Suibu (tribe)
Encyclopedia
The Suibu was a maternal dynastic tribe of the ancient Eastern Huns (Ch. Xiongnu
) that flourished between 3rd century BCE to 4th century CE. Chinese annals noted that the Suibu tribe replaced a tribe Huyan
(呼衍、呼延), which was an earlier maternal dynastic tribe of the dynastic union with the paternal dynastic tribe Luanti
(挛鞮). The Hunnic traditional system of conjugal unions is a form of the nomadic exogamic
society. The male members of the maternal dynastic line were not eligible for the Chanyu
throne, only the male members of the Luanti
line, whose father was a Luanti Chanyu, and mother was a Suibu Khatun
(Queen) were eligible for the supreme throne. A Suibu could only become a Chanyu after a palace coup.
The tribe Huyan moved from the Right (Western) Wing, where the maternal dynastic tribe is traditionally assigned, to the Left (Eastern) Wing. The later Hou Hanshu chapter 89, l. 7b) stated that of the noble tribes other than Luanti, Huyan
(呼衍、呼延), Suibu, Qiulin (丘林) and Lan (蘭 Lan Hsti-pu), Huyan already belonged to the dominating Left Wing, and Lan and Suibu belonged to the Right Wing. Hou Hanshu also names the dynastic Luanti tribe with a composite name Suiluanti (Ch. 虚连题 Xulianti), implying a merger of the two dynastic lines.
Suibu was a tribe that held some of the highest positions in the Eastern Hun society, including the position of Khatun
within the Hun confederacy, and the State Judge. A male head of the Suibu tribe held a third highest position in the state, Right Jükü-prince (Ch. 右屠耆王 Yu Tuqi-wang, 右贤王 Yu Xian-wang , Right Wise Prince). In that position, the Right Jükü-prince managed the daily affairs of the state, headed a considerable division of the army, was a first adviser to the Chanyu
, and managed the foreign relations. Frequently, the Right Jükü-prince was sent as a personal envoy of the Chanyu to sort out difficult international problems, the Chinese annals often mention the Right Jükü-prince in that capacity.
The earliest annalistic record that mentioned a Right Jükü-prince by name refers to the events of the 121 BCE, when a Right Jükü-prince Hunie (渾邪王 Hunxie) killed an heir apparent Left Jükü-prince Huchjui (休屠王 Xiutu) and with 40,000 cavalry submitted to the Han Empaire, establishing a 200,000 Suibu population in the Northern China.
Xiongnu
The Xiongnu were ancient nomadic-based people that formed a state or confederation north of the agriculture-based empire of the Han Dynasty. Most of the information on the Xiongnu comes from Chinese sources...
) that flourished between 3rd century BCE to 4th century CE. Chinese annals noted that the Suibu tribe replaced a tribe Huyan
Huyan
The Huyan was a noble house that led the last remnants of the Northern Xiongnu, to Dzungaria during the 2nd century, after the Battle of Ikh Bayan...
(呼衍、呼延), which was an earlier maternal dynastic tribe of the dynastic union with the paternal dynastic tribe Luanti
Luanti
The Luanti was a clan and the ruling dynasty of the ancient Xiongnu that flourished between 3rd century BCE to 4th century CE. The form Luanti is from the Hanshu chapter 94a, l. 7a, and the form Xulianti...
(挛鞮). The Hunnic traditional system of conjugal unions is a form of the nomadic exogamic
Exogamy
Exogamy is a social arrangement where marriage is allowed only outside of a social group. The social groups define the scope and extent of exogamy, and the rules and enforcement mechanisms that ensure its continuity. In social studies, exogamy is viewed as a combination of two related aspects:...
society. The male members of the maternal dynastic line were not eligible for the Chanyu
Chanyu
Chanyu , was the title used by the nomadic supreme rulers of Middle and Central Asia for 8 centuries, starting...
throne, only the male members of the Luanti
Luanti
The Luanti was a clan and the ruling dynasty of the ancient Xiongnu that flourished between 3rd century BCE to 4th century CE. The form Luanti is from the Hanshu chapter 94a, l. 7a, and the form Xulianti...
line, whose father was a Luanti Chanyu, and mother was a Suibu Khatun
Khatun
Khatun is a female title of nobility and alternative to male "khan" prominently used in the First Turkic Empire and in the subsequent Mongol Empire...
(Queen) were eligible for the supreme throne. A Suibu could only become a Chanyu after a palace coup.
The tribe Huyan moved from the Right (Western) Wing, where the maternal dynastic tribe is traditionally assigned, to the Left (Eastern) Wing. The later Hou Hanshu chapter 89, l. 7b) stated that of the noble tribes other than Luanti, Huyan
Huyan
The Huyan was a noble house that led the last remnants of the Northern Xiongnu, to Dzungaria during the 2nd century, after the Battle of Ikh Bayan...
(呼衍、呼延), Suibu, Qiulin (丘林) and Lan (蘭 Lan Hsti-pu), Huyan already belonged to the dominating Left Wing, and Lan and Suibu belonged to the Right Wing. Hou Hanshu also names the dynastic Luanti tribe with a composite name Suiluanti (Ch. 虚连题 Xulianti), implying a merger of the two dynastic lines.
Suibu was a tribe that held some of the highest positions in the Eastern Hun society, including the position of Khatun
Khatun
Khatun is a female title of nobility and alternative to male "khan" prominently used in the First Turkic Empire and in the subsequent Mongol Empire...
within the Hun confederacy, and the State Judge. A male head of the Suibu tribe held a third highest position in the state, Right Jükü-prince (Ch. 右屠耆王 Yu Tuqi-wang, 右贤王 Yu Xian-wang , Right Wise Prince). In that position, the Right Jükü-prince managed the daily affairs of the state, headed a considerable division of the army, was a first adviser to the Chanyu
Chanyu
Chanyu , was the title used by the nomadic supreme rulers of Middle and Central Asia for 8 centuries, starting...
, and managed the foreign relations. Frequently, the Right Jükü-prince was sent as a personal envoy of the Chanyu to sort out difficult international problems, the Chinese annals often mention the Right Jükü-prince in that capacity.
The earliest annalistic record that mentioned a Right Jükü-prince by name refers to the events of the 121 BCE, when a Right Jükü-prince Hunie (渾邪王 Hunxie) killed an heir apparent Left Jükü-prince Huchjui (休屠王 Xiutu) and with 40,000 cavalry submitted to the Han Empaire, establishing a 200,000 Suibu population in the Northern China.