Tuoba Yilu

Who was Tuoba Yilu?

Tuoba Yilu was the chieftain of the western Tuoba territory from 295 to 307, supreme chieftain of the Tuoba from 307 to 316, Duke of Dai from 310 to 315, first prince of the Tuoba Dai from 315 to 316. He is the son of Tuoba Shamohan and the brother of Tuoba Yituo and Tuoba Fu.

In 295, Tuoba Luguan the chieftain of the Tuoba divided the territory under Tuoba control into three areas: in a vast tract of land extending west from White Mountain, to Dai; an area from Shengle and beyond; a central area, which included north Shanxi and the region to its north. Tuoba Yilu would be named chieftain of the western area. As chieftain of the western Tuoba territory, Tuoba Yilu defeated the Xiongnu and Wuhuan to the west, gained the support of various ethnically Han and Wuhuan people, in addition to his own Xianbei people. In 304, Tuoba Yilu, along with Tuoba Yituo, joined forces with the Jin armies and defeated Liu Yuan. In 305, Tuoba Yituo died, and in 307 Tuoba Luguan dies, as a result Tuoba Yilu becomes the supreme chieftain of the Tuoba clan.

The name Dai itself originated when Tuoba Yilu was created the Duke of Dai and rewarded five commanderies by the Western Jin in 310 as a reward for helping Liu Kun, the Governor of Bingzhou, to fight the Xiongnu Han state. This fief was later raised from a duchy to a principality by the Western Jin court in 315. In 312, Tuoba Yilu assisted Liu Kun in the recapturing of Jinyang from the Han general Liu Yao. When Tuoba Yilu designated his youngest son Tuoba Biyan as his heir apparent instead of his eldest son Tuoba Liuxiu, this led to a dispute between him and his son Tuoba Liuxiu. He was succeeded by Tuoba Pugen in 316, after his own son Tuoba Liuxiu killed him a succession dispute.