Kebineng 軻比能

Kebineng originally came from a minor Xianbei tribe, but because he was brave and strong, judged by the law fairly and correctly, and did not covet wealth, the people raised him up as their chieftain. His tribe lived near the frontier, and after Yuan Shao took Hebei many Chinese fled to him and taught him how to make weapons, armor and shields, and Kebineng also learned a fair amount of writing. So in governing the people of his tribe he too modeled himself on China, setting up banners when going out or hunting and advancing and retreating to the beat of drums. During the Jian'an era he sent tribute through Yan Rou, Colonel of the Wuhuan. Records, Wei 30 §20 · 14

When Nengchendi and other Wuhuan of Dai Commandery rebelled and asked to attach themselves to the Xianbei chieftain Fuluohan, they then judged that Fuluohan's tribe was lax in authority and discipline and called on Kebineng instead. Kebineng came with more than ten thousand horsemen and killed Fuluohan at the meeting where they were to swear an oath together, and Fuluohan's son Xieguini and his tribe all attached themselves to Kebineng. Because Kebineng had killed Xieguini's father, he treated him especially well, and Fuluohan's younger brother Budugen resented Kebineng for this. Records, Wei 30 §14–15

When Cao Cao campaigned west against Guanzhong and Tian Yin rebelled at Hejian, Kebineng led more than three thousand horsemen with Yan Rou to attack and crush Tian Yin. Later, when the Wuhuan of Dai Commandery rebelled, he helped them raid, so Cao Cao made Cao Zhang, Marquis of Yanling, General of Valiant Cavalry and sent him north on campaign, and Cao Zhang crushed them. The Biography of Cao Zhang records that Kebineng, watching with tens of thousands of horsemen to gauge who was stronger, saw Cao Zhang break every enemy he faced and asked to submit. At the beginning of Yankang, when Kebineng presented horses, Emperor Wen made him King Who Adheres to Righteousness. Records, Wei 30 §21Records, Wei 19 §6

In the 2nd year of Huangchu (221) Kebineng sent more than five hundred families of Wei people who were in Xianbei lands back to Dai Commandery, and the following year he came with more than three thousand horsemen driving over seventy thousand head of cattle and horses to trade, and settled over a thousand families of Wei people in Shanggu. Tian Yu, who became Colonel of the Wuhuan early in Emperor Wen's reign, set Kebineng, Mijia and Suli against one another when they divided the land among themselves and swore an alliance not to trade horses with China. When Suli broke the alliance, offered a thousand horses to the government and was attacked by Kebineng, he asked Tian Yu for help, and the three tribes of Kebineng, Suli and Budugen attacked one another in turn. Records, Wei 30 §22Records, Wei 26 §30–31

In the 5th year of Huangchu (224), when Kebineng attacked Suli again, Tian Yu harried his rear with light cavalry and defeated Suonu, a minor leader Kebineng had sent. Because of this Kebineng became disaffected and wrote to the General Who Supports the State, Xianyu Fu, saying that Colonel Tian had helped Suli and that Budugen had killed his younger brother yet falsely accused him instead, and that even cattle and horses know good water and grass, let alone he who had a human heart; he asked Xianyu Fu to vouch for him to the Son of Heaven. The emperor again had Tian Yu win him over. Records, Wei 30 §23–24

Budugen sent a messenger to Xieguini telling him not to stay attached to the house of the enemy who had killed his father but to come back, and Xieguini led his tribe back to Budugen; Kebineng pursued but could not catch him. According to the biography of Qian Zhao, Budugen, Xieguini and others fell out with Kebineng and attached themselves to the frontier with more than thirty thousand families of their tribes, went back at Qian Zhao's order and killed Kebineng's younger brother Juluohou, and Qian Zhao led them to crush Kebineng in the old Yunzhong Commandery. In the 6th year of Huangchu (225) Liang Xi, Inspector of Bing Province, crushed Kebineng. Records, Wei 30 §16–17Records, Wei 26 §54Records, Wei 2 §48

Kebineng's people at last became strong, with more than 100,000 mounted archers. He divided the goods taken in raids evenly on the spot and never kept anything for himself, so his people fought for him to the death and the other chieftains respected and feared him. Even so, Chen Shou wrote that he still did not measure up to Tanshihuai. Records, Wei 30 §25

In the 2nd year of Taihe (228), when the interpreter Xia She, whom Tian Yu had sent to the tribe of Kebineng's son-in-law Yuzhujian, was killed, Tian Yu led Putou and Xieguini that autumn and crushed Yuzhujian. Kebineng personally besieged the returning Tian Yu with thirty thousand horsemen at Macheng for seven days, but lifted the siege and left when Yan Zhi, Administrator of Shanggu, reasoned with him. Qian Zhao sent out dispatches to rescue Tian Yu, and when Kebineng again gathered horsemen and came north of the frontier of the old Pingzhou, Qian Zhao fell on him by stealth and beheaded a great many. Records, Wei 30 §26Records, Wei 26 §57–58

Qian Zhao proposed preparing against the cunning Kebineng, since Zhuge Liang was repeatedly taking the field and the two might communicate, but this was not accepted. When Zhuge Liang was at Qishan, he did in fact send envoys to link up with Kebineng, and Kebineng came to Shicheng in the old Beidi Commandery to act in concert with Zhuge Liang before going back south of the desert. The Annals of Emperor Ming record that in the 4th month, in summer, of the 5th year of Taihe (231), the Xianbei King Who Adheres to Righteousness, Kebineng, came to You Province with his people and Ershan, a chieftain of the Dingling, and presented famous horses. Records, Wei 26 §58–59Records, Wei 3 §21

When Wang Xiong, Inspector of You Province, concurrently held the post of Colonel and won him over with kindness and good faith, Kebineng came to the frontier several times to present tribute. In the 1st year of Qinglong (233) Kebineng enticed Budugen to rebel against Bing Province and formed a marriage alliance with him, and then personally led ten thousand horsemen to receive Budugen's family and baggage at Xingbei. When Bi Gui, Inspector of Bing Province, sent the generals Su Shang and Dong Bi, Kebineng gave his son horsemen to fight at Loufan and killed the two generals. When the General of Valiant Cavalry Qin Lang set out to suppress them, Xieguini betrayed Kebineng and surrendered, and Budugen was killed by Kebineng. Records, Wei 30 §27 · 18Records, Wei 3 §30–31

In the 3rd year of Qinglong (235) Wang Xiong sent a bold warrior, Han Long, to stab Kebineng to death, and set up his younger brother in his place. The Biography of the Wuhuan in the same volume records that Kebineng took all the former lands of the Xiongnu, making everything from Yunzhong and Wuyuan to the Liao River the domain of the Xianbei court and harassing You and Bing Provinces, and that only after he was stabbed to death did his people and tribes scatter. Records, Wei 30 §27 · 5

In the assessment at the end of the volume, Chen Shou wrote only that in the time of Wei the Xiongnu declined and the Wuhuan and Xianbei arose in their place, and gave no separate assessment of Kebineng. Records, Wei 30 §190