Tuyuhun Hunye

Tuyuhun Hunye was an old servant of Ilig Khan with the title Hulu Daguan.^[1] Ilig died in captivity at Chang’an in 634. Hunye then cut his own throat to follow him in death.^[1]

He had come into the khan’s household with Ilig’s mother, Lady Poshi. He was one of the retainers who went with her at her marriage.^[1] When Ilig was born, the child was given into his care.^[1] The Jiu Tang Shu says that Hunye died of grief at Ilig’s death. The Tongdian says that he died out of loyalty.^[2] The Cefu yuangui tells his death in the same words. It dates Ilig’s death to the first month of 634.^[3]

The Tang emperor Taizong found the deed remarkable.^[1] He gave Hunye the posthumous rank of zhonglangjiang. He had Hunye buried beside Ilig’s tomb, with a stele to record what he had done.^[1] The Tongdian and the Xin Tang Shu add that the emperor had the secretary Cen Wenben record the story on the grave stelae of both men.^[4]

Name and title

吐谷渾邪ChineseJiu Tangshu 194
渾邪ChineseJiu Tangshu 194
吐渾邪ChineseCefu yuangui 974

The histories call him Tuyuhun Hunye, 吐谷渾邪, at the first mention. After that they call him Hunye, 渾邪, alone.^[5] The Cefu yuangui writes 吐渾邪.^[3] The first three characters of the full form are those of the name of the Tuyuhun, a people of the north-west.^[6] The Sui Shu calls the Tuyuhun the family of the mother of the Moheduo Shad, the title Ilig bore before he became khan.^[7] No text says whether Hunye himself was a Tuyuhun.

Hulu Daguan, 胡祿達官, is his title.^[1] Some scholars regard daguan as a spelling of the title tarkhan. It points to a title Hulu Dagan among the Türgesh.^[8]