Overview
Abo was a Tribal Leader and Ruler.
IdentityHistorical · Male
Life and dates
Attested activity
AD 581 開皇元年
AD 587 七年
AD 582 後數月
Family
Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.
Events and relationships
Defeated and trapped in valleys
AD 587 七年 · Military · Fugitive
Defeated repeatedly
AD 582 後數月 · Military
· Commander
· With Shetu (攝圖) Fled west and counterattacked
Fought
Sent envoys to court
AD 582 後數月 · Diplomatic
· Submitter
· With Sheng (晟) - Relation Rival of · Person Shetu (攝圖)
Show 1 more source-backed claim
Assessments and attributes
- Assessment irresolute, fears Shetu, sides with the stronger · Mode named-source-report Source Person Id Sheng (晟)
References in the histories
No matching passages.
Book of Sui, Chapter 51Volume 51 Biographies 16: Zhang Sunlan · 17 passages
晟先知攝圖、玷厥、阿波、突利等叔侄兄弟各統強兵，俱號可汗，分居四面，內懷猜忌，外示和同，難以力征，易可離間，因上書曰：「臣聞喪亂之極，必致升平，是故上天啟其機，聖人成其務。
Sheng had long known that Shetu, Dianjue, Abo, Tuli, and other kinsmen each commanded powerful forces, all called themselves qaghan, and held separate domains on four sides; inwardly suspicious yet outwardly cordial, they could not easily be crushed by force but could readily be divided; he therefore memorialized, "I have heard that the depth of disorder must give way to great peace, and that Heaven opens the moment for the sage to complete the work.
又阿波首鼠，介在其間，頗畏攝圖，受其牽率，唯強是與，未有定心。
Abo, caught between them, is timid and irresolute, somewhat afraid of Shetu and pulled along in his wake, siding with whoever is stronger and never firm in allegiance.
今宜遠交而近攻，離強而合弱，通使玷厥，說合阿波，則攝圖回兵，自防右地。
The policy now should be to ally with those far off and strike those near, to separate the strong and unite the weak: send envoys to Dianjue and draw Abo to our side, and Shetu will have to wheel his army back to defend the west.
阿波至涼州，與竇榮定戰，賊帥累北。
Abo reached Liang Prefecture and fought Dou Rongding; the Türk leader was beaten back again and again.
時晟為偏將，使謂之曰：「攝圖每來，戰皆大勝。
Sheng, then a subordinate commander, sent word to Abo: "Whenever Shetu takes the field he wins a great victory.
阿波才入，便即致敗，此乃突厥之恥，豈不內愧於心乎？
You have scarcely crossed the border and already been defeated—is this not a shame to all the Türks? Can you not feel the sting of it?
且攝圖之與阿波，兵勢本敵。
Moreover, Shetu and Abo were once evenly matched in strength.
今攝圖日勝，為眾所崇，阿波不利，為國生辱。
Now Shetu wins victory after victory and rises in the people's esteem, while your setbacks bring dishonor on the realm.
攝圖必當因以罪歸於阿波，成其夙計，滅北牙矣。
Shetu will surely use this to blame you and carry out his old plan to destroy the Northern Headquarters.
阿波使至，晟又謂之曰：「今達頭與隋連和，而攝圖不能制。
When Abo's envoy came, Sheng told him further, "Datou is now allied with Sui, yet Shetu cannot restrain him.
可汗何不依附天子，連結達頭，相合為強，此萬全之計。
Why not submit to the Son of Heaven and join with Datou? Together you would be formidable—this is the sure course.
阿波納之，因留塞上，使人隨晟入朝。
Abo agreed, stayed on the border, and sent envoys to accompany Sheng to court.
聞阿波懷貳，乃掩北牙，盡獲其眾而殺其母。
Learning that Abo was disloyal, he suddenly attacked the Northern Headquarters, seized Abo's followers, and killed Abo's mother.
阿波還無所歸，西奔玷厥，乞師十余萬，東擊攝圖，複得故地，收散卒數萬，與攝圖相攻。
Abo, with nowhere to turn, fled west to Dianjue and borrowed more than a hundred thousand men; marching east he struck Shetu, recovered his old lands, rallied tens of thousands of scattered troops, and fought him again.
阿波頻勝，其勢益張。
Abo won battle after battle and his power swelled.
處羅侯因晟奏曰：「阿波為天所滅，與五六千騎在山谷間，伏聽詔旨，當取之以獻。」
Chuluohou reported through Sheng, "Abo has been brought low by Heaven and lingers in the valleys with five or six thousand horsemen, waiting on your command; I will seize him and present him as captive."
今其昆弟自相夷滅，阿波之惡，非負國家，因其困窮，取而為戮，恐非招遠之道，不如兩存之。」
But now they are destroying one another. Abo's wrong was not against our state; to kill him in his extremity would not win the distant tribes. Better to let both survive."