Xia (夏 Xià), known in historiography as Hu Xia (胡夏), Northern Xia (北夏), Helian Xia (赫连夏) or the Great Xia (大夏), was a dynastic state of Xiongnu origin established by Helian Bobo during the Sixteen Kingdoms period in northern China. Prior to establishing the Xia, the imperial clan existed as a tribal entity known as the Tiefu (铁弗 Tiěfú).

Although the Xia only lasted from 407 to 431, its capital Tongwan situated in the Ordos Desert was a heavily fortified and state-of-the-art city that served as a frontier garrison until the Song dynasty. Its ruins were discovered during the Qing dynasty and can still be seen in present-day Inner Mongolia.

The Book of Wei also records that Liu Kuren's tribe, the Dugu, were descended from the Xiongnu. 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 (刘), members of which also ruled the Former Zhao state. This writer further suggests that 'Tuge' is an alternate form of 'Tuhe' (徒河), which is the branch of the Xianbei from which the Murong (慕容) were descended. The Liu (Dugu) were also known as 'Tiefu' (铁弗), a term which meant that they had Xiongnu fathers and Xianbei mothers. Thus it is reasonable to say that the Dugu were at least half Xianbei.

All rulers of the Xia declared themselves "emperors".

Read more...: Chieftains of the Tiefu and rulers of the Xia   Rulers family tree  

夏（407年-431年）又称为大夏或北夏，因为建立者赫连勃勃是匈奴铁弗部人，故又称胡夏或赫连夏，是407年到431年存在于关中与河套地区的一个国家，国都在大部分时间都位于统万城（今陕西省靖边县红墩界乡白城子村无定河北岸）。夏是匈奴铁弗部首领赫连勃勃在407年自称大单于后所建。418年，赫连勃勃在攻陷长安后称帝。427年，北魏太武帝出兵攻陷统万城并于428年俘虏夏国第二代君主赫连昌。赫连昌之弟赫连定随后被拥立为君主并在430年灭亡西秦。但431年赫连定被吐谷浑俘虏，之后在432年被送往北魏处死。夏国共存在25年，历经三代君主。

夏国是五胡十六国中最晚建立的政权，其都城统万城遗址是至今唯一保存基本完好的早期北方王国都城遗址，也是匈奴人历史上留下的唯一都城遗址。

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