Liu Meng (Xiongnu)
| Liu Meng | |||||||||
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| Traditional Chinese | 劉猛 | ||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 刘猛 | ||||||||
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Liu Meng (died 272) was a leader of the Southern Xiongnu in Bing province during the Jin dynasty (266–420). In 271, he led a rebellion against Jin but was defeated and killed the following year.
Life
According to the Book of Wei, Liu Meng was the son Qubei, a member of the imperial Luandi clan of the Southern Xiongnu who was appointed by the Chinese court to supervise the Five Divisions of Xiongnu in Bing province.[1] However, a much later and dubious account from the New Book of Tang instead claim that he was Qubei's brother.[2]
A memorial sent by the Cao Wei general, Deng Ai in the 250s indicates that after Qubei's death, his son was not allowed to inherit his domain. To curb the growing power of the Xiongnu leader, Liu Bao at the time, Deng recommended for Qubei's son to be given a title and garrisoned at Yanmen Pass. Liu Meng did possess a title during the Jin dynasty, but there are contradicting accounts on what exactly that title was. According to different volumes in the Book of Jin, he was either the Leader of the Xiongnu (匈奴帥),[3] the Leader of the Central Tribe (中部帥),[4] the Right Virtuous King (右賢王),[5] or the Chanyu (單于),[6] although the last title is likely a mistake, as it was abolished at the end of Huchuquan's reign in 216. Additionally, the Book of Wei also states that he was the Leader of the Northern Tribe (北部帥).[7]
In 271, Liu Meng began a rebellion against the Jin. He went beyond the Great Wall and established a base in Kongxie city (孔邪城). At the end of the year, he led his forces to invade Bing province but suffered defeat to the provincial inspector, Liu Qin (劉欽). In spring 272, the Army Supervisor, He Zhen, campaigned against Liu Meng and defeated him multiple times. In the end, the Commander of the Left Tribe, Li Ke (李恪), was bribed into defecting to Jin and had Liu Meng assassinated, ending his rebellion.[8][9]
When Liu Meng died, his son, Liu Fulun (劉副崙) fled to the Tuoba-Xianbei tribe, where he and his descendants intermarried with the ruling Tuoba clan and became known as the Dugu tribe. Meanwhile, Liu Meng's followers were taken over by his brother, Liu Gaoshengyuan. These people later became the Tiefu tribe after Gaoshengyuan's son, Liu Hu, came to power in 309.[10]
References
- ^ (鐵弗劉虎，南單于之苗裔，左賢王去卑之孫，北部帥劉猛之從子...) Wei Shu, vol.87
- ^ (尸利生烏利。二子：去卑、猛。) Xin Tang Shu, vol.75
- ^ (...會匈奴帥劉猛舉兵反...) Jin Shu, vol.34
- ^ (匈奴中部帥劉猛叛...) Jin Shu, vol.57
- ^ (...是以右賢王猛不勝其忿...) Jin Shu, vol.101
- ^ (...單于猛叛...) Jin Shu, vol.97
- ^ (...北部帥劉猛之從子...) Jin Shu, vol.95
- ^ (泰始七年，單于猛叛，屯孔邪城。武帝遣雩婁侯何楨持節討之。楨素有志略，以猛衆凶悍，非少兵所制，乃潛誘猛左部督李恪殺猛，於是匈奴震服，積年不敢復反。) Jin Shu, vol.97
- ^ According to Hu Fen's biography in the Book of Jin, the Jin general sent to quell Liu Meng's rebellion was Lu Fan (路蕃). Hu Fen served as the commander of the reserves under Lu Fan, and it was Hu Fen who defeated Liu Meng in succession before Li Ke's defection and assassination. (匈奴中部帥劉猛叛，使驍騎路蕃討之，以奮為監軍、假節，頓軍硜北，為蕃後繼。擊猛，破之，猛帳下將李恪斬猛而降。) Jin Shu, vol.57
- ^ (鐵弗劉虎...猛死，子副崙來奔。虎父誥升爰代領部落...誥升爰死，虎代焉。) Wei Shu, vol.95
Sources
- Wei, Shou (554). Book of Wei (Wei Shu).
- Fang, Xuanling (ed.) (648). Book of Jin (Jin Shu).
- Ouyang, Xiu (1060). New Book of Tang (Xin Tang Shu).