Hulugu originally did not want to become chanyu but was convinced to take the title by his brother.[1]
In the spring of 90 BC, Li Guangli and two other generals led a force of 79,000 against the Xiongnu. Li defeated a Xiongnu detachment 5,000 strong and another one 20,000 strong, but he overextended and his supplies ran out, exhausting his men and horses. The Xiongnu outpaced them and dug ditches across their line of retreat. When they tried to cross the ditches, the Xiongnu fell on them, routing the entire army. Li Guangli surrendered. The other Han generals Shang Qiucheng and Ma Tong managed to return safely.[2]
Li Guangli married Hulugu's daughter. About a year later, he was executed after having a conflict with Wei Lü (衛律), another Han defector who was favoured by the Chanyu.[1]
Hulugu died in 85 BC and was succeeded by his son Huyandi.[3]
Bichurin N.Ya., "Collection of information on peoples in Central Asia in ancient times", vol. 1, Sankt Petersburg, 1851, reprint Moscow-Leningrad, 1950
Chang, Chun-shu (2007), The Rise of the Chinese Empire 1, The University of Michigan Press
Cosmo, Nicola Di (2002), Ancient China and Its Enemies, Cambridge University Press
Cosmo, Nicola di (2009), Military Culture in Imperial China, Harvard University Press
Loewe, Michael (2000), A Biographical Dictionary of the Qin, Former Han, and Xin Periods, Brill
Taskin B.S., "Materials on Sünnu history", Science, Moscow, 1968, p. 31 (In Russian)
Whiting, Marvin C. (2002), Imperial Chinese Military History, Writers Club Press
