Battle of Altai Mountains | |||||||
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Part of the Han–Xiongnu War | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
Northern Xiongnu |
Han dynasty Southern Xiongnu | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Northern Shanyu † |
Dou Xian[1] Deng Hong Tuntuhe Anguo | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
200,000 |
c. 18,000[1] | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
entire Xiongnu's army destroyed (with more than 200,000 prisoners) | 3,400+ |
The Battle of Altai Mountains (Chinese: 稽落山之戰), was a major expedition launched against the Northern Xiongnu by the Han dynasty in June AD 89. The battle was a success for the Han under Dou Xian (d. AD 92).[2][3][4]
In June 89 AD, the Han dispatched a force which promptly advanced from Jilu, Manyi, and Guyang in three great columns that included their allies, specifically the main army of the Southern Xiongnu.[2][3][4] The force of General Dou Xian advanced towards the Northern Chanyu into the Altai Mountains.[5] A large detachment then moved to the northwest, and in the major battle of the campaign they defeated the Northern Chanyu at the Altai Mountains and pursued them westwards.[2][3][4] The Han forces killed 13,000 Xiongnu troops and accepted the surrender of 200,000 Xiongnu from 81 tribes.[5]
Dou Xian brought the main body of his troops in triumphal progress north to the Khangai Mountains, west of present-day Kharkhorin. There he carved the cliff Inscriptions of Yanran,[6] composed by his client, the historian Ban Gu, which celebrated the achievement of the battle.[2][3][4] This inscription was identified in Dundgovi Province by scholars from Mongolia and China in August 2017.