Origins of Xueyantuo and Gaps on Their History

Abstract

Although Friedrich Hirth’s idea that Xueyantuo of Chinese sources was Sir Tardush was generally accepted for a short time, subsequent research has revealed different results. Hirth, while confident in asserting that Xue corresponds to Sir based on the Tonyukuk Inscription, faced challenges in providing conclusive evidence for the proposition that Yantuo is synonymous with Tardush. Tongdian’s identify Yantuo with Helan gave shape to new studies. Researches focused on to find out Turkish original name for Yantuo and it is understood that Yantuo has not been illuminated throughout the course of the ongoing process, leaving significant gaps. Additionally, there has been no thorough examination of the meaning of Xue and the history of the Xues. In this study, the identity equivalence established by Tongdian between Hela-Helan and Yantuo has been critically examined. Efforts have been undertaken in this study to fill the gaps in the history of Yantuo by researching records on the state of Helans until the emergence of the name Yantuo in the sources. Records on the origins of Xue and their history before Xueyantuo name appeared in sources are evaluated. It is tried to find out when Xue seized Yantuo. The fate of the Xueyantuo tribe has been questioned following the downfall of the Xueyantuo Khaganate, and an examination has been conducted to determine whether the Sir mentioned in the Tonyukuk Inscription, as a tribal name, corresponds to the Xue Tribe recorded in Chinese sources.