Zhizhi

Zhizhi or Chi-Chi (Chinese: 郅支; pinyin: Zhìzhī; Wade–Giles: Chih4-chih1, from Old Chinese (58 BCE): *tśit-kie < *tit-ke; died 36 BCE), also known as Jzh-jzh, was a chanyu (supreme ruler) of the Xiongnu Empire at the time of the first Xiongnu civil war. He held the north and west in contention with his younger brother Huhanye who held the south. His original name in Chinese transcription was Luandi Hutuwusi (Chinese: 攣鞮呼屠吾斯; pinyin: Luándī Hūtúwúsī), i.e. one of the Worthy Princes of the East (of the Luandi clan). When Hutuwusi's father, Xulüquanqu Chanyu, died in 60 BCE, power was seized by a distant relative, Woyanqudi. In 58 BCE, Huhanye, a younger son of Xulüquanqu, revolted and made himself chanyu. Woyanqudi committed suicide soon after. In 56 BCE Hutuwusi, elder brother of Huhanye, revolted, called himself Zhizhi Chanyu, and drove Huhanye out of the royal domain. As Zhizhi grew more powerful, Huhanye moved south and submitted to the Chinese in 53 BCE. Huhanye then used Chinese support to strengthen himself against his elder brother. Zhizhi tried to offer tribute to the Chinese and sent his son as hostage, but the Han dynasty favored Huhanye. Growing weaker, in 49 BCE Zhizhi began moving west in the hope of reconstituting his empire. In the same year, Yilimu, a brother of Woyuanqudi, declared himself chanyu and was killed by Zhizhi. He successfully fought the Wusun, gained control of the Dingling and made his capital in the lands of the Jiankun who may have been the Yenisei Kirghiz (these last two are on the southern edge of Siberia). In 44 BCE he was reported to be on the north slope of the Tian Shan in modern Xinjiang. The Han court returned his hostage son. For unknown reasons, Zhizhi murdered the envoy who accompanied his son. He made...