冒頓（冒頓音「默獨」，拼音：mòdú），？－前174年），姓攣鞮（luāndī ㄌㄨㄢ ㄉㄧ），於公元前209年（秦二世元年），殺父頭曼而自立。冒頓認為領土仍國家之根本，]隨後便開始了他的擴張，亦為匈奴帝國打下了基礎，並設置了一些基本的軍事、內政的官僚機構。]
Modun Chanyu (Modu, Maodun, Maotun, Maodun) was born c. 234 BCE was the fourth known emperor and founder of the Hunnu Empire after he killed his father in 209 BCE. The years of his rule were 209 BCE to 174 BCE. He was a military leader under his father Touman, and later the Chanyu (King) of the Hunnu, centered in modern day Mongolia.
Once he had secured the throne, he established a powerful Hunnu Empire by successfully unifying the tribes of the Mongolian steppes and hence posed an imminent threat to the Chinese Qin Dynasty. His Hunnu Empire was one of the largest of his time – the eastern border stretched as far as the Liao River, the western borders of the empire reached the Pamir Mountains whilst the northern border reached Lake Baikal.
Origins and rise to power
The only details of his early years is recorded in chapter 110 of the Shiji, but, although they are based on history, they seem to contain some legendary elements.
He was the eldest son of Touman, the leader of the Hunnu at the time. Since his childhood, Modun was well-known for his outstanding courage and valor. He was so valourous that he was regarded as one of the most heroic men in the realm. However, a beauty called E'shi was the favourite wife of Touman and he decided to raise her son to be his successor. Touman's new wife had wanted to kill Modun so she adopted a cruel plot to kill Modun by another person's hands: his father sent him to the Yuezhi, a different tribe of peoples, as a hostage and then he waged wars against them, to make Modun the victim. Fortunately, Modun had sensed something suspicious so he pretended to be seriously sick when he was staying in the Yuezhi camp. His guards then slackened their guard. In the evening when Touman was massing his troops to attack the Yuezhi tribe, Modun killed the guards, stole the Yuezhi's precious horse and fled. To avoid the pursuit of the Yuezhi tribe and a surprise attack by his father, Modun disguised himself and was able to return.
Later for his bravery his father gave him a tumen of soldiers. He controlled his 10,000 men strictly, and trained them hard every day for battle. According to Sima Qian he had some arrows made that whistled in flight and trained his men to shoot at anything his whistling arrow struck. One day he shot at one of his best horses and executed any man that failed to follow suit. Later, when on a hunting expedition with his father, he shot a whistling arrow at his father, as did all his men.
Also his father's wife and the rival heir were executed. After this he gained the leadership of all the tribes his father had controlled and he was crowned as the new Hunnu ruler. He disciplined all the tribes for warfare and to follow his every command. He was respected by his men, and none would challenge his authority. After his army was ready for war, he began his conquests.
冒頓原為其父頭曼太子，後頭曼欲予其繼室閼氏之子繼承，遂將冒頓送到月氏做人質，冒頓到月氏充當人質後，頭曼就發動了針對月氏的戰爭。月氏國打算殺掉冒頓。冒頓偷盜了月氏的良馬才僥倖逃回匈奴。[3]
頭曼看到兒子冒頓逃脫，是勇敢壯烈之士，於是讓兒子冒頓統帥一萬騎兵。冒頓訓練了一支軍隊，並要求當他響箭射向何處，部隊即射向何處。而不服從者，就將其斬之。他先後以其愛妾、其父的愛馬為目標，將未射箭者處死。其後等時機成熟，在一次父子打獵時，冒頓即將響箭射向頭曼，使其部隊射死頭曼，冒頓並發動政變，殺死後母及不服他的大臣，奪取了單于之位。
冒頓一邊接受漢朝的貢品和和親女子，一邊還是繼續騷擾漢匈邊境。劉邦死後，甚至寫信呂后說：「我是孤獨寂寞的君主，生在沼澤，長在草原，我多次到邊境來，希望能到中原遊覽一番。陛下獨立為君，也是孤獨寂寞，一個人居住，我們兩個寡居的君主都很不快樂，無以自娛，還不如我們以己所有，換己所無。」呂后閱讀信後，認為自己受到了極大的挑釁和侮辱，準備殺掉匈奴使者，發兵征討匈奴。這時候降臣季布勸阻作罷，稱匈奴就如同禽獸，不值得為他們的話動怒。呂后冷靜地給冒頓回了一封信：「單于沒有忘記敝國，還賞賜我們書信，我們誠惶誠恐，我年老氣衰，頭髮牙齒都已脫落，走路也不穩，不值得單于為我屈尊玷污自己，敝國沒有做錯什麼，還請單于寬恕。」然後繼續送給冒頓車、馬等貢品。冒頓閱讀完信後，認為呂后非尋常的人物，於是收斂起來，回贈禮物，正式答應和親。呂后死後，冒頓繼續多次出兵騷擾漢朝。漢文帝前元三年（前177年）時，他曾派右賢王襲擾漢朝的邊境。
傳統觀點認為此信的目的是為調戲呂后，然而近來學界指出這種觀點是源於中原文化不了解遊牧民族夫兄弟婚制所產生的誤會（劉邦曾與冒頓互稱兄弟）。
Modu Chanyu Mongolian: Модунь, Modun; Баатар, Baatar, Turkish: Mete Han, Tatar: Мөде_хан, sometimes also transcribed Mete and Maodun) was born c. 234 BC was the fourth known emperor[ and founder of the Xiongnu Empire after he killed his father in 209 BC. Turkish Land Forces was established during his reign comprising of 10.000 horsemen.[1][2]
Modu ruled from 209 BC to 174 BC. He was a military leader under his father Touman, and later the Chanyu and king of the Xiongnu, centered in modern-day Mongolia.[3] Once he had secured the throne, he established a powerful Xiongnu Empire by successfully unifying the tribes of the Mongolian steppes and hence posed an imminent threat to the Chinese Qin Dynasty. His Xiongnu Empire was one of the largest of his time – the eastern border stretched as far as the Liao River, the western borders of the empire reached the Pamir Mountains whilst the northern border reached Lake Baikal.[4]
He was succeeded by his son Laoshang.
