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Reconstruction of a Xiongnu chief warrior, 2nd century BCE-1st century CE
Reconstruction of a Xiongnu chief warrior, 2nd century BCE-1st century CE, by archaeologist A.N. Podushkin. Central State Museum of Kazakhstan.

Chanyu (simplified Chinese: 单于; traditional Chinese: 單于; pinyin: Chányú) or Shanyu (Chinese: 善于), short for Chengli Gutu Chanyu (Chinese: 撐犁孤塗單于; pinyin: Chēnglí Gūtu Chányú), was the title used by the supreme rulers of Inner Asian nomads for eight centuries until superseded by the title "Khagan" in 402 CE. The title was most famously used by the ruling Luandi clan of the Xiongnu during the Qin dynasty (221–206 BCE) and Han dynasty (206 BCE–220 CE). It was later also used infrequently by the Chinese as a reference to Tujue leaders.

Etymology

Inner Mongolia Museum pottery tile end (chanyu tianxiang)
"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- "high", *kwala- "son, child", *tɨl "lower reaches of the Yenisei" or "north", and *qʌ̄j ~ *χʌ̄j "prince"; as a whole "Son of Heaven, Ruler of the North".

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 < *mûh-tûn/mə̂k-tûn 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 Jihoushan
( 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 Diaotaomogao (彫陶莫皋/雕陶莫皋) 31–20 BC
Souxie Chanyu
(搜諧若鞮單于/搜谐若鞮单于)
*so-gɛi / *ṣu-gɛi Jumixu
(且麋胥)
20–12 BC
Juya Chanyu
(車牙若鞮單于/车牙若鞮单于)
*kɨɑ-ŋa Jumoju
(且莫車/攣鞮且莫車)
12–8 BC
Wuzhuliu Chanyu (烏珠留若鞮單于/乌珠留若鞮单于) *ʔɑ-tśo-liu Nangzhiyasi/Zhi
(囊知牙斯)
8 BC – 13 AD
Wulei Chanyu (烏累若鞮單于/乌累若鞮单于) *ʔɑ-lui Xian (鹹/挛鞮咸) 13–18 AD
Huduershidaogao Chanyu (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
Wudadihou (烏達鞮侯/乌达鞮侯) *ʔɑ-dɑt-te-ɡo 46 AD

Northern Xiongnu (北匈奴)

Chinese name Reign Note
Punu Chanyu (蒲奴) 46–? AD
Youliu (優留)  ?–87 AD
Northern Chanyu (北單于) 88–? AD
Yuchujian (於除鞬單于) 91–93 AD
Feng-hou (逢侯) 94–118 AD

Southern Xiongnu (南匈奴)

Chinese name Data Personal Name 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
Tuntuhe 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
Xiuli (休利)
Qute Ruoshi Zhujiu (去特若尸逐就)
127/128–140/142?
Cheniu Popularly elected 140–143 AD
Toulouchu (兜樓儲)
Hulan Ruoshi Zhujiu(呼蘭若尸逐就)
appointed puppet at the Chinese court 143–147 AD
Jucheer (居車兒)
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)
Tute Ruoshi Zhujiu (屠特若尸逐就) (True name unknown; the Chinese moniker has negative connotation; confirmed by Chinese Court as Chanyu in 172 AD) 158–178 AD
Huzheng (呼徵) 178–179 AD
Qiangqu
(羌渠)
Jiangqu; killed in Xiuchuge Xiongnu rebellion 179–188 AD
Yufuluo
(於扶羅)
a.k.a. Tezhi Shizhuhou (特至尸逐侯).
Homeless puppet Chanyu, overthrown in the Ordos by the unnamed Chanyu of Xiluo 醯落 and Tuge 屠各. Led dozens of refugee Xiongnu tribes to Pingyang (平阳) in Shanxi.
188–195 AD
Huchuquan (呼廚泉) Yufuluo's brother, he ruled over the Pingyang Xiongnu
after Yufuluo died.
195–?

Da Chanyu (大單于)

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

(赫連勃勃)

Founder of the Helian Xia state, a.k.a. Emperor Wulie (武烈) Qujie (屈孑) 407–?

Chanyu family trees

Chanyu Xiongnu rulers family trees
Southern Xiongnu 南匈奴
Northern Xiongnu 北匈奴
Touman
头曼单于
r.220–209BC
Modu Chanyu
冒顿单于
r.209–174BC
Laoshang
老上单于
r.174–161BC
Junchen
军臣单于
r.161-126BC
daughter
Wife of
Zhao Xin
赵信
Yizhixie
伊稚斜单于
r.126-114BC
涉安侯
於單
Wuwei Chanyu
烏維单于
r.114-105BC
Xulihu
呴犁湖单于
r.102/101–
101/100 BC
Qiedihou
且鞮侯
r.101-96/99?BC
Er
儿单于
r.104-102/101BC
Hulugu
狐鹿姑单于
r.96-85BC
daughter
Wife of
Li Ling 李陵
d.74 BC
左大将 左大都尉 右谷蠡王
Huyandi
壺衍鞮单于
r.85-68BC
左谷蠡王 Xulüquanqu
虚闾权渠单于
r.68-60BC
daughter
Wife of
Li Guangli 李廣利
d.88BC
daughter
Wife of
乌禅幕
Cheli
車犂單于
r.57-56BC
先贤掸
Zhizhi
郅支单于
r.56-36BC
Huhanye
呼韩邪单于
r.58-31BC
右谷蠡王
驹于利受 Fuzhulei Ruoti
搜谐若鞮单于
r.31–20BC
Souxie
搜谐若鞮单于
r.20-12BC
Juya
车牙若鞮单于
r.12-8BC
右贤王
卢浑
Wuzhuliu
乌珠留若鞮单于
r.8-13AD
右贤王
铢娄渠堂
右谷蠡王
伊屠智牙师
Wulei
乌累若鞮单于
r.13-18AD
左贤王
Huduershidaogao
呼都而尸道皋若鞮單于
r.18-46AD
醯諧屠奴侯 须卜居次
须卜单于

r.18-21AD
当于居次 左祝都韩王
朐留斯侯
右於塗仇撣王
乌夷当
左日逐王
右大且
左於駼仇掸王
稽留昆
斩将王 Shun
顺单于 登
r.11–12
Shun
顺单于 助
r.11
Wudadihou
乌达鞮侯
r.46
Punu Chanyu
蒲奴
r.46-?
Sutuhu/Huhanxie
呼韓邪
r.48-56/55
右股奴王
乌鞮牙斯
Qiufu Youti
丘浮尤提
r.55/56-56/57
Yifa Yulüti 伊伐於慮提
r.56/57-59
Xitong Shizhu Houti
醢僮尸逐侯提
r.59–63
Huxie Shizhu Houti
湖邪尸逐侯提
r.63–85
Tuntuhe/ Siuan
休兰尸逐侯鞮单于
r.88–93
Qiuchu Julinti
丘除车林鞮单于

r.63
Yitu Yulüti
伊屠於閭鞮單于
r.85–88
Anguo
安国
r.93–94
Shizi
尸逐
r.94–98'
Wanshishizhudi
萬氏尸逐侯提
r.98–124
Wujihoushizhudi
烏稽尸逐侯提
r.124–128
Xiuli
去特若尸逐就
r.127/128–
140/142?
左贤王 Feng-hou
逢侯
r.94–118


Tuqi Chanyu
屠耆單于
r.58–56BC
Yilimu Chanyu
伊利目單于
r.49BC
Runzhen Chanyu
閏振單于
r.56-54BC
Huyan Qudi
握衍朐鞮單于
r.60-58BC
Shengzhi
胜之
You Xian wáng
右贤王
都涂吾西 姑瞀楼头 Aojian wang
奥鞬王


Northern Chanyu
北單于
r.89–91AD?
Youliu 優留
r.?–87 AD
Yuchujian 於除鞬單于
r.91–93AD


Jucheer
伊陵尸逐就單于
r.147-158/172; d.172
Tute Ruoshi Zhujiu
屠特若尸逐就單于
r.158/172–178AD
Huzheng
呼徵
r.178–179


?
Tiefu/Xia
state
Qiangqu
羌渠
r.179–188CE
Qubei
去卑
Panliuxi
潘六奚
Tiefu/Xia state
rulers family tree
Chizhi Shizhu Hou
持至尸逐侯单于
b.150–d.196; r.188–195
Huchuquan
呼厨泉
r.195–216
Liu Bao
刘豹
Han Zhao
state
Liu Yuan 劉淵 d.310
Guangwen of Han (Zhao)
漢(趙)光文帝 r.304–310
Han Zhao rulers
family tree

See also

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