Tuoba Jiefen

Tuoba Jiefen (Chinese: 拓跋詰汾) was the 14th ancestor of the imperial clan of the Northern Wei dynasty of China. He was the chieftain of the Suotou (索頭) tribe of the Xianbei, son of the ruler Tuoba Lin. He probably ruled circa 190-195 CE.[1] When Tuoba Gui (Emperor Daowu) founded the Northern Wei, Tuoba Jiefen was posthumously named Emperor Shengwu (聖武皇帝).[1]

According to the Book of Wei, Tuoba Jiefen led the second southward migration of the Tuoba clan.[1] A description of the event also appears in the "Treatise on Auspicious and Inauspicious Influences" (Lingzheng Zhi) in the Book of Wei:[1]

The Wei lineage occupied Youshuo for generations, and then during the reign of Emperor Xian (Tuoba Lin), there was a spirit-person who spoke that they should move southward. At that time the succession fell to Emperor Shengwu (Tuoba Jiefen), who ordered that they migrate south, but the mountains and valleys blocked and cut off [the way], so [he] desired to stop there. Again there was a spirit-animal, his shape like a horse, his voice similar to a cow, who ran ahead to guide and lead them on for years then went away. Since then, they occupied the former territory of the Xiongnu.

— "Treatise on Auspicious and Inauspicious Influences" (Lingzheng Zhi) in the Book of Wei.[1]

Tuoba Jiefen is probably the ancestral leader mentioned by the 6th century Northern Zhou general Li Xian in his epitaph, as "Emperor Sheng of Wei" (魏聖帝).[2]

  1. ^ a b c d e Duthie, Nina (2015). Origins, Ancestors, and Imperial Authority in Early Northern Wei Historiography (PDF). COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY. pp. 71–74.
  2. ^ "中国考古集成" (in Chinese). 北京出版社: 3709. 其十世祖"俟地归"氏应为一少数民族姓氏。关于其祖随魏南迁一事,志文较本传为详。魏圣帝指圣武帝拓跋诘玢。鲜卑拓跋部东汉初迁居今内蒙古地带的呼伦贝尔草原一带,在此居七代后,献帝拓眩邻"七分国人"共分八部,让他们放弃大泽牧地继续南迁。 {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)