Blog Entry #6 – Trials and Defiance

               I have been travelling north east for several days now. Still no sight of any Xiongnu. As expected, tracking them is not going to be easy considering that their settlements are temporary (1). Luckily, I have Epona with me, and An Qian’s supplies have greatly facilitated my trip. Without them, this journey would have been impossible. Moreover, I have come across a number of sites with human activity: traces of bones, fire pits, and temporary housing, so I must be on the right path. But how much longer can I persist on this treacherous path?

               As I said those words, I suddenly noticed a cloud of dust rising in the horizon. A sandstorm! I remounted Epona, and she galloped as fast as she could. I looked for a cave to protect us from this danger, but the land was flat and barren. As the sandstorm approached however I heard the trod of horses. That’s when I realized I found what I was searching for. It was not a sandstorm, but a group of Xiongnu soldiers. I should be excited about this, but I did not know what to do. How do I explain to them I wanted to join their side? I had come prepared with a gift to show my intentions, but An Qian’s words resonated in my head: “The Xiongnu can be ruthless…” Were they going to kill me? I had gotten this far, and I wasn’t going to back out. I rode head-on towards the Xiongnu.

               Noticing me, they encircled me. Their bows at hand, their majestic steeds, and their rustic appearance: they were definitely Xiongnu. Suddenly, one of them pointed their arrow at me, and spoke to me with an aggressive voice. I could not understand what he said. I lifted my hands in the air, and said aloud that I wanted to join them. I opened my bag showing them some jade I procured from Turfan as a gift for them. They did not seem interested. From the sacks they were carrying, probably filled with grain and precious stones, they probably just came back from a raid. I was paralyzed in fear. There was no escape. I thought I was done for, until one man stepped forward, and, in Chinese, saying: “What are you doing here traveller?”

               With my one shot of survival, I explained to him my quest to find the Xiongnu and join their ranks to fight against the Han. With a look empathy, he told the other man to put down his bow, and explained to them my situation. I later discover that his name was Xia Lu, and he was also a Han defector. Then, a huge figure approached, and spoke. I learned that he was their leader: Maodun. He told me: “The Xiongnu and the Han have a history full of conflict. However, some, like Xia Lu, has proven their worth in loyalty and combat. If you want to join us, you also have to prove yourself.” I accepted without question.

               The first trial was a hunt on horseback. The Xiongnu were known to be experts in shooting arrows while on horseback. From an early age, they hone this ability, and embedded in their culture, they become exceptionally fierce on the battlefield (2). The Xiongnu were just as quick as they were powerful. Luckily, ever since An Qian gave me this bow and horse, I had been practicing just that. I was confident in my skill. However, thinking I was going to hunt a deer or boar, one of the Xiongnu released a hawk from its cage, and I was tasked to shoot it down from the sky (3). It was fast, and it soared really high. I made Epona gallop after it with all its might. We were right under the bird, matching its speed. I had one shot to prove myself. I took my arrow, stretched my bow and waited for the perfect moment to shoot. The moment all of Epona’s legs were lifted from the ground was the moment of maximum stability: the time to shoot. I took aim, and as soon as I felt my weight float in that split second of stability, I released my arrow. As soon as I did, the sun’s rays pierced through the clouds and I couldn’t see where my arrow was going to hit. Did I do it? From behind me I heard thud on the ground. It was the hawk.

               I went back to the group with my prey, and they were impressed. “You have great horsemanship and you are skilled with the bow. You have proven your abilities. But now, we will test your resolve” said Maodun while taking his bow, and drawing an arrow. “This arrow whistles through the air, and you will shoot whatever the whistling arrow shoots (4). If I shoot a deer in a herd, you have to shoot that same deer. If I shoot a bird, you shoot that bird. Understand?” he said. I nodded. He then pointed the arrow at Epona, saying “You have a fine horse there.” And without hesitating, he shot his arrow towards her. In response I fired my arrow back towards Maodun, and deflected his arrow. He gave me a serious gaze. The crowd was speechless. To have defied their leader probably meant the death penalty for me. But instead, it seems I have proven my worth.
-

 (1) Psarras confirms their nomadic lifestyle stating: “The Xiongnu move about in search of water and grazing lands; they build neither fortified cities nor permanent dwelling places, and they do not engage in agriculture.”

Psarras, Sophia-Karin. "HAN AND XIONGNU: A REEXAMINATION OF CULTURAL AND POLITICAL RELATIONS (I)." Monumenta Serica 51 (2003): 76. http://www.jstor.org.proxy3.library.mcgill.ca/stable/40727370.

(2) Psarras shows that hunting while practicing mounted archery was embedded in the daily life for the Xiongnu stating: “The children ride sheep and shoot arrows at birds and rats. When they are a little older, they shoot foxes and rabbits, which are used for food. The warriors have great skill in archery, are all horsemen and wear armor.”
Psarras, Sophia-Karin. "HAN AND XIONGNU: A REEXAMINATION OF CULTURAL AND POLITICAL RELATIONS (I)." Monumenta Serica 51 (2003): 6.
http://www.jstor.org.proxy3.library.mcgill.ca/stable/40727370.

(3) According to Psarras, Xiongnu art usually associated Xiongnu with animal of predation, such as leopards and hawks. This is why I chose a hawk as the animal for Fai Cheng to shoot down.
Psarras, Sophia-Karin. "HAN AND XIONGNU: A REEXAMINATION OF CULTURAL AND POLITICAL RELATIONS (I)." Monumenta Serica 51 (2003): 55-236. http://www.jstor.org.proxy3.library.mcgill.ca/stable/40727370.

(4) In Suma Qian’s account of the xiongnu, he shows how ruthless Maodun can be with his “whistling arrow”, ordering his men to shoot whatever the arrow touches, including people.
Suma Qian. Shi Ji 110 – The account of the Xiongnu from “Records of the Grand Historian of China.”
-

Note on sources

I use Psarras’ text to support some of the facts I lay out about the Xiongnu in this blog entry. For example, the fact that they’re nomadic, that they admire horses, that they’re skilled in archery, etc. I learned from her text how, from a young age, children are already practicing how to hunt through play. It shows how embedded hunting is in their lifestyle which translates into their might in battle. We also learn, from her text, about Xiongnu art, and its depiction of animals. This is where I got inspiration for Fai Cheng’s first trial, where he had to shoot a hawk, a predatory animal Xiongnu are usually depict.

As for the idea of a “whistling arrow,” it was taken from Suma Qian’s “Account of the Xiongnu.” According to the author, Maodun indeed had some arrows that whistled in flight. Maodun is known to have ordered his troops to shoot whatever his arrow shot, and that whoever failed to shoot would get executed. Ruthless as he was, he shot one of his best horses, and later his favorite wife. Whether or not this actually happened, I was inspired by this scene to make one of the trials for Fai Cheng. However, instead of having his horse killed, Fai Cheng manages to deflect Maodun’s arrow: a greater feat of courage and demonstration of skill, which allowed him in the ranks of the Xiongnu.