Shilu (Jurchen)

The Shilu (室盧) were a group or confederation of Jurchen tribes located in the region of the Amur River valley and its surrounding areas in northeastern Asia during the early medieval period, roughly from the 5th to 8th centuries CE. They are considered to be among the ancestors of the later Jurchens who founded the Jin dynasty (1115-1234).

The name "Shilu" appears in Chinese historical records. These records provide limited information about their culture, social organization, and political structure. They were primarily hunter-gatherers and fishermen, and likely engaged in some rudimentary agriculture. They were known to trade with neighboring groups and with Chinese dynasties.

The Shilu were eventually incorporated into or displaced by other emerging Jurchen groups and other regional powers. The exact fate of the Shilu is not definitively known, but they are believed to have contributed to the ethnic and cultural makeup of the later Jurchen people. Their name is important to the study of Jurchen history because it represents one of the earliest recorded Jurchen groups.