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Huchuquan Chanyu

Huchuquan, also known as Luanti Huxuquan, was the Chanyu of the southern Xiongnu during the late han dynasty and three kingdoms periods of Chinese history. He was an elected Chanyu of the southern Xiongnu. In 188, when the Han imperial court attempted to appoint an ineligible for the crown Western Jükü-Prince Yufuluo from ineligible Right Wing as a Chanyu, instead of respecting the sovereign elections, the southern Xiongnu dissented, elected a lawful alternate Hyuibu Gudu-heu, and after his death elected Huchuquan to be his successor, a younger brother of the puppet Yufuluo in exile, who was appointed to the Chanyu position by the Han imperial court following a slaying of their father Qiangqui Chanyu, also a Han puppet from ineligible succession line. The southern Xiongnu were a branch of the eastern Xiongnu that followed rebellious pretender Huhanye and in 51-53 BC moved in mass within the Han borders under protection of Chinese. Since the times of Huhanye Chanyu, the status of the southern Xiongnu was loyal allies, the southern Xiongnu enjoyed material support of the old heqin treaty, and in return guarded the Chinese northern borders and participated in the Chinese external and internecine conflicts as long as the Chinese imperial court respected their independence. N. Ya. Bichurin noted that Huchuquan was simultaneously a younger brother of Yufuluo (on his father side), and his grandfather by a side line (on his mother side), possibly implying a seniority in the line of succession.

During the tumultuous period in the Chinese history between 189 and 215, Huchuquan was left alone and outside of the interest of the Chinese annals. Nothing is known about the life and events of the southern Xiongnu, which numbered in excess of 100,000 people. In compliance with the old treaties, a cavalry division headed by the Western Jükü-Prince Kyuibi served as bodyguard troops for the nominal Chinese emperor, who was a hostage of different warlords vying to rule in his name. However, with the consolidation of the Western han dynasty and the emperor return to Luoyang, the Chinese imperial court renewed its efforts in asserting control over the Southern Huns. In 215, Huchuquan was invited to the chancellor Cao Cao, detained, stripped of his royal status, and replaced with a puppet Chanyu, the Western Jükü-Prince Kyuibi from the line ineligible for the throne. By that time, the Western Jükü-Prince Kyuibi was released from his guardianship duties and returned to his horde in Pingyang to rule the five remaining southern Xiongnu tribes, a far cry from the 80 tribes that sought safety in China in the 50's BC. Nothing is known about the further fate of the Southern Huns' deposed last sovereign Huchuquan.

At one time Huchuquan decided to visit Cao Cao with one of his subordinates, and was treated as an honored guest. After Cao Pi ended the han dynasty and founded the state of cao wei in 220, Huchuquan sent many gifts to Cao Pi to congratulate him.

Last update 05-04-2012

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