Both the Tiefu and Xia were based in the Ordos Desert, and during the reign of Helian Bobo, they constructed their capital of Tongwan, a heavily fortified and state-of-the-art city that served as a frontier garrison until the Song dynasty.

Due to their mix Xiongnu and Xianbei ethnicity, the Tiefu were initially known as a group of Wuhuan, which in the 4th century, was another term for "miscellanous hu" or "zahu" (雜胡).

It was not until Helian Bobo came to power that they fully affirm their Xiongnu lineage in a bid for legitimacy by claiming descent from the ancient Xia dynasty.

Qubei was a member of the ruling-Luandi clan as the brother of the chanyu, Qiangqu, although a later and more dubious account alleged that he was the descendant of a Han dynasty prince-turned-Xiongnu noble, Liu Jinbo (劉進伯) instead.

Liu Hu waged war with Dai but was repeatedly defeated and at one point had to flee the Great Wall.

A son of Weichen, Liu Bobo, went into exile and found protection under the Xianbei chieftain, Moyigan (沒弈干) at Gaoping (高平; in present-day Guyuan, Ningxia).

Impressed by his appearance and talents, Yao Xing made Bobo a general and assigned him to defend Shuofang, despite warnings from his officials regarding his violent behaviour.

He refused to establish a capital in his early reign, instead choosing to lead a roving army and attacking Qin’s northern borders when least expected.

The war with Xia greatly drained the Qin economy and military, with many of their key generals being killed in battle.

In 418, Bobo invaded the Guanzhong, and due to violent infighting among the Jin generals, he inflicted them a catastrophic defeat and captured the region.

In 427, as Xia attempted to recapture Chang’an, Wei launched a second attack and captured their capital at the Battle of Tongwancheng.

Fulun's branch became known as the Dugu tribe (獨孤), and like the Tiefu, they were known as Wuhuan people due to their mixed ethnicity.

Yao Weiyuan (姚薇元) suggested in the past that 'Dugu' was an alternate form of 'Tuge' (屠各), the Xiongnu aristocratic clan that had adopted the Han Chinese surname of Liu (劉), members of which also ruled the Former Zhao state.