25. Daring to Extort an Empire
In 200 BC, the Chinese Emperor Gaozu, founder of the Han dynasty, tried to bring the Xiongnu to heel, but it ended badly for him. Modu Chanyu was untroubled by the massive Chinese army. He and his daring warriors led the invaders on a merry chase through the Steppe, while harrying their supply lines and keeping them on constant edge with frequent skirmishes. When the Chinese were exhausted, Modu ambushed and trapped them in a disadvantageous locale, cutoff from resupply and reinforcement.
Surrounded, the Chinese emperor bought his life with an appeasement treaty known as the Heqin. It recognized Modu Chanyu and the Xiongnu Empire as equals, and defined The Great Wall of China as the mutual border. Under the treaty, China sent the Xiongnu leaders Chinese princesses as brides, and sought to buy them off with regular tribute payments that were face-savingly referred to as “gifts”.