Modu Chanyu's Victory over the Donghu (c. 206 BC)

When Modu became chanyu of the Huns in 209 BC, the Donghu confederation to the east was strong. The Chinese historian Sima Qian writes that the Donghu first asked Modu for his famous horse that could run a thousand li. His nobles objected, but Modu said one should not quarrel with a neighbour over a horse and gave it away. Then the Donghu asked for one of Modu's consorts, and he gave her too.

The third time, the Donghu asked for the empty, uninhabited land between the two peoples. Some nobles said it was waste ground and could be given. Modu was furious: "Land is the root of the state; how can it be given away?" He punished those who had advised giving it up, mounted his horse and led the army to attack.

The Donghu were not expecting the attack and were crushed. Modu then drove the Yuezhi back in the west and in the south recovered the Ordos lands taken by the Qin. The Hun state that emerged was strong enough, a few years later, to besiege the Han emperor at Baideng.