Uwei Chanyu
| Uwei | |
|---|---|
| Chanyu | |
Domain and influence of the Eastern Huns
|
|
| Reign | c. 114–105 BCE |
| Predecessor | Ichise Chanyu |
| Successor | Ushylu |
| Dynasty | Maodun |
| Father | Ichise Chanyu |
Uwei Chanyu (aka Wū wéi Chinese: 烏維 单于; r. 114–105 BCE), whose full title is unknown, was a Chanyu of the Xiongnu Huns, the successor to Ichise Chanyu (伊稚邪 单于).
Uwei Chanyu ruled during the reign of the Han emperor Wudi Liu Che 武帝 劉徹 (r. 141–87 BC), after Wudi broke the heqin 和親 peace and kinship treaty with the Huns. His reign was marked by relative peace, with intensive diplomatic activities. The Huns intended to restore the heqin peace and kinship treaty with the Han empire. In turn the Han Empire wanted to weaken, isolate, and bring the Huns into submission. Neither party succeeded in their main objective, but the Chinese further undermined the Huns' situation by splitting off their Wusun branch. Uwei Chanyu was a son of Ichise Chanyu, and came to the throne by agnatic primogeniture succession. The Chinese annals did preserve his title before the enthronement.
Shortly before his succession, the Chinese sent Jen Chang as an envoy with an inappropriate proposal that demanded the Hun Chanyu submit to the Han Empire. The aggravated Ichise Chanyu detained him. Because the Han empire had already detained a number of the Hun emissaries, and Huns detained an equal number of the Chinese envoys, the mutual relations between the two were strained. The Chinese Court started again assembling an army and horses, but the commander Huo Qubing (霍去病) died, and for a long time the Chinese Court could not mount a northern campaign against the Huns. The Huns also stopped attacking the borders of China after suffering devastating war losses of 300,000 military and civilian people between 124 and 119 BC.
Two years into Uwei Chanyu's reign, the Chinese resumed their harassment. In 112 BC the Chinese sent He Gun-sun with 15,000 cavalry and Zhao Ponu with 10,000 cavalry, but both campaigns ended without any battles.
In 110 BC Wudi assembled in Shuofang (朔方城) a 180,000-strong cavalry army, and sent Go Gi to notify Chanyu about the mobilization. When Go Gi arrived in the Han court, the Chanyu's master of ceremony asked him about the purpose his arrival. Go Gi, with polite evasion, said that he wished to disclose it personally to the Chanyu. Chanyu admitted him. Go Gi told him: “If the Chanyu is in a position to mount a campaign and fight with the Chinese state, the Son of Sky himself, he is waiting for you at the border with an army; and if he is not in a position to fight, he should turn his face to the south and recognize himself a vassal of the House of Han.” Chanyu was so enraged by this ultimatum that he immediately beheaded his master of ceremony and arrested Go Gi, sending him off to Baikal in exile. In spite of that, Chanyu was not inclined to attack the borders of China. Instead he gave rest to the troops and horses, and went hunting.
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