前秦攻灭代国后，通过"散其部落"之措置，解散了拓跋部族联合体。北魏道武帝的解散部落政策，实取法于前秦，亦即将所征服或来附的部族联合体分割成更小的部族单位，纳入到北魏国家的统治体制中，部落组织和原本世领部落的酋长对部民的统治权仍得以保存。这种得到国家认可、授权的部落酋长，北魏名之为"领民酋长"。这种性质的领民酋长实亦见之于十六国，并为北魏所取法。从比较研究视角考察十六国时期的解散部落和领民酋长，有助于深入理解北魏解散部落政策和领民酋长制度的渊源及实质。

After the Former Qin Dynasty conquered the state of Dai, the tribal union under the surname of Tuoba was disbanded. This policy adopted by Emperor Daowu of the Northern Wei Dynasty was actually learned from the Former Qin Dynasty, which aimed to divide the tribal union into smaller tribes and integrate them into the national system of the Northern Wei. However, the tribal institution as well as the domination of tribal chiefs remained. These tribal chiefs were authorized in the Northern Wei Dynasty. In fact, this practice can be traced back to the Sixteen Kingdom Period.