Ashina Sunishi

Ashina Sunishi
Ashina Sunishi
Commander of Chang Prefecture
Tenure	630 – 634
Predecessor	Himself as Governor of Beining
Successor	Ashina Zhong
Died	634; Chang'an, Tang China
Issue	Ashina Zhong
House	Ashina tribe
Father	Ishbara Qaghan (?)

Ashina Sunishi (? – 634, Chinese: 阿史那蘇尼失, romanized: Āshǐnà Sūníshī) was a general from the Eastern Turkic Khaganate in the Tang dynasty.

The Old Book of Tang describes him as a clan nephew (son of a male cousin) of Illig Qaghan,^[1] while New Book of Tang says he was the younger brother of Qimin Qaghan (father of Illig),^[2] and the Zizhi Tongjian, however, describes him as uterine brother of Qimin Qaghan.^[3] Ashina Zhong's tomb epitaph portrays him as a son of Yongzhou Qaghan (Chinese: 邕周, romanized: Yōngzhōu) and a grandson of Dayuan (Chinese: 大原, romanized: Dàyuán). Wu Yugui argued that they were Ishbara Qaghan and Issik Qaghan respectively.^[4]

It was reported that Shibi Khagan greatly valued Ashina Sunishi and appointed him as Ishbara Shad, commanding tribes of 50,000 households, establishing his headquarters northwest of Lingzhou. Sunishi was considered brave, valiant, and benevolent, winning the hearts of the tribes. When Tang forced invaded Eastern Khaganate and Illig Qaghan's political situation descended into chaos, Sunishi's tribes remained loyal without divided allegiances.^[5] He was promoted to Lesser Qaghan when Ashina Shihobi fled to Tang.

During the fall of the Qaghanate, Illig tried to escape to Tuyuhun kingdom, where his mother was from. However, Taizong's cousin Li Daozong, caught with him and demanded Sunishi hand over Illig. Illig on the other hand, led several cavalrymen and fled at night towards Helan Mountains, hiding in a desolate valley.^[6] Sunishi, in fear, urgently dispatched cavalry to capture and bring Illig back. Vice-commander Zhang Baoxiang soon led a large army to surround Sunishi's camp, captured Illig and sent him back to Chang'an on May 2, 630 while Sunishi surrendered.

He was created Prince of Huaide Commandery (Chinese: 懷德郡王, romanized: Huáidé Jùnwáng) by Taizong 6 days later. On June 4, 630 he was appointed as Governor of Beining Prefecture (Chinese: 北寧州) and Right Guard Great General. This prefecture was reorganized into Chang Prefecture in 633, where Sunishi continued to serve as the head.^[7] Next year, Sunishi passed away right after Illig Qaghan in 634 (New Book of Tang says he committed suicide).^[8]

References

^ Old Book of Tang (in Chinese). Vol. 194A. Chinese: 頡利乘千里馬，獨騎奔於從侄沙缽羅部落。, lit. 'Illig rode a 'thousand-li' horse and fled alone to the tribe of his clan nephew Ishbara.'
^ New Book of Tang (in Chinese). Vol. 109. Chinese: 貞觀初，阿史那蘇尼失者，啟民可汗之母弟，社{人小}叔祖也。, lit. 'In the early Zhenguan era, Ashina Sunishi was the full younger brother of Qimin Khagan and the great-uncle of She'er.'
^ Zhizhi Tongjian (in Chinese). Vol. 193. Chinese: 初，始畢可汗以啟民母弟蘇尼失為沙缽羅設，督部落五萬家，牙直靈州西北。, lit. 'Initially, Shibi Khagan appointed Qimin's uterine brother Sunishi, as the Ishbara Shad, to supervise a tribe of 50,000 households, with his headquarters directly northwest of Lingzhou.'
^ Wu, Yugui (December 2015). "古代突厥汉文碑志叙录" [A record of ancient Turkic Chinese inscriptions]. 理论与史学 [Theory and Historiography] (in Chinese). 1. Beijing: China Social Sciences Press: 133–160.
^ Skaff, Jonathan Karam (2012-07-06). Sui-Tang China and Its Turko-Mongol Neighbors: Culture, Power, and Connections, 580-800. Oxford University Press. p. 80. ISBN 978-0-19-987590-0.
^ Yang, Shao-yun (2023-05-25). Early Tang China and the World, 618–750 CE. Cambridge University Press. p. 628. ISBN 978-1-009-21462-9.
^ Saitō, Shigeo (April 1, 2015). "突厥有力者と李世民──唐太宗期の突厥羈縻支配について──" [The Türk Leaders and Li Shimin: The Loose-rein Control of Türks during the Taizong Period of Tang]. Bulletin of the Institute of Oriental and Occidental Studies (in Japanese). 48. Institute of Oriental and Occidental Studies, Kansai University: 77–99.
^ New Book of Tang (in Chinese). Vol. 215a. Chinese: 俄蘇尼失亦以死殉。, lit. 'Sunishi also died to follow him in death.'

[1] Old Book of Tang (in Chinese). Vol. 194A. Chinese: 頡利乘千里馬，獨騎奔於從侄沙缽羅部落。, lit. 'Illig rode a 'thousand-li' horse and fled alone to the tribe of his clan nephew Ishbara.'

[2] New Book of Tang (in Chinese). Vol. 109. Chinese: 貞觀初，阿史那蘇尼失者，啟民可汗之母弟，社{人小}叔祖也。, lit. 'In the early Zhenguan era, Ashina Sunishi was the full younger brother of Qimin Khagan and the great-uncle of She'er.'

[3] Zhizhi Tongjian (in Chinese). Vol. 193. Chinese: 初，始畢可汗以啟民母弟蘇尼失為沙缽羅設，督部落五萬家，牙直靈州西北。, lit. 'Initially, Shibi Khagan appointed Qimin's uterine brother Sunishi, as the Ishbara Shad, to supervise a tribe of 50,000 households, with his headquarters directly northwest of Lingzhou.'

[4] Wu, Yugui (December 2015). "古代突厥汉文碑志叙录" [A record of ancient Turkic Chinese inscriptions]. 理论与史学 [Theory and Historiography] (in Chinese). 1. Beijing: China Social Sciences Press: 133–160.

[5] Skaff, Jonathan Karam (2012-07-06). Sui-Tang China and Its Turko-Mongol Neighbors: Culture, Power, and Connections, 580-800. Oxford University Press. p. 80. ISBN 978-0-19-987590-0.

[6] Yang, Shao-yun (2023-05-25). Early Tang China and the World, 618–750 CE. Cambridge University Press. p. 628. ISBN 978-1-009-21462-9.

[7] Saitō, Shigeo (April 1, 2015). "突厥有力者と李世民──唐太宗期の突厥羈縻支配について──" [The Türk Leaders and Li Shimin: The Loose-rein Control of Türks during the Taizong Period of Tang]. Bulletin of the Institute of Oriental and Occidental Studies (in Japanese). 48. Institute of Oriental and Occidental Studies, Kansai University: 77–99.

[8] New Book of Tang (in Chinese). Vol. 215a. Chinese: 俄蘇尼失亦以死殉。, lit. 'Sunishi also died to follow him in death.'

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]