There were a total of fifteen instances of
heqin marriage alliances during the Han dynasty. • 200BC:
Emperor Gaozu of Han marries a Han "princess" to Xiongnu chieftain
Modu Chanyu. This is the first recorded incidence of heqin in Chinese history. • 192BC:
Emperor Hui of Han marries another Han "princess" to Xiongnu chieftain
Modu Chanyu. • 176BC:
Emperor Wen of Han marries a third Han "princess" to Xiongnu chieftain
Modu Chanyu. • 174BC:
Emperor Wen of Han marries a Han "princess" to Xiongnu chieftain
Laoshang Chanyu. She brings a Yan eunuch named Zhonghang Yue with her to be her tutor. • 162BC:
Emperor Wen of Han marries another Han "princess" to Xiongnu chieftain
Laoshang Chanyu. • 160BC:
Emperor Wen of Han marries a Han "princess" to Xiongnu chieftain
Gunchen Chanyu. • 156BC:
Emperor Jing of Han marries another Han "princess" to Xiongnu chieftain
Gunchen Chanyu. • 155BC:
Emperor Jing of Han marries a third Han "princess" to Xiongnu chieftain
Gunchen Chanyu. • 152BC:
Emperor Jing of Han marries a fourth Han "princess" to Xiongnu chieftain
Gunchen Chanyu. • 140BC:
Emperor Wu of Han marries a Han "princess" to Xiongnu chieftain
Gunchen Chanyu. • 108BC:
Emperor Wu of Han marries
Liu Xijun (刘细君 130–101 BC), daughter of Liu Jian (刘建), Prince of Jiangdu (江都王 d. 121 BC), granddaughter of
Prince Yi of Jiangdu, to Liejiaomi, King of
Wusun. • 103BC:
Emperor Wu of Han marries
Liu Jieyou (刘解忧 121–49 BC) to King Junxumi of
Wusun (Liejiaomi's grandson). After Junxumi's death in 93BC, Princess Jieyou, in accordance with
Wusun tradition, married his successor (and younger brother), King Wengguimi. After Wengguimi's death in 60BC, Princess Jieyou again remarried his successor King Nimi (son of Junximi and a Xiongnu princess). • 33BC:
Emperor Yuan of Han marries
Wang Zhaojun (王昭君 52 BC – 15), a lady of the imperial harem, to Xiongnu chieftain Huhanye. After Huhanye's death in 31BC, she remarried Huhanye's successor (his son by his first wife and thus her stepson) Fuzhuleiruodi Chanyu.
Xiongnu The
Xiongnu practiced marriage alliances with Han dynasty officers and officials by marrying off daughters of the
Chanyu (the Xiongnu ruler) to Han people who joined the Xiongnu and Xiongnu in Han service. The daughter of the
Laoshang Chanyu (and older sister of
Junchen Chanyu and
Yizhixie Chanyu) was married to the Xiongnu General
Zhao Xin, the Marquis of Xi who was serving the Han dynasty. The daughter of the
Qiedihou Chanyu was married to the Han general
Li Ling after he surrendered and defected. The
Yenisei Kirghiz Khagans claimed descent from Li Ling. Another Han general who defected to the Xiongnu was
Li Guangli who also married a daughter of the
Hulugu Chanyu. The Han diplomat
Su Wu married a Xiongnu woman given by Li Ling when he was arrested and taken captive. The Han explorer
Zhang Qian married a Xiongnu woman and had a child with her when he was taken captive by the Xiongnu. The
Emperor Wu of Han dispatched Zhang Qian to explore the
Western Regions and to form an alliance with the Yuezhi people in order to combat the Xiongnu. During this time Zhang married a Xiongnu wife, who bore him a son, and gained the trust of the Xiongnu leader. The
Yenisei Kyrgyz khagans of the
Yenisei Kyrgyz Khaganate claimed descent from the Han general
Li Ling, grandson of the famous general
Li Guang. Li Ling was captured by the
Xiongnu and defected in the first century BCE. Since the Tang imperial Li family also claimed descent from Li Guang, the Kirghiz Khagan was therefore recognized as a member of the Tang imperial family. This relationship soothed the relationship when Kyrgyz khagan
Are (阿熱) invaded
Uyghur Khaganate and put Qasar Qaghan to the sword; the news was brought to
Chang'an by Kyrgyz ambassador Zhuwu Hesu (註吾合素). Ban Zhi married a Xiongnu Jin royal woman from the
Xiutu royal family. ==Kingdom of Khotan==