Chunwei

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Chunwei (Chinese: 淳維; Old Chinese: ZS: *djun-ɢʷi; B-S: *[d]u[r]-ɢʷij) is a name associated with the Xiongnu, a tribal confederation of nomadic peoples who, according to ancient Chinese sources, inhabited the eastern Eurasian Steppe from the 3rd century BC to the late 1st century AD.

Overview[]

Sima Qian wrote, based on preceding Chinese records (Bamboo Annals), that the 匈奴 Xiongnu's ruling clan were descendants of Chunwei (淳維), a descendant of Lord Xia (夏后氏).[1]

In Sima Qian's Records of the Grand Historian , the Xiongnu 匈奴 were mentioned as Shanrong 山戎, Xianyun 獫狁, and Hunyu 葷粥 between the age of Tang and the age of Yu (2205-1766 BC).[1] In Shiji Suoyin (史記索隱) "Seeking the Obscure in the Records", Sima Zhen quoted from Fengsu Tongyi "The Meaning of Popular Customs", by Ying Shao 應劭, that “In the time of Yin, they were called Xunyu [獯粥], which was changed to Xiongnu [匈奴]”;[2] however, this quote no longer exists in extant Fengsu Tongyi texts.[3]

3rd century scholar Wei Zhao also identified the name Chunwei with the name of the Xiongnu: “During the Han (206 BC-220 AD) they were called Xiongnu 匈奴, and the Hunyu 葷粥 is just another name for the same people, and similarly, the Xunyu 獯粥 is just another transcription of Chunwei’s 淳維, their ancestor’s name”.[4][5][6]

Chunwei is alleged to be a son of Jie of Xia (Xia Dynasty's last ruler). Sima Zhen stated that Yue Chan (樂產) wrote in now-lost Guadipu (括地譜) "Register of the Encompassing Lands" that: “Jie, (ruler of) the House of Xia lived an immoral life. Tang exiled him to Mingtiao, he died there three years later. His son Xunyu 獯粥 married his concubines and they wandered far away to the northern wilderness in search of pasture lands, and then in the Middle Kingdom they were mentioned as Xiongnu 匈奴.”[7] Sima Zhen also quoted Zhang Yan (張晏)'s statement that “Chunwei, during the Yin era, fled to the northern borders.”[8]

After the defeat of Xia by Shang, some Xia royalties founded the Qĭ state until 445 BC,[9] The Qi state was well recorded in the Oracle script as the one major supporter of the Xia Dynasty.[10]

References[]

Citations[]

  1. ^ a b Sima Qian et al., "Records of the Grand Historian", Ch. 110
  2. ^ Sima Zhen. Suoyin, chapter 24, quote: "應劭風俗通曰殷時曰獯粥改曰匈奴"
  3. ^ Goldin, Paul R. "Steppe Nomads as a Philosophical Problem in Classical China" in Mapping Mongolia: Situating Mongolia in the World from Geologic Time to the Present. Penn Museum International Research Conferences, vol. 2. Ed. Paula L.W. Sabloff. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania. 2011. p. 237
  4. ^ Wei Zhao et al., "Book of Wu", p. 2849
  5. ^ Lin Gan 林幹, "Xiongnu shiliao huibian 匈奴史料彙編", Vol. 1, p. 1, Beijing, Zhonghua Shuju, 1988
  6. ^ Sima Zhen. Suoyin, chapter 24, quote: "韋昭漢曰匈奴葷粥其别名則淳維是其始祖蓋與獯粥是一"
  7. ^ Sima Zhen. Suoyin, chapter 24, quote: "又樂彥括地譜云夏桀無道湯放之鳴條三年而死其子獯粥妻桀之衆妾避居北野隨畜移徙中國謂之匈奴". Note: In ms. 產 Chăn is written as 彥 Yàn, which is abbreviated to 产 and serves as 產's phonetic component.
  8. ^ Sima Zhen. Suoyin, chapter 24, quote: "張晏曰淳維以殷時奔北邉"
  9. ^ Shiji, "Biographies of the Hereditary Houses of Chen & Qi" text: "杞東樓公者，夏后禹之後苗裔也。殷時或封或絕。周武王克殷紂，求禹之後，得東樓公，封之於杞，以奉夏后氏祀。" Translation: "As for Duke Dōnglóu of Qǐ, he was the descendant of Lord Yǔ of Xià. In Yin time, [they] had been sometimes enfeoffed sometimes dispossessed. [When] King Wǔ of Zhōu vanquished Zhòu of Yīn, [he] looked for Yu's descendants and found Duke Dōnglóu, [whom] [King Wŭ] enfoeffed at Qǐ; so that [Duke Dōnglóu] could officiate Lord Xià clan's sacrifices."
  10. ^ Guo li Taiwan shi fan da xue guo wen yan jiu suo ji kan

Sources[]

  • Zhonghan Wang, Outlines of Ethnic Groups in China, Taiyuan, Shanxi Education Press, 2004, p. 133, ISBN 7-5440-2660-4

See also[]

  • List of past Chinese ethnic groups
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