly innocuous move eventually became a key factor in the decline of the Xiongnu.
The reason why the Xiongnu built the city can be traced back to their bloodline. As a descendant of the Xia Dynasty, the ancestors of the Xiongnu once lived in the Central Plains and were well versed in the essence of agricultural civilization. Although they later migrated north to the grasslands, farming DNA was always in their blood. With the development of Xiongnu society, the simple nomadic life can no longer meet their growing needs.
Against this background, the Xiongnu began to try to establish some small city-states in the steppe. These city-states initially had a very simple function, mainly for storing food and temporary settlements. The Xiongnu believed that these city-states could provide them with a more stable livelihood and also serve as a bulwark against foreign enemies.
However, the Huns did not realize that these city-states had become their greatest weakness. Prior to this, the Xiongnu, with their nomadic lifestyle, could move freely up and down the vast grasslands and easily evade the pursuit of the Han army. However, once a fixed city-state was established, the situation was completely different.
These city-states became the natural coordinates for the Han army to pursue the Xiongnu. The Han generals quickly realized this and began to take advantage of it. Instead of blindly chasing the wandering Hun cavalry, they set their sights on these newly created city-states.
A typical example is the attack on Longcheng by Wei Qing, a famous general of the Han Dynasty. Longcheng was one of the important city-states of the Xiongnu, and stored a large amount of grain, grass and supplies. Wei Qing led 50,000 elite soldiers, went deep into the hinterland of the Xiongnu, and went straight to Longcheng. In this operation, the Han army not only destroyed the dragon city, but also captured a large amount of supplies, causing huge losses to the Xiongnu.
Even more deadly, these city-states became supply points for the Han army on the steppe. In previous wars, the Han army often had to retreat due to insufficient supplies. But now, they can use the Xiongnu city-states as transit points, greatly extending the time and distance of operations. This allowed the Han army to penetrate deeper into the Xiongnu hinterland and deal a heavier blow to the Xiongnu.
The Xiongnu alone had a deep understanding of the disaster brought about by the construction of the city. During a large-scale Han attack, Huhan was forced to abandon several city-states and suffered heavy losses. This harrowing experience taught him that instead of providing protection for the Xiongnu, the fixed city-states had become targets for the Han army.
In addition, the construction of the city brought with it another unexpected problem: it changed the way of life of the Huns. More and more Huns began to settle in the city-states, gradually losing the mobility and adaptability of the nomads. This made the Xiongnu react sluggishly in the face of the Han army's attack and lost their previous flexibility.
Ironically, instead of bolstering the Xiongnu's defenses, these city-states became their cages. When the Han army laid siege to the city-state, the Huns found themselves trapped within the walls they had built, losing the freedom to roam the vast grasslands.
With the passage of time, the disadvantages of the Xiongnu building cities became more and more obvious. Not only did they lose the advantage of their nomadic life, but they also had to face the increasingly powerful offensive of the Han army. Eventually, this once formidable steppe empire gradually declined in the cities it built, and was finally completely conquered by the Han Dynasty.
The origin of the ancient Xiongnu motto "Don't build a city in front of the Han people" can be traced back to the thrilling battle in which the famous general Wei Qing of the Han Dynasty defeated the Xiongnu. This battle not only changed the fate of the Xiongnu, but also left a profound lesson for later generations of nomads.
In 127 BC, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty was determined to completely solve the Xiongnu problem and sent Wei Qing to lead 30,000 elite cavalry north. The goal of Wei Qing's trip was clear: to attack the dragon city of the Xiongnu. Longcheng was one of the important city-states of the Xiongnu, which not only stored a large amount of grain and grass materials, but also the location of the palace of the Xiongnu Shan Yu.
Wei Qing's army marched in the vast desert for several days, and finally came to the vicinity of Dragon City. However, what Wei Qing didn't expect was that Xiongnu Shan Yu had already received the news and led the main force to evacuate Longcheng. Wei Qing was faced with two choices: should he pursue Shan Yu's main force, or attack the already empty Dragon City?
After careful consideration, Wei Qing made an unexpected decision: he chose to attack Dragon City. This decision seemed somewhat unreasonable at the time, because the empty city did not seem to deal much damage to the Xiongnu. However, Wei Qing's strategic vision is far beyond ordinary people.
After Wei Qing led his army to attack Longcheng, he not only captured a large amount of grain and grass materials, but also destroyed the Xiongnu's palace and important buildings. More importantly, he found the Xiongnu's strategic deployment map and important documents in Longcheng, which played a crucial role in the subsequent military operations of the Han Dynasty.
The blow inflicted on the Xiongnu by this campaign went far beyond the material level. The fall of Longcheng made the Huns realize that the city-state they were so proud of was so vulnerable in the face of the powerful Han army. To their horror, these city-states not only did not become their shelter, but instead became the target of the Han army's attack and a source of intelligence.
However, the lesson that really made the Huns unforgettable came from the personal experience of Huhan Shan Yu. Hu Han Xie is a legendary Shan Yu in the history of the Xiongnu, and during his reign, he experienced a critical period of the Xiongnu from prosperity to decline.
In 51 B.C., Huhan was faced with internal and external troubles. Internally, his brother Zhi Zhi was singled out in the rebellion; Outside, the mighty Han Dynasty was eyeing the tiger. Under these circumstances, Hu Hanye made a bold decision: he chose to become a vassal to the Han Dynasty and seek refuge.
Hu Han Xie led his subordinates to Chang'an to meet Emperor Xuan of Han, which was the first time in the history of the Xiongnu that Shan Yu personally entered the court. During his time in Chang'an, Hu Han Ye witnessed the prosperity and power of the Han Dynasty. He saw magnificent palaces, bustling street markets, and well-trained troops. These scenes deeply shocked Hu Han and made him realize the gap between the Xiongnu and the Han Dynasty.
What's more, Hu Hanye heard the details of Wei Qing's attack on Dragon City in Chang'an. Only then did he understand that the city-state that the Xiongnu was proud of was nothing more than fish on the board in the eyes of the generals of the Han Dynasty, to be slaughtered. This realization made Hu Hanye feel deeply frustrated and powerless.
After returning to the grassland, Hu Hanye told the nobles and leaders of the Xiongnu what he had seen and heard. He stressed that the Xiongnu should not imitate the Han Chinese in building fixed cities, as this would only become a target for the Han army's attack. Instead, they should maintain a nomadic lifestyle so that they can maintain an advantage in the confrontation with the Han dynasty.
The words of Hu Han evil have become an ancient precept passed down by the Xiongnu. The phrase "don't build a city in front of the Han people" not only contains the awe of the Xiongnu people for the military strength of the Han Dynasty, but also reflects the survival wisdom of the nomads.
This ancient precept was widely spread in Xiongnu society, and even influenced other nomadic peoples later. It reminds the nomads of the steppes not to give up their way of life and not to be fooled by the appearance of a sedentary civilization. Because for nomads, mobility and adaptability are their greatest strengths.
The Xiongnu Shan Yu's predicament is not only reflected in external military pressure, but also in the tug-of-war between conservatism and change from within. This protracted internal struggle eventually became one of the important reasons for the decline of the Xiongnu Empire.
In 58 B.C., the then Xiongnu Shan Yu Wuhan Xie was faced with a difficult choice. The Han Dynasty was under increasing military pressure, and the traditional nomadic way of life seemed to be unable to cope with this threat. Some young aristocrats made a bold proposal: follow the example of the Han dynasty and establish a fixed city-state on the steppe. They believed that this was the only way to resist the attack of the Han army and provide a more stable life for the Huns.
However, this proposal was immediately met with strong opposition from conservatives. The conservatives, led by Lao Shan Yu Ulutu, insisted that the nomadic way of life was the foundation of the Xiongnu, and that if they gave up, they would lose their souls. They reminded the Wuhan evil not to forget the teachings left by their ancestors: "Don't build a city in front of the Han people."
Wu Han Evil is in a dilemma. On the one hand, he saw the strength of the Han Dynasty and realized that the Xiongnu had to make changes in order to survive; On the other hand, he feared that change would cause internal division and unrest. Eventually, Uhansha adopted a compromise solution: establish small city-states in strategic locations, while maintaining a nomadic lifestyle for the majority of the population.
This decision did not solve the problem, but only exacerbated internal contradictions. The pro-reform faction argued that this approach was not thorough enough to truly improve the national power of the Xiongnu; Conservatives, on the other hand, see even small city building as a betrayal of tradition.
This contradiction reached its peak in 51 BC. Wu Hanxie's younger brother, Zhi Zhidan, openly opposed the city-building policy and gathered a group of supporters. The contradictions between the two brothers quickly escalated into a full-scale civil war. This civil war not only consumed a lot of resources of the Xiongnu, but also gave the Han Dynasty an opportunity to take advantage of.
During the civil war, the Han dynasty took the opportunity to launch several attacks against the Xiongnu. Faced with internal and external troubles, Wu Hanye had to make a shocking decision: to declare himself a vassal to the Han Dynasty. This decision caused a huge controversy within the Xiongnu. The pro-change faction saw it as a wise move to use the power of the Han dynasty to consolidate its rule; Conservatives, on the other hand, see this as a great humiliation to the dignity of the Huns.
Although Wu Hanxie's act of subordination temporarily eased the external pressure, the internal contradictions were not eliminated. In the decades that followed, the Xiongnu vacillated between conservatism and change. Every new Shan Yu comes to power and has to face this dilemma: should he stick to tradition or embrace change?
In 8 BC, civil strife broke out again among the Xiongnu. The trigger for this civil unrest is still the issue of building a city. At that time, Shan Yu Sou Shi wanted to establish a large city-state in the heart of the Xiongnu as a fortress against the Han army. The plan drew immediate backlash from conservatives. They believed that this would not only go against the teachings of their ancestors, but also make the Xiongnu lose their mobile advantage on the steppe.
The civil strife lasted for several years and ended in the defeat of the Searchers. However, the impact of this civil unrest is far beyond what one might think. It not only further weakened the strength of the Xiongnu, but more importantly, it exposed the deep contradictions within the Xiongnu. The Han Dynasty soon took advantage of this and increased military pressure on the Xiongnu.
By 48 AD, the Xiongnu Empire was finally divided into two parts, the north and the south. The Southern Xiongnu chose to submit to the Han Dynasty and accept Sinicization; The Northern Xiongnu, on the other hand, adhered to tradition and continued to confront the Han Dynasty. This result can be said to be the inevitable result of the battle between conservatism and change. Those Huns who could not adapt to the new situation could only choose to stay away from the Central Plains and retreat to the steppes further north.
The plight of the Xiongnu Shan Yu actually reflects the general predicament of a nomadic people in the face of a strong agricultural civilization. They must find a balance between maintaining tradition and adapting to a new environment. However, this balance is often difficult to achieve, which ultimately leads to internal fragmentation and decline.
The ancient adage of "don't build a city in front of the Han Chinese" did not disappear with the decline of the Xiongnu. On the contrary, it was perpetuated and developed among later nomads as a survival wisdom. This wisdom not only influenced the survival strategies of the nomads, but also profoundly affected the mode of interaction between the Central Plains Dynasty and the northern nomads.
In the 4th century AD, the Xianbei people rose in the northern grasslands. As the inheritors of the Xiongnu, the Xianbei people inherited many traditions of the Xiongnu, including this ancient precept. However, the Xianbei people did not simply copy this ancient precept, but creatively interpreted it according to the new situation.
After the establishment of the Northern Wei regime, the Tuoba clan of the Xianbei tribe was faced with the problem of how to govern the vast Central Plains. Tuoba attempted to establish a capital at Pingcheng (present-day Datong, Shanxi), but soon found that this practice led to the dispersal of the tribal warriors. In order to maintain his military strength, Tuoba decided to adopt a policy of "no castle in Kinai", that is, not to build walls in the core area around the capital and to maintain a nomadic lifestyle. This practice both maintained military superiority and avoided direct competition with the Han Chinese in the cities.
The implementation of this policy has been remarkable. For a hundred years, the Northern Wei maintained a strong military strength and successfully resisted the attacks of the Southern Dynasty. However, as the scope of his rule expanded and the passage of time, the policy of "no castle in Kinai" also faced challenges. During the reign of Emperor Xiaowen, in order to better govern the Central Plains, the Northern Wei Dynasty had to abandon this policy and began to move the capital to Luoyang on a large scale and implement the Sinicization reform.
In the 6th century AD, the Turks arose in the northern steppes. As a new nomadic empire, the Turks also faced the question of whether to build cities. The Turks clearly understood the lessons of the Xiongnu, and they adopted a more flexible strategy. The Turks established a number of small cities, such as Tongye Hucheng (present-day Jimsar County, Xinjiang), on important transportation arteries and in resource-rich areas, but did not use them as their primary settlement. These towns were primarily used for trade and resource exploitation, rather than for military defense.
This practice of the Turks can be said to be an innovative interpretation of the ancient teachings. They did not reject the construction of cities altogether, nor did they rely too much on them. This flexibility allowed the Turks to maintain an advantage in their interactions with the Central Plains dynasty, while also creating conditions for their own economic development.
In the 7th century, after the establishment of the Tang Dynasty, in order to defend against the invasion of the northern nomads, large-scale construction of castles and Great Walls began in the border areas. Faced with this situation, the then Turkic Khan Jieli was in a dilemma. Some tribal leaders advocated following the example of the Tang dynasty and building fortifications on the steppes as well; Others, while adhering to tradition, believe that a nomadic lifestyle should be maintained.
In the end, Jieli Khan chose a compromise solution. He ordered the construction of improvised defenses at strategic points, but did not use them as their main garrisons. This decision shows the flexibility of the Turkic people's use of ancient teachings. They realized that in the face of the powerful Tang Dynasty, pure nomadism could no longer guarantee safety, but at the same time could not completely give up the advantage of mobility.
However, this strategy did not prevent the decline of the Turkic Empire. By the beginning of the 8th century, the Turks were completely defeated by the Tang Dynasty. In the decades that followed, new nomadic regimes such as the Uighurs and Khitans emerged in the steppe. These new forces were more or less influenced by this ancient precept in dealing with the issue of city building.
For example, after the Uighurs established their empire, they established some cities in the Mobei region, such as the Imperial City (on the banks of the Orkhon River in present-day Mongolia), but their main population still maintained a nomadic lifestyle. This practice both maintained tradition and provided the necessary infrastructure for the development of the empire.
By the 10th century, the Khitans established the Liao Dynasty. As a regime that straddled both agrarian and nomadic areas, the Liao Dynasty adopted a more sophisticated strategy in building cities. They built a large number of cities in the agricultural areas of the south, while in the nomadic areas of the north they largely maintained their traditional way of life. This strategy of "southern city and northern herding" can be said to be a highly developed and innovative version of the ancient precepts.
It is worth noting that even those nomads who eventually chose to settle and build cities often retain their yearning and nostalgia for the nomadic life. This sentiment is often reflected in their poems, paintings and other works of art. For example, although many nobles of the Liao Dynasty lived in the cities, they still held "spring bowls" and "autumn bowls" every year, that is, hunting on the grasslands in spring and autumn to remember the way of life of their ancestors.