In 215 BCE, Qin Shi Huang, the founding emperor of the Qin dynasty, sent a 300,000-strong army headed by General Meng Tian into the Ordos region and drove the Xiongnu northward for 1,000 li (about 416 km).

[3] "Touman, unable to hold out against the Qin forces, had withdrawn to the far north, where he held out for over ten years.

"[4]After the death of the Qin general Meng Tian in 210 BCE, Touman led the Xiongnu people to cross the Yellow River back to regain their previous territory.

To get rid of his eldest son, Modu (冒頓), Touman sent him to the Yuezhi as a hostage, and then made a sudden attack on them.

In retaliation the Yuezhi prepared to kill Modu, but he managed to steal a horse and escape back to the Xiongnu.

In 209 BCE, Modu commanded his men to shoot his father, killing him as well as his stepmother, younger brother, and the high officials who refused to take orders from him.

[3] The Book of Han (juan 94's "upper" section) recounts the end of Touman's life in vivid language, as follows:[citation needed] ...