Kumo XI - Early History

Early History

The Kumo Xi and the Khitans were united in a tribal Kumo Xi entity until 388 AD, when the previously defeated Kumo Xi leaders insisted on fighting against with the proto-Mongolic Northern Wei dynasty. When the battlefield seemed to favor Wei, the Khitans fled, leaving the Kumo Xi be crushed. The Kumo Xi were so badly weakened by their defeat to the Northern Wei that the Khitans were able to freely split from the Kumo Xi afterwards, thereby starting their own independent history.

The Kumo Xi were descendants of the Wuhuan. The Hou Hanshu records that “the language and culture of the Xianbei are the same as the Wuhuan”. Along with the Xianbei, the Wuhuan formed part of the proto-Mongolic Donghu confederation in the 4th century BC. The Weishu (Description of the Khitan, Vol. 1000, 2221) records that the Kumo Xi and Khitans (descendants of the Xianbei) spoke the same language.

The Suishu records:

奚本曰庫莫奚, 東部胡之種. The Xi was originally called the Kumo Xi. They were of Donghu origin.

The Xin Tangshu records:

奚亦東胡種, 為匈奴所破, 保烏丸山. 漢曹操斬其帥蹋頓蓋其後也. The Xi were also of Donghu (the eastern barbarians) origin. They were defeated by the Xiongnu (under Modu Chanyu), and then sought refuge in the Wuwan Mountains. In the Han Dynasty, Cao Cao killed their leader Tadun. (The Xi) were the descendants.

The Weishu (Description of the Khitan, Vol. 100, 2223) records :

契丹國, 在庫莫奚東, 異種同類, 俱竄於松漠之間. 登國中, 國軍大破之, 遂逃迸, 與庫莫奚分背. The Khitan state was situated east of the Kumo Xi. They were of different origins but belonged to the same ethnic stock, and fled to the region of Songmo together. During the period of Dengguo (386-395), they were severely defeated by the imperial troops. Therefore, they (the Khitan) fled in disorder and split off from the Kumo Xi.