Qin and Han · Ruler

Kunmo 昆莫

Attested BC 170 - BC 120

Passages: 7
Chapters: 1
Histories: 1

Overview

Kunmo was a ruler.

Life and dates

Attested activity

BC 170 to BC 120 臣居匈奴中，聞烏孫王號昆莫
Directly stated · Book of Han 71, passage 57

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Spouse of Han princess married into Wusun (漢公主)
consort 夫人
Uncertain · Book of Han 71, passages 69, 81
Child of Nandoumi (難兜靡)
father 父
Directly stated · Book of Han 71, passages 58, 60
Child of Bu-jiu Xihou (布就翕侯)
foster father 傅父 · Foster parentage
Directly stated · Book of Han 71, passage 60

Events and relationships

Crushed greater yuezhi
Military · Commander
Directly stated · Book of Han 71, passage 64
Relation Refused overlordship of · Person Chanyu who raised Kunmo (單于)
Directly stated · Book of Han 71, passage 66

References in the histories

Book of Han, Chapter 71Volume 61: Zhang Qian and Li Guangli · 7 passages

騫既失侯，因曰：「臣居匈奴中，聞烏孫王號昆莫。 Stripped of his fief, Zhang Qian said, "Among the Xiongnu I heard that the Wusun ruler bears the title Kunmo.

昆莫父難兜靡本與大月氏俱在祁連、敦煌間，小國也。 Kunmo's father Nandoumi had ruled a small people between the Qilian range and Dunhuang alongside the Greater Yuezhi.

子昆莫新生，傅父布就翕侯抱亡置草中，為求食，還，見狼乳之，又烏銜肉翔其旁，以為神，遂持歸匈奴，單于愛養之。 The infant Kunmo was carried off by his nurse-father Bu-jiu the Xihou, hidden in the grass while food was sought; returning, the man found a wolf nursing the child and crows dropping meat nearby. Convinced the boy was spirit-touched, he brought him to the chanyu, who reared him with favor.

及壯，以其父民眾與昆莫，使將兵，數有功。 When the boy came of age, the chanyu restored his father's tribesmen to him, gave him a command, and he won repeated distinction.

昆莫既健，自請單于報父怨，遂西攻破大月氏。 Once Kunmo grew strong he begged leave to avenge his father; marching west, he crushed the Greater Yuezhi.

昆莫略其眾，因留居，兵稍強，會單于死，不肯復朝事匈奴。 Kunmo absorbed their warriors, stayed put, and grew in strength; when the chanyu died he refused ever again to acknowledge Xiongnu overlordship.

今單于新困於漢，而昆莫地空。 The chanyu is newly worsted by Han, and Kunmo's old pasture lands lie open.