Tadun


Tadun was a leader of the Wuhuan tribes during the late Eastern Han dynasty of China. He was an ally of the warlord Yuan Shao and Yuan Shao's son and successor Yuan Shang.

Life

Tadun was a younger relative of the Wuhuan chieftain Qiuliju, and he was well-known for his wisdom, command skills, strength and ferocity among the Wuhuan people. After Qiuliju died sometime in the early 190s, Tadun succeeded him as the new Wuhuan leader because Qiuliju's son, Louban, was too young at the time. Tadun not only ruled over the Wuhuan tribes in Liaoxi Commandery, but also those in Youbeiping, Yuyang and Shanggu commanderies.
Throughout the 190s, Tadun supported the warlord Yuan Shao in his power struggle against Gongsun Zan for supremacy in northern China. In return for Tadun's support, Yuan Shao awarded imperial seals and honours to Tadun and the Wuhuan chieftains in the name of Emperor Xian, the figurehead emperor of the Eastern Han dynasty. After Louban had grown up, Tadun passed him the reins of power but continued to remain in charge of the Wuhuan tribes in Liaoxi Commandery. The other Wuhuan chieftains, such as Nanlou, Supuyan and Wuyan, pledged allegiance to Louban as their new leader.
Following Yuan Shao's death in 202, his son and successor Yuan Shang continued maintaining friendly ties with the Wuhuan. When Yuan Shang was defeated by his father's rival Cao Cao and forced to flee further north, he took shelter under Tadun and the Wuhuan tribes. Tadun attempted to help Yuan Shang regain control over the territories in northern China but to no avail. In 207, Cao Cao personally led his forces on a campaign against Yuan Shang and the Wuhuan tribes. By the time the Wuhuan realised that Cao Cao was on his way to attack them, it was a little too late but they still managed to muster thousands of horsemen to fight the enemy. Both sides clashed at the Battle of White Wolf Mountain near Liucheng. During the battle, Tadun was captured by the "Tiger and Leopard Cavalry" unit led by Cao Cao's cousin Cao Chun and was later executed by Zhang Liao, a general under Cao Cao.