People / group

Xianbei

The Xianbei were a nomadic people of the eastern Eurasian steppe, in present-day Mongolia and Manchuria. After the decline of the Xiongnu, they became the dominant power on the northern steppe in the second century CE. Accounts of the Xiongnu Empire place their rise in the context of Xiongnu decline, and Xianbei groups later founded dynasties in northern China.

Mentioned in 4 profiles

Mentioned in 3 state histories

See also

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

Last reviewed October 2026Random entry ↻