Hulun
Encyclopedia
Hūlun was a powerful alliance of Jurchen tribes in the late 16th century, based primarily in what is today Jilin
province of China.
The Hūlun alliance was formed by Wan (d. 1582), the leader of the Hada
tribal federation, which had drawn its importance from the control of commerce between the late-Ming
Liaodong and Jurchen tribes to the east via Guangshun Pass (east of Kaiyuan
, which is located near the northern tip of today's Liaoning
Province). Besides the Hada themselves, the Hūlun included three other tribal federations, known as Ula, Yehe, and Hoifa.
While the Hūlun people were mostly of Jurchen origin, they had been heavily influenced by the Mongol language and culture, and intermarried with the neighboring Khorchin
and Kharchin
Mongols. Therefore, were viewed by their southern neighbors – Jianzhou Jurchens
, which were in the late 16th century led by Nurhaci
– as Monggo ("Mongols").
The Hūlun's khan
Wan aspired to paramount leadership in the region, establishing a network of political and business relations with Jurchen and Mongol leaders, as well as with the Ming
governor of Liaodong, Li Chengliang
.
Nurhaci
, the chief of Jianzhou Jurchens
, was Wan's son-in-law, and, in Pamela Crossley
's view, viewed Wan and his Hūlun as role models for himself and his (Late) Jin Empire
. Many years later, long after Nurhaci had renamed Jurchens to Manchus, and both Wan and Nurhaci were dead, Qing
historians referred to Wan as one of the first great leaders of the "Manchu nations".
In the closing years of the 16th century, Hūlun tribes started recognizing Nurhaci's supremacy although, in some cases, the Nurhaci-appointed chief of a tribe would then try to assert his independence, and a new war would result, as it was the case with Bujantai, the leader of the Ula. Eventually, all four tribes were fully incorporated into Nurhaci's empire (Hada 1601, Hoifa 1607, Ula 1613, Yehe 1619).
Jilin
Jilin , is a province of the People's Republic of China located in the northeastern part of the country. Jilin borders North Korea and Russia to the east, Heilongjiang to the north, Liaoning to the south, and Inner Mongolia to the west...
province of China.
The Hūlun alliance was formed by Wan (d. 1582), the leader of the Hada
Hada
Hada may refer to:* Khata, or Hada, traditional ceremonial scarf used in Tibet and Mongolia* Michiko Hada , Japanese actress* Hada , Mongol activist advocating for the separation of Inner Mongolia from the People's Republic of China...
tribal federation, which had drawn its importance from the control of commerce between the late-Ming
Ming Dynasty
The Ming Dynasty, also Empire of the Great Ming, was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty. The Ming, "one of the greatest eras of orderly government and social stability in human history", was the last dynasty in China ruled by ethnic...
Liaodong and Jurchen tribes to the east via Guangshun Pass (east of Kaiyuan
Kaiyuan, Liaoning
Kaiyuan is a county-level city in the northeast of Liaoning Province in Northeast China. It is under the administration of Tieling City, which lies to the southwest....
, which is located near the northern tip of today's Liaoning
Liaoning
' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the northeast of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "辽" , a name taken from the Liao River that flows through the province. "Níng" means "peace"...
Province). Besides the Hada themselves, the Hūlun included three other tribal federations, known as Ula, Yehe, and Hoifa.
While the Hūlun people were mostly of Jurchen origin, they had been heavily influenced by the Mongol language and culture, and intermarried with the neighboring Khorchin
Khorchin
Khorchin is a subgroup of the Mongols that speak the Khorchin dialect of Mongolian and predominantly live in southeastern Inner Mongolia....
and Kharchin
Kharchin
Kharchin is a subgroup of the Mongols residing mainly in North-western Liaoning and Chifeng, Inner Mongolia. There are Khalkha-Kharchin Mongols in Dorno-Gobi Province and in Ulaanbaatar.They are descended directly from the Kharchin tümen of the Northern Yuan Dynasty...
Mongols. Therefore, were viewed by their southern neighbors – Jianzhou Jurchens
Jianzhou Jurchens
The Jianzhou Jurchens were a grouping of the Jurchens as identified by the Chinese of the Ming Dynasty. They were the southernmost group of the Jurchen people The Jianzhou Jurchens (Chinese:建州女真) were a grouping of the Jurchens as identified by the Chinese of the Ming Dynasty. They were the...
, which were in the late 16th century led by Nurhaci
Nurhaci
Nurhaci was an important Jurchen chieftain who rose to prominence in the late sixteenth century in what is today Northeastern China...
– as Monggo ("Mongols").
The Hūlun's khan
Khan (title)
Khan is an originally Altaic and subsequently Central Asian title for a sovereign or military ruler, widely used by medieval nomadic Turko-Mongol tribes living to the north of China. 'Khan' is also seen as a title in the Xianbei confederation for their chief between 283 and 289...
Wan aspired to paramount leadership in the region, establishing a network of political and business relations with Jurchen and Mongol leaders, as well as with the Ming
Ming Dynasty
The Ming Dynasty, also Empire of the Great Ming, was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty. The Ming, "one of the greatest eras of orderly government and social stability in human history", was the last dynasty in China ruled by ethnic...
governor of Liaodong, Li Chengliang
Li Chengliang
Li Chengliang was a Chinese general of Korean descent in the reign of the Wanli Emperor during the Ming Dynasty who was in charge of maintaining peace and relations with the Jurchen tribes. He was from Tielin and was from a military family....
.
Nurhaci
Nurhaci
Nurhaci was an important Jurchen chieftain who rose to prominence in the late sixteenth century in what is today Northeastern China...
, the chief of Jianzhou Jurchens
Jianzhou Jurchens
The Jianzhou Jurchens were a grouping of the Jurchens as identified by the Chinese of the Ming Dynasty. They were the southernmost group of the Jurchen people The Jianzhou Jurchens (Chinese:建州女真) were a grouping of the Jurchens as identified by the Chinese of the Ming Dynasty. They were the...
, was Wan's son-in-law, and, in Pamela Crossley
Pamela Kyle Crossley
Pamela Kyle Crossley is an historian of modern China, northern Asia, and global history. She is author of The Wobbling Pivot: China since 1800: An Interpretive History , as well as influential studies of the Qing dynasty and leading textbooks in global history...
's view, viewed Wan and his Hūlun as role models for himself and his (Late) Jin Empire
Qing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
. Many years later, long after Nurhaci had renamed Jurchens to Manchus, and both Wan and Nurhaci were dead, Qing
Qing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
historians referred to Wan as one of the first great leaders of the "Manchu nations".
In the closing years of the 16th century, Hūlun tribes started recognizing Nurhaci's supremacy although, in some cases, the Nurhaci-appointed chief of a tribe would then try to assert his independence, and a new war would result, as it was the case with Bujantai, the leader of the Ula. Eventually, all four tribes were fully incorporated into Nurhaci's empire (Hada 1601, Hoifa 1607, Ula 1613, Yehe 1619).