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Tanshihuai (137–181) was a Xianbei chieftain who lived during the late Eastern Han dynasty period of China. Under Tanshihuai the Xianbei became a unified polity and posed a constant threat to the Han dynasty's northern borders for many years. After his death, however, his state quickly fell apart as his grandsons failed to maintain the support of the tribes.
As Tanshihuai was growing up, he was described as brave, strong and resourceful. At the age of 14 or 15, a leader from a different tribe stole his grandfather's cattles and horses. On horseback, Tanshihuai chased them down and recovered all the stolen animals, which made him renowned among his people. As an adult, his laws and judgements were fair, and his followers did not object to them, so he was elected to be the main leader of his tribe. He moved his base to Mount Danhan (彈汗山; in present-day Shangyi County, Hebei), where he built a court on the banks of the Jieqiu River (歠仇水).(年十四五，勇健有智略。異部大人抄取其外家牛羊，檀石槐單騎追擊之，所向無前，悉還得所亡者，由是部落畏服。乃施法禁，平曲直，無敢犯者，遂推以為大人。檀石槐乃立庭於彈汗山歠仇水上，〔一〕去高柳北三百餘里，兵馬甚盛，東西部大人皆歸焉。) Hou Hanshu, vol.90
Tanshihuai's soldiers and horses were strong, and many of the tribes in the east and west submitted to him. He conducted raids on the Han dynasty's borders and blocked the Dingling's encroachment from the north. He also repelled Buyeo's attacks from the east and attacked the Wusun in the west. His territory was comparable to the former Xiongnu empire, covering more than 14,000 li from east to west and 7,000 li from north to south including mountains, rivers, swamps and .(因南抄緣邊，北拒丁零，東卻夫餘，西擊烏孫，盡據匈奴故地，東西萬四千餘里，南北七千餘里，網羅山川水澤鹽池。) Hou Hanshui, vol.90
Tanshihuai divided his domain into three sections; from Youbeiping to the east up to Liaodong, encompassing over twenty cities including the Buyeo and Yemaek tribes, formed the eastern part. From Youbeiping to the west up to Shanggu, including over ten cities, formed the central part. From Shanggu to the west up to Dunhuang and the Wusun, including over twenty cities, formed the western part. Each section was governed by a chieftain appointed by Tanshihuai, who swore fealty to him.(乃自分其地為三部，從右北平以東至遼東，接夫餘、濊貊二十餘邑為東部，從右北平以西至上谷十餘邑為中部，從上谷以西至敦煌、烏孫二十餘邑為西部，各置大人主領之，皆屬檀石槐。) Hou Hanshu, vol.90
During the reign of Emperor Ling of Han, the Xianbei attacked the border commanderies of You, Bingzhou and Liang Province provinces, leaving countless dead and devastating the regions. In 177, the Han launched a counterattack on the Xianbei. They sent the generals Xia Yu, Tian Yan and Zang Min, along with the Southern Xiongnu chanyu, Tute Ruoshi Zhujiu to venture beyond the Great Wall. The Han army marched over 2,000 li before facing Tanshihuai in battle and were defeated. Only one-tenth of the Han army returned safely, and later that winter, the Xianbei raided Liaoxi.(靈帝立，幽、并、涼三州緣邊諸郡無歲不被鮮卑寇抄，殺略不可勝數。熹平三年冬，鮮卑入北地，太守夏育率休著屠各追擊破之。遷育為護烏桓校尉。五年，鮮卑寇幽州。六年夏，鮮卑寇三邊...遂遣夏育出高柳，田晏出雲中，匈奴中郎將臧旻率南單于出鴈門，各將萬騎，三道出塞二千餘里。檀石槐命三部大人各帥眾逆戰，育等大敗，喪其節傳輜重，各將數十騎奔還，死者十七八。三將檻車徵下獄，贖為庶人。冬，鮮卑寇遼西。) Hou Hanshu, vol.90
In 178, the Xianbei raided Jiuquan Commandery. At the time, the Xianbei population had grown to the point that farming, herding and hunting alone could not longer sustain them. Therefore, Tanshihuai went to the Wuhouqin River (烏侯秦水; modern-day Laoha River, Liaoning) to promote fishing, but initially had no success. Hearing that the Han people (汗人, not to be confused with 漢人 Han people) were excellent fishers, he led his cavalry to attack them in the east and captured thousands of them. He relocated them to live along the Wuhouqin River to fish for the Xianbei and alleviate their food shortage. While the earlier Records of the Three Kingdoms refer to these captured people as "Han people", the later Book of the Later Han refers to them as "Wa people" (倭人), with "Wa" being an old term for Japan.(後檀石槐乃案行烏侯秦水，廣袤數百里，停不流，中有魚而不能得。聞汗人善捕魚，於是檀石槐東擊汗國，得千餘家，徙置烏侯秦水上，使捕魚以助糧。至于今，烏侯秦水上有汗人數百戶。) Sanguozhi, vol.30(光和元年冬，又寇酒泉，緣邊莫不被毒。種眾日多，田畜射獵不足給食，檀石槐乃自徇行，見烏侯秦水廣從數百里，水停不流，〔二〕其中有魚，不能得之。聞倭人善網捕，於是東擊倭人國，得千餘家，徙置秦水上，令捕魚以助糧食。) Hou Hanshu, vol.90 K. H. J. Gardiner and Rafe de Crespigny reason that it is feasible that "Han people" refers to the people of Panhan county (番汗縣) in Liaodong Commandery, which was well within Tanshihuai's area of influence, and the far-fetched suggestion that Tanshihuai invaded Japan by sea could hardly be considered when the Xianbei at the time could not effectively fish for themselves.
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