Abstract: “The Xianbei Tuyuhun Biography of Song Shu” records in detail Tuyuhun’s early activities. Similar records in Jin Shu, Wei Shu, and Sui Shu all come from Song Shu. There were two important strategic shifts in Tuyuhun’s early period that have long been ignored by historians. Once faced with the threat of the Western Qin Dynasty, A’Chai chose to move south to the Songpan Grassland. In the end, Mu Gui took advantage of the demise of the Western Qin Dynasty and regained their former land in Henan (The area south of the Yellow River in Qinghai Province) and occupied the Tao River Basin. After that, Emperor Taiwu of the Northern Wei Dynasty launched a large-scale siege and pursuit of Tuyuhun. Tuyuhun was unable to gain a foothold in the land of Jiuqu (another name for Henan) and had to move westward to Fuluochuan, which was the second strategic shift. Fuluochuan was connected to Qinghai Lake-Qilian Mountain pasture. Moving west to Fuluochuan not only avoided the threat of Northern Wei, but also provided an opportunity for Tuyuhun to develop into a powerful steppe empire in the future.