Person

Laoshang Chanyu

d. 161 BCE · 2nd century BCE · Also known as Jiyu

Laoshang was chanyu of the Xiongnu from 174 to 161 BCE, the son and successor of Modu. He completed the defeat of the Yuezhi, killing their king and, according to Chinese sources, making his skull into a drinking cup, which drove the Yuezhi westwards. He kept up the heqin arrangement with Han China, receiving a Han princess, while raiding the frontier.

Cite this entry
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Laoshang Chanyu. In The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/laoshang-chanyu
MLA
“Laoshang Chanyu.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/laoshang-chanyu. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Laoshang Chanyu.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/laoshang-chanyu.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Laoshang Chanyu’, The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/laoshang-chanyu (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random entry ↻