Xianyun/History

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Foreign Devils: The Rong and the Xianyun[edit | edit source]

Perhaps often overlooked or ignored outright, the Xirong or "Western Rong" (as the Chinese called them) were perhaps one of the great political forces that shaped the early history of China. Almost little is known about the peoples who lived north and west of ancient China, known to us today solely under the catch-all term "Rong", and later peoples - particularly the Xianyun and more famed Xiongnu - were said to be descendents of the Rong, as are the modern Qiang and Tibetan peoples.

According to the Liji, or the Book of Rites, the Rong..."had their hair unbound, and wore skins. Some of them did not eat grain-food." This suggests to us that the Rong people lived possibly on hunting, gathering and most likely herding, although some sources suggest that they were sufficiently developed in metallurgy so as to be able to develop bronze implements and weapons.

What does Arcaheology tell us?[edit | edit source]

The most notable cultures to emerge in the area attributed to the Rong were the Majiayao, Qijia, Xindian and Kayue cultures, dating back from as far back as 3300BCE. Evidence collected from all four primary sites of these cultures suggested that the inhabitants led settled or semi-sedentary lifestyles, practised some animal husbandry and were also proficient metalworkers.

The relations between the Rong and the Sinitic peoples for most of their history were hostile.

The Rong are recorded by Zuo Chuan as having penetrated as far as the Han river by the time of the battle of Xiao (627BCE)

In 2020, the tomb of a chieftain of the Luhun, one of the Rong peoples known to have migrated and settled in Central China, was opened, and was discovered to have a hoard of bronze bells, but also sacrificial victims - humans, as well as horses, oxen and sheep. Wang Minghui, a researcher with the Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology in Luoyang, stated that this tomb may provide some insight into Rong cultural practices since the human remains suggested that they had been buried alive - a practice that had died out in most Central Plains cultures by the Spring and Autumn Period to which this tomb had been dated.

References[edit | edit source]