Battle of the Altai Mountains

Battle of Altai Mountains
Part of the Han–Xiongnu War
Date June 89 AD Location Region near the Altai Mountains Result Han victory; Collapse of Xiongnu Empire
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] 8,000 Han Chinese regulars[1] 10,000 Qiang
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.