courtesy name
A courtesy name (), also known as a style name, is a name bestowed upon one at adulthood in addition to one's given name. This practice is a tradition in the East Asian cultural sphere, including China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam.Ulrich Theobald ...
Yuanzhen (元真), formally Prince Wenming of (Former) Yan ((前)燕文明王) was the founding
monarch
A monarch is a head of stateWebster's II New College DictionarMonarch Houghton Mifflin. Boston. 2001. p. 707. Life tenure, for life or until abdication, and therefore the head of state of a monarchy. A monarch may exercise the highest authority ...
of the
Xianbei
The Xianbei (; ) were a Proto-Mongolic ancient nomadic people that once resided in the eastern Eurasian steppes in what is today Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, and Northeastern China. They originated from the Donghu people who splintered into the ...
Murong Hui
Murong Hui (慕容廆, 269 – 4 June 333), courtesy name Yiluo (弈洛), was an Xianbei chief, formally known as Duke Xiang of Liaodong, posthumously honored as Emperor Wuxuan (武宣皇帝). In the Book of Jin, Murong Hui was described as ...
in 333, he carried the Jin dynasty-bestowed title Duke of Liaodong, but in 337 claimed the title of Prince of Yan, which is traditionally viewed as the founding date of Former Yan. (
Emperor Cheng of Jin
Emperor Cheng of Jin (; December 321 or January 322 – 26 July 342According to Emperor Cheng's biography in ''Book of Jin'', he died aged 22 (by East Asian reckoning) on the ''guisi'' day of the 6th month of the 8th year of the ''Xiankang'' era ...
did retroactively recognize Murong Huang's princely title in 341 after much debate among Jin officials.) After his son
Murong Jun
Murong Jun (; 319–360), courtesy name Xuanying (宣英), formally Emperor Jingzhao of (Former) Yan ((前)燕景昭帝), was an emperor of the Former Yan. He was the dynasty's second ruler, but after first using the Jin dynasty-created title of ...
completely broke away from Jin and claimed the title of
emperor
An emperor (from la, imperator, via fro, empereor) is a monarch, and usually the sovereignty, sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife (empress consort), ...
in 353, he was posthumously honored as Emperor Wenming of (Former) Yan with the
temple name
Temple names are posthumous titles accorded to monarchs of the Sinosphere for the purpose of ancestor worship. The practice of honoring monarchs with temple names began during the Shang dynasty in China and had since been adopted by other dynas ...
Taizu (太祖). In the ''
Book of Jin
The ''Book of Jin'' is an official Chinese historical text covering the history of the Jin dynasty from 266 to 420. It was compiled in 648 by a number of officials commissioned by the imperial court of the Tang dynasty, with chancellor Fang X ...
'', Murong Huang was described as a strong looking tall man (approximately 1.91 metres).
Early life
Murong Huang's father
Murong Hui
Murong Hui (慕容廆, 269 – 4 June 333), courtesy name Yiluo (弈洛), was an Xianbei chief, formally known as Duke Xiang of Liaodong, posthumously honored as Emperor Wuxuan (武宣皇帝). In the Book of Jin, Murong Hui was described as ...
had initially been a
Xianbei
The Xianbei (; ) were a Proto-Mongolic ancient nomadic people that once resided in the eastern Eurasian steppes in what is today Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, and Northeastern China. They originated from the Donghu people who splintered into the ...
chief who fought Jin forces during the late reign of
Emperor Wu of Jin
Emperor Wu of Jin (; 236 – 16 May 290), personal name Sima Yan (), courtesy name Anshi (安世), was the grandson of Sima Yi, nephew of Sima Shi and son of Sima Zhao. He became the first emperor of the Jin dynasty after forcing Cao Huan, ...
, Jin's founding emperor, but he submitted as a Jin vassal in 289. Under constant attack by fellow Xianbei chief Duan Jie (段階) of the
Duan tribe
The Duan () was a pre-state tribe of Xianbei ethnicity during the era of Sixteen Kingdoms in China.
History
The reason the tribe adopted the Han Chinese surname Duan is unknown.
Duan Wuwuchen was given in 303 a hereditary title— the "Duke ...
, he humbly sought peace with the Duan and married one of Duan Jie's daughters. From this union came Murong Huang (in 297) and two of his younger brothers,
Murong Ren
Murong Ren (died 336), childhood name Qiannian, was the brother of the Prince of Former Yan, Murong Huang during the Sixteen Kingdoms period. He was Murong Hui's second son through Hui's wife, Lady Duan (段夫人). In 333, following the suc ...
(慕容仁) and Murong Zhao (慕容昭).
During Murong Hui's rule as tribal chief, the Jin dynasty's central government was in constant turmoil and eventually collapsed due to infighting and agrarian rebellions, the strongest of which was the
Xiongnu
The Xiongnu (, ) were a tribal confederation of nomadic peoples who, according to ancient Chinese sources, inhabited the eastern Eurasian Steppe from the 3rd century BC to the late 1st century AD. Modu Chanyu, the supreme leader after 20 ...
state
Han Zhao
The Han Zhao (; 304–329 AD), or Former Zhao (), was a dynastic state of China ruled by the Xiongnu people during the Sixteen Kingdoms period of Chinese history. In Chinese historiography, it was given two conditional state titles, the Northern ...
. As a result, many refugees arrived in the relatively safe domain of Murong Hui's, and as he treated the ethnically
Han
Han may refer to:
Ethnic groups
* Han Chinese, or Han People (): the name for the largest ethnic group in China, which also constitutes the world's largest ethnic group.
** Han Taiwanese (): the name for the ethnic group of the Taiwanese p ...
refugees with kindness, most chose to stay, greatly strengthening his power, and as Jin forces in the north gradually fell to Han Zhao's capable general
Shi Le
Shi Le (274–17 August 333), courtesy name Shilong, formally Emperor Ming of (Later) Zhao, was the founding emperor of the Jie-led Later Zhao dynasty of China. At a young age he was sold as a slave by Jin officials, but he later helped start a ...
(who later established his own independent state
Later Zhao
The Later Zhao (; 319–351) was a dynasty of the Sixteen Kingdoms in northern China. It was founded by the Shi family of the Jie ethnicity. The Jie were most likely a Yeniseian people and spoke next to Chinese one of the Yeniseian languages.Vov ...
), Murong Hui became the only domain in northern China still under titular Jin rule, carrying the Jin-bestowed title of the Duke of Liaodong. He entrusted Murong Huang with many important military tasks. These included fighting the powerful fellow Xianbei
tribe in 320 and 325. In early 322, Murong Hui named Murong Huang
heir apparent
An heir apparent, often shortened to heir, is a person who is first in an order of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting by the birth of another person; a person who is first in the order of succession but can be displaced by the b ...
. However, Murong Hui also greatly favored Murong Huang's brothers Murong Ren, Murong Zhao, and particularly Murong Han (慕容翰), who was regarded very highly as a general. Murong Huang became jealous and suspicious of these brothers, feelings which became known to them and which would sow the seeds of future troubles.
As Duke of Liaodong
In 333, Murong Hui died. Murong Huang took over his administration under the Jin-bestowed office of General Pingbei (平北將軍) and sent messengers to report his father's death to
Emperor Cheng of Jin
Emperor Cheng of Jin (; December 321 or January 322 – 26 July 342According to Emperor Cheng's biography in ''Book of Jin'', he died aged 22 (by East Asian reckoning) on the ''guisi'' day of the 6th month of the 8th year of the ''Xiankang'' era ...
and request commission official for himself. Soon after, with Jin commission expected but not yet arrived, he claimed the title of Duke of Liaodong, which his father had carried.
Murong Huang carried out strict and harsh enforcement of laws and regulations, which unsettled some of his subordinates. His suspicions of Murong Han, Murong Ren, and Murong Zhao also became clear. Murong Han, in fear, fled to the Duan tribe (Dukedom of
Liaoxi
Liaoxi () was a former province in Northeast China, located in what is now part of Liaoning and Jilin provinces. It existed from 1949 to 1954, and its capital was Jinzhou
Jinzhou (, ), formerly Chinchow, is a coastal prefecture-level city ...
) and became a general for the Duan chief
Duan Liao
Duan Liao (段遼) (died 339), also known as Duan Huliao (段護遼), was a Xianbei chieftain of the Duan tribe during the Sixteen Kingdoms period of China. He was the last chieftain of the Duan state before it was conquered in 338. Duan Liao laun ...
(段遼). Murong Ren and Murong Zhao conspired to have Murong Ren attack the capital Jicheng (棘城, in modern
Jinzhou
Jinzhou (, ), formerly Chinchow, is a coastal prefecture-level city in central-west Liaoning province, China. It is a geographically strategic city located in the Liaoxi Corridor, which connects most of the land transports between North Chin ...
,
Liaoning
Liaoning () is a coastal province in Northeast China that is the smallest, southernmost, and most populous province in the region. With its capital at Shenyang, it is located on the northern shore of the Yellow Sea, and is the northernmost ...
) from his defense post of Pingguo (平郭, in modern
Yingkou
Yingkou () is a coastal prefecture-level city of central southern Liaoning province, People's Republic of China, on the northeastern shore of Liaodong Bay. It is the third-smallest city in Liaoning with a total area of , and the ninth most populo ...
,
Liaoning
Liaoning () is a coastal province in Northeast China that is the smallest, southernmost, and most populous province in the region. With its capital at Shenyang, it is located on the northern shore of the Yellow Sea, and is the northernmost ...
) and for Murong Zhao to rise within Jicheng to join him, ready to divide the dukedom if they succeeded. Murong Ren soon launched a surprise attack, but scouts by Murong Huang discovered the attack and readied for the attack, so Murong Ren instead captured the cities in the eastern dukedom (
Liaodong Peninsula
The Liaodong Peninsula (also Liaotung Peninsula, ) is a peninsula in southern Liaoning province in Northeast China, and makes up the southwestern coastal half of the Liaodong region. It is located between the mouths of the Daliao River (the ...
). Forces that Murong Huang sent to attack him were repelled, and Murong Ren claimed for himself the Duke of Liaodong title as well. Jin messengers sent to bestow on Murong Huang the same titles his father had were intercepted and detained by Murong Ren.
Also in 334, Duan forces, under the commands of Murong Han and Duan Liao's brother Duan Lan (段蘭) attacked Liucheng (柳城, in modern
Zhaoyang
Zhaoyang District () is the only district and the seat of the city of Zhaotong, in the northeast of Yunnan Province, China. It borders the provinces of Guizhou to the southeast and Sichuan to the west.
Administrative divisions
Zhaoyang County ...
,
Liaoning
Liaoning () is a coastal province in Northeast China that is the smallest, southernmost, and most populous province in the region. With its capital at Shenyang, it is located on the northern shore of the Yellow Sea, and is the northernmost ...
), and Murong Huang's forces sent to relieve Liucheng suffered a great defeat at Duan forces' hands. Duan Lan wanted to further advance on Jicheng, but Murong Han, fearful that his own tribe would be destroyed, ordered a withdrawal. (While his comments were intended to force Duan Lan to agree to a withdrawal, Murong Han's comments at this time stating that Murong Huang was "false and treacherous" may indicate what his true feelings about Murong Huang were.)
In early 336, Murong Huang made a daring surprise attack, personally leading his army by a route that Murong Ren did not expect—over the frozen Bohai—arriving at Pingguo. Murong Ren, not realizing that it was a major attack, came out of the city to fight Murong Huang, who defeated and captured him, forcing him to commit suicide.
As Prince of Yan
In 337, Murong Huang claimed for himself the title of Prince of Yan—a title that Jin had previously considered but declined to confer on his father Murong Hui. This is commonly viewed as the founding of Former Yan, particularly because he also set up a governmental structure mirroring Jin's imperial government, albeit with different office titles intentionally showing inferiority to Jin.
That same year, Murong Huang, countering his father's prior policy of having no contact at all with Jin's rival Later Zhao, sent messengers to Later Zhao promising to be a vassal and requesting a joint attack against the Duan. Later Zhao's emperor
Shi Hu
Shi Hu (; 295–349), courtesy name Jilong (季龍), formally Emperor Wu of (Later) Zhao ((後)趙武帝), was an emperor of the Jie-led Chinese Later Zhao dynasty. He was the founding emperor Shi Le's distant nephew, who took power in a coup ...
was very pleased, and they agreed on an attack in 338. In the spring, they launched the attacks. Murong Huang quickly attacked and pillaged the Duan cities north of its capital Lingzhi (令支, in modern
Tangshan
Tangshan () is a coastal, industrial prefecture-level city in the northeast of Hebei province. It is located in the eastern part of Hebei Province and the northeastern part of the North China Plain. It is located in the central area of the Boha ...
,
Hebei
Hebei or , (; alternately Hopeh) is a northern province of China. Hebei is China's sixth most populous province, with over 75 million people. Shijiazhuang is the capital city. The province is 96% Han Chinese, 3% Manchu, 0.8% Hui, an ...
), defeating Duan Lan's forces. He then withdrew, and when Later Zhao forces arrived, Duan Liao no longer dared to face them but instead abandoned Lingzhi and fled. Lingzhi surrendered to Later Zhao. Shi Hu was happy about the victory but angry that Murong Huang withdrew before the armies could meet, and he decided to turn his armies against Murong Huang instead. With Later Zhao's massive armies arriving in Former Yan territory, nearly all of the cities submitted to Later Zhao except the capital Jicheng. Murong Huang considered fleeing, but under advice of his general
Muyu Gen
Muyu Gen (died 360) was a military general and regent of Former Yan during the Sixteen Kingdoms period. He was a main contributor to Murong Huang, Murong Huang's victory in the defence of Jicheng (棘城, in modern Jinzhou, Liaoning) in 338 a ...
, he stayed and defended the city for nearly 20 days, and Later Zhao forces were forced to withdraw; Murong Huang then sent his son
Murong Ke
Murong Ke () (died 367 CE), courtesy name Xuangong (), formally Prince Huan of Taiyuan (), was a famed general and statesman of the Xianbei-led Chinese Former Yan dynasty. He was the son of Murong Huang (Prince Wenming), and later served as the ...
to attack the retreating Later Zhao troops, scoring a great victory, and the only Later Zhao force remaining intact was that of Shi Min, Shi Hu's adopted grandson. After Later Zhao's withdrawal, Murong Huang recaptured the cities that had rebelled. He also took over cities formerly ruled by the Duan, extending into modern northern Hebei. In early 339, after Duan Liao sent conflicting requests to Later Zhao and Former Yan, requesting surrender, the Later Zhao and Former Yan forces engaged, and Murong Ke again won a great victory over Later Zhao. Murong Huang honored Duan Liao as a guest and merged Duan's remaining forces into his own. Later that year, however, Duan planned a rebellion and was killed by Murong Huang. (However, the Duan clan was not wiped out, and many members of the Duan clan later served as generals, officials, and imperial consorts of the Murongs.) From this point on, Former Yan forces would conduct yearly raids against Later Zhao's border region. They would also periodically attack the Yuwen tribe and
Goguryeo
Goguryeo (37 BC–668 AD) ( ) also called Goryeo (), was a Korean kingdom located in the northern and central parts of the Korean Peninsula and the southern and central parts of Northeast China. At its peak of power, Goguryeo controlled most ...
.
Also in 339, Murong Huang married his sister to
Tuoba Shiyijian
Tuoba Shiyijian (; 320–376) was the last prince of the Xianbei-led Dai dynasty of China and ruled from 338 to 376 when Dai was conquered by the Former Qin dynasty. He was the son of Tuoba Yulü and the younger brother of Tuoba Yihuai, whom he ...
, the Prince of Dai, cementing an alliance between the two Xianbei powers. (The two would, however, engage in occasional battles after Princess Murong's death in 342.) He also sent messengers to the Jin capital to formally request from Emperor Cheng the Prince of Yan title—explaining that he needed it to increase his authority over the people but that he was still loyal to Jin. In 341, after several months of debate, Emperor Cheng decided to grant Murong Huang the princely title.
In 340, Murong Han, who had fled to the Yuwen after the Duan were defeated but who had subsequently been mistrusted and mistreated by the Yuwen, agreed to return under Murong Huang's command, and he fled back to Liaodong. Murong Huang gave him a military command.
In 341, Murong Huang moved his capital from Jicheng to a newly built city, Longcheng (龍城, in modern
Zhaoyang
Zhaoyang District () is the only district and the seat of the city of Zhaotong, in the northeast of Yunnan Province, China. It borders the provinces of Guizhou to the southeast and Sichuan to the west.
Administrative divisions
Zhaoyang County ...
,
Liaoning
Liaoning () is a coastal province in Northeast China that is the smallest, southernmost, and most populous province in the region. With its capital at Shenyang, it is located on the northern shore of the Yellow Sea, and is the northernmost ...
).
In 344, Murong Huang, with Murong Han as his deputy, attacked Yuwen, greatly defeating it and forcing its chief Yuwen Yidougui (宇文逸豆歸) to flee. The Former Yan forces forcibly moved the Yuwen tribe south and merged them into Former Yan's own population. Later that year, Murong Huang, still apprehensive of Murong Han's abilities, forced him to commit suicide.
In 345, Murong Huang stopped using Jin's
era name
A regnal year is a year of the reign of a sovereign, from the Latin ''regnum'' meaning kingdom, rule. Regnal years considered the date as an ordinal, not a cardinal number. For example, a monarch could have a first year of rule, a second year o ...
s—which is viewed by some as the sign of Former Yan's formal independence.
In 348, Murong Huang grew ill and died. He was succeeded by his son
Murong Jun
Murong Jun (; 319–360), courtesy name Xuanying (宣英), formally Emperor Jingzhao of (Former) Yan ((前)燕景昭帝), was an emperor of the Former Yan. He was the dynasty's second ruler, but after first using the Jin dynasty-created title of ...
.
Era name
* ''Yanwang'' ("Prince of Yan") (燕王 yàn wáng) 337–348
Personal information
* Father
**
Murong Hui
Murong Hui (慕容廆, 269 – 4 June 333), courtesy name Yiluo (弈洛), was an Xianbei chief, formally known as Duke Xiang of Liaodong, posthumously honored as Emperor Wuxuan (武宣皇帝). In the Book of Jin, Murong Hui was described as ...
(慕容廆),
Xianbei
The Xianbei (; ) were a Proto-Mongolic ancient nomadic people that once resided in the eastern Eurasian steppes in what is today Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, and Northeastern China. They originated from the Donghu people who splintered into the ...
chief and Duke Xiang of Liaodong, posthumously honored as Prince Wuxuan of Yan
* Mother
** Duchess Duan, Murong Hui's wife, daughter of the Duan chief Duan Jie (段階)
* Wife
** Princess Duan (created 337)
* Major
Concubine
Concubinage is an interpersonal and sexual relationship between a man and a woman in which the couple does not want, or cannot enter into a full marriage. Concubinage and marriage are often regarded as similar but mutually exclusive.
Concubi ...
s
** Consort Gao, mother of Prince Ke
** Consort Lan, mother of Prince Ba
** Consort Gongsun, mother of Princes Na and De
* Children
**
Murong Jun
Murong Jun (; 319–360), courtesy name Xuanying (宣英), formally Emperor Jingzhao of (Former) Yan ((前)燕景昭帝), was an emperor of the Former Yan. He was the dynasty's second ruler, but after first using the Jin dynasty-created title of ...
(慕容儁), the
heir apparent
An heir apparent, often shortened to heir, is a person who is first in an order of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting by the birth of another person; a person who is first in the order of succession but can be displaced by the b ...
, later Emperor Jingzhao
**
Murong Ke
Murong Ke () (died 367 CE), courtesy name Xuangong (), formally Prince Huan of Taiyuan (), was a famed general and statesman of the Xianbei-led Chinese Former Yan dynasty. He was the son of Murong Huang (Prince Wenming), and later served as the ...
(慕容恪), Prince Huan of Taiyuan (created 354)
** Murong Ba (慕容霸), later renamed
Murong Chui
Murong Chui (; 326–396), courtesy name Daoming (道明), Xianbei name Altun (阿六敦), formally Emperor Chengwu of (Later) Yan ((後)燕成武帝) was a great general of the Xianbei-led Chinese Former Yan dynasty who later became the foundi ...
(慕容垂), the Prince of Wu (created 354), later Emperor Chengwu of
Later Yan
Yan, known in historiography as the Later Yan (; 384 – 407 or 409) was a dynastic state of China ruled by the Xianbei people, located in modern-day northeast China, during the era of Sixteen Kingdoms.
All rulers of the Later Yan declared them ...
** Murong You (慕容友), the Prince of Fanyang (created 354)
** Murong Li (慕容厲), the Prince of Xiapei (created 354)
** Murong Du (慕容度), the Prince of Lelang (created 354)
** Murong Yi (慕容宜), the Prince of Lujiang (created 354)
** Murong Huan (慕容桓), the Prince of Yidu (created 354, killed by
Former Qin
The Former Qin, also called Fu Qin (苻秦), (351–394) was a dynastic state of the Sixteen Kingdoms in Chinese history ruled by the Di ethnicity. Founded by Fu Jian (posthumously Emperor Jingming) who originally served under the Later ...
forces 370)
** Murong Dai (慕容逮), the Prince of Linhe (created 354)
** Murong Hui (慕容徽), the Prince of Hejian (created 354)
** Murong Long (慕容龍), the Prince of Liyang (created 354)
** Murong Na (慕容納), the Prince of Beihai (created 354)
** Murong Xiu (慕容秀), the Prince of Lanling (created 354)
** Murong Yue (慕容岳), the Prince of Anfeng (created 354)
**
Murong De
Murong De (; 336–405), name changed in 400 to Murong Beide (慕容備德), courtesy name Xuanming (玄明), formally Emperor Xianwu of (Southern) Yan ((南)燕獻武帝), was the founding emperor of the Xianbei-led Southern Yan dynasty of Chin ...
(慕容德), initially the Duke of Liang (created 354), later the Prince of Fanyang, later Emperor Xianwu of
Southern Yan
The Southern Yan (; 398–410) was a Xianbei-led dynastic state during the era of Sixteen Kingdoms in China. Its territory roughly coincided with modern Shandong. Its founder Murong De was a son of Murong Huang and brother of Murong Jun and Muron ...
** Murong Mo (慕容默), the Duke of Shi'an (created 354)
** Murong Lou (慕容僂), the Duke of Nankang (created 354)
** Murong Yu (慕容宇)
** Murong Zhou (慕容宙), Prince of Zhangwu, later Prince Wei of Lelang, killed by rebels led by
Duan Sugu Duan may refer to:
* Duan (surname), a Chinese surname
** Duan dynasty, the ruling dynasty of the Dali Kingdom
* Duan tribe, pre-state tribe during the era of Sixteen Kingdoms in China
* Duan language, spoken on the Laotian–Vietnamese border
* ...
398
** Princess Murong, married
Tuoba Shiyijian
Tuoba Shiyijian (; 320–376) was the last prince of the Xianbei-led Dai dynasty of China and ruled from 338 to 376 when Dai was conquered by the Former Qin dynasty. He was the son of Tuoba Yulü and the younger brother of Tuoba Yihuai, whom he ...