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Mythologies of the Xiongnu Tribe

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  The  Xiongnu  ( Chinese : 匈奴;  pinyin :  Xiōngnú ,  [ɕjʊ́ŋ.nǔ] ) were a tribal  confederation  of  nomadic peoples  who, according to ancient  Chinese sources , inhabited the eastern  Eurasian Steppe  from the 3rd century BC to the late 1st century AD.  Modu Chanyu , the supreme leader after 209 BC, founded the Xiongnu Empire. After overthrowing their previous overlords, the  Yuezhi , the Xiongnu became the dominant power on the  steppes  of  East Asia , centred on the  Mongolian Plateau . The Xiongnu were also active in areas now part of  Siberia ,  Inner Mongolia ,  Gansu  and  Xinjiang . Their relations with adjacent  Chinese dynasties  to the south-east were complex—alternating between various periods of peace, war, and subjugation. Ultimately, the Xiongnu were defeated by the  Han dynasty   in a centuries-long conflict , which ...