Map of East Asia in 520: the Rouran in civil war, Anagui's flight to the Northern Wei at Luoyang, the independent Gaoche, the Ashina in the Altai, the Northern Wei and the Liang, the Tuyuhun and the Tarim oasis states
520: Chounu is killed, and civil war divides the Rouran. Anagui is driven out and flees to the Northern Wei at Luoyang. The Gaoche remain independent. Modern map; the road is drawn, and the borders in the steppe are approximate.
Plate XVII in the Atlas → © Emre-E Yavuz 2026

Who ruled

And beyond the steppe

  • China Northern Wei Emperor Xiaoming 515–528
  • Iran Sasanian Kavad I 498–531
  • Korea Goguryeo Anjang 519–531
  • Byzantium Justinian Justin I 518–527

Eastern steppe

  • Anagui takes the Rouran throne out of the civil war of the Yujiulü

    Anagui · Rouran Khaganate

    Also dated 516 (one narrative account): The index of the same account gives 520, the usual reckoning.

  • Chounu's mother has the shamaness Diwan strangled; Chounu, beaten by the Azhiluo, is killed by his mother and ministers

    Diwan · Chounu Khan · Rouran civil war (520–521)

Western steppe

  • Culture · Sogdian colonists found the first towns of Semirech'e, Suyab and Navaket among them, as estates of nobles (450–600)

    Suyab · Sogdians

  • Anagui marches west and breaks the Tiele in Dzungaria after their decade of independence

    Anagui · Tiele · Dzungaria

    Also dated 516 (Wei Shu 103): 熙平元年: the western campaign that crushed the Gaoche and captured and killed their king Mietu is Chounu's; of Anagui the chapter records only an undated later victory over the Gaoche king Yifu.

Tarim and Sogdiana

  • Economy · Sasanian silver is the currency of all Central Asia to Gansu, spread by the Sogdians from the Hephthalite treasury; the Hephthalite realm at its height

    Sogdians · Hephthalites