An Interpretation of Qinhu

There is the word “qinhu” in historical records and bamboo slips unearthed of Han Dynasty. There are different opinions toward its interpretation in academic circle. This paper has pointed out that “qinhu” should be the compound of “qin” and “hu” according to the relevant records about “Qin horsemen” and “horsemen of minorities” in such slips. “Qin” refers to “Qin people” in Historical Records and A Book of Han and it is the appellation to those people who fled into minority regions when Qin Dynasty collapsed. And “hu” means “hu people”, the appellation of Northern minorities. And “qinji” and “huji” refer respectively the Qin horsemen and minority horsemen of vassal states in period of two Han Dynasties.