Yan ( zh, c=燕國, labels=no) was a Chinese kingdom that existed from July 237 to September 238 CE in the Liaodong Peninsula during what is known as the Three Kingdoms period. Its predecessor was an independent regime ruled by
Gongsun Du
Gongsun Du () (150? – 2049th year of the ''Jian'an'' era, per vol. 08 of ''Sanguozhi''), courtesy name Shengji, was a
Chinese military general, politician, and warlord who lived during the late Eastern Han dynasty of China. He was not able ...
and his son Gongsun Kang from 190 to 237. Though it only claimed independence in 237, historians such as
Wang Zhongshu
Wang Zhongshu (; 15 October 1925 – 24 September 2015) was a Chinese archaeologist who helped to establish and develop the field of archaeology in China. One of the most prominent Asian archaeologists, he was awarded the Grand Prize of the Fuk ...
and Hou Tao consider it to be a de facto independent regime from when Gongsun Du established his rule in Liaodong in 190. Although it existed during the Three Kingdoms period, it is not counted as one of the eponymous three kingdoms: Cao Wei, Shu Han, and Eastern Wu. Nevertheless, writers such as Kang Youwei consider it to be a "fourth country".
Predecessors
Gongsun Du
Gongsun Du's father Gongsun Yan (公孫延) lived in Xuantu Commandery where Gongsun Du became minister in 170. Although he was dismissed from his post, he became administrator of
Liaodong Commandery
Liaodong Commandery ( zh, 遼東郡) was a commandery in imperial China that existed from the Warring States period to the Northern dynasties. It was located in modern Liaoning, to the east of the Liao River.
The commandery was created by the stat ...
in 190 or 189 on the recommendation of
Dong Zhuo
Dong Zhuo () (died 22 May 192), courtesy name Zhongying, was a Chinese military general, politician, and warlord who lived in the late Eastern Han dynasty. At the end of the reign of the Eastern Han, Dong Zhuo was a general and powerful minist ...
. Gongsun Du established a monarchial rule and completely controlled Liaodong. He split Liaodong into three commanderies, creating Liaoxi Commandery and Zhongliao Commandery out of Liaodong.
Liaodong was adjacent to Goguryeo, whose rulers initially cooperated with Gongsun Du but subsequently frequently quarreled.Gardiner 1972a : 69–70. Gongsun Du repeatedly attacked both Goguryeo and
. In 196, the warlord Cao Cao gave Gongsun Du the titles of "general of military might" and "lord of Yongning Xiang". However, Gongsun Du rejected the latter title, considering himself the king of Liaodong, rather than a mere lord. The title would be given to his younger son
Gongsun Gong
Gongsun Gong () ( 200s–230s) was a Chinese military general, politician, and warlord who lived during the late Eastern Han dynasty and early Three Kingdoms. He was a son of Gongsun Du and a younger brother of Gongsun Kang, who both consecutiv ...
after Gongsun Du's death. Gongsun Du military activities are largely credited with leading to the Gongsun family's rise.
Gongsun Kang
When Gongsun Du died in 204, his son Gongsun Kang took over, and shortly after exploited a succession feud in Goguryeo. Though the candidate supported by Gongsun Kang was eventually defeated, the victor
Sansang of Goguryeo
King Sansang of Goguryeo (died 227, r. 196–227
) was the 10th ruler of Goguryeo, the northernmost of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. He was the third son of the eighth king Sindae and the younger brother of the ninth king Gogukcheon, who died w ...
was compelled to move his capital southeast to
Hwando
Hwando () is a mountain fortress of the ancient Korean kingdom of Goguryeo, built to protect Goguryeo's second capital, Gungnae. It is located in present-day Ji'an city of the province of Jilin, China.
The fortress is located 2.5 km west of Ji'an ...
Yalu River
The Yalu River, known by Koreans as the Amrok River or Amnok River, is a river on the border between North Korea and China. Together with the Tumen River to its east, and a small portion of Paektu Mountain, the Yalu forms the border between ...
, which offered better protection. Gongsun Kang moved in and restored order to the
Lelang Commandery
The Lelang Commandery was a commandery of the Han dynasty established after it had conquered Wiman Joseon in 108 BC and lasted until Goguryeo conquered it in 313. The Lelang Commandery extended the rule of the Four Commanderies of Han as far so ...
, establishing the new
Daifang Commandery
The Daifang Commandery was an administrative division established by the Chinese Han dynasty on the Korean Peninsula between 204 and 314.
History
Gongsun Kang, a warlord in Liaodong, separated the southern half from the Lelang commandery and ...
by splitting off the southern part of Lelang.
In 207, Gongsun Kang killed Yuan Shao's sons
Yuan Shang
Yuan Shang (died December 207), courtesy name Xianfu, was a Chinese military general, politician, and warlord who lived during the late Eastern Han dynasty of China. He was the third son and successor of the warlord Yuan Shao. In the 14th-centu ...
and Yuan Xi, and gave their heads to Cao Cao. Gongsun Kang's act was seen as one of compliance to Cao, an attitude his son
Gongsun Yuan
Gongsun Yuan () (died September 238Cao Rui's biography in ''Sanguozhi'' indicated that Sima Yi laid siege to Xiangping on the ''bingyin'' day of the 8th month of the 2nd year of the ''Jing'chu'' era. However, there is no ''bingyin'' day in that ...
would reverse.
Gongsun Gong
After Gongsun Kang's death, his two sons Gongsun Huang and
Gongsun Yuan
Gongsun Yuan () (died September 238Cao Rui's biography in ''Sanguozhi'' indicated that Sima Yi laid siege to Xiangping on the ''bingyin'' day of the 8th month of the 2nd year of the ''Jing'chu'' era. However, there is no ''bingyin'' day in that ...
were too young to succeed to the title. As a result, his brother
Gongsun Gong
Gongsun Gong () ( 200s–230s) was a Chinese military general, politician, and warlord who lived during the late Eastern Han dynasty and early Three Kingdoms. He was a son of Gongsun Du and a younger brother of Gongsun Kang, who both consecutiv ...
took the throne. However, he suffered from diabetes (''yin xiao'', ) and was infertile. After
Cao Pi
Cao Pi () ( – 29 June 226), courtesy name Zihuan, was the first emperor of the state of Cao Wei in the Three Kingdoms period of China. He was the second son of Cao Cao, a warlord who lived in the late Eastern Han dynasty, but the eldest son ...
took over
Eastern Han
The Han dynasty (, ; ) was an Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty of China (202 BC – 9 AD, 25–220 AD), established by Emperor Gaozu of Han, Liu Bang (Emperor Gao) and ruled by the House of Liu. The dynasty was preceded by th ...
, he told Gongsun Gong to give a son as a
hostage
A hostage is a person seized by an abductor in order to compel another party, one which places a high value on the liberty, well-being and safety of the person seized, such as a relative, employer, law enforcement or government to act, or refr ...
to Cao. Gongsun Huang, Gongsun Kang's elder son, was sent to Luoyang. Gongsun Gong dared not be aggressive towards Cao Wei, and Gongsun Yuan considered him a coward. Claiming that he would restore Liaodong to glory, he forced Gongsun Gong from the throne, imprisoned him and became ruler in December 228.
Gongsun Yuan
Gongsun Yuan claimed friendship with Eastern Wu and sent envoys in May 229. In February 230, Wei promoted Gongsun Yuan to ''cheqi general'' (). In March 232, Sun Quan sent envoys to Gongsun Yuan to ask for horses, which were supplied. However, when returning in September, the envoys were attacked by
Tian Yu
Tian Yu (c. 171 – c. 252), courtesy name Guorang, was a military general of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of China.
Life
Tian Yu was from Yongnu County (), Yuyang Commandery (), which is present-day Wuqing Distric ...
. Most of their goods were lost and one of the envoys was killed. In October 232, Gongsun Yuan sent envoys accepting a position as a vassal of Wu. In March 233, Wu gave him the title of the "king of Yan", and sent two envoys to him; they were killed by Gongsun Yuan and their heads sent to Luoyang, and Gongsun Yuan accepted vassalship from Cao Wei. Gongsun Yuan's attitude angered both Cao Wei and Eastern Wu;
Cao Rui
Cao Rui () (204 or 206 – 22 January 239), courtesy name Yuanzhong, was the second emperor of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period. His parentage is in dispute: his mother, Lady Zhen, was Yuan Xi's wife, but she later remarri ...
Guanqiu Jian
Guanqiu Jian (died 16 March 255), courtesy name Zhonggong, was a Chinese military general and politician of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of China.
Life
Guanqiu Jian was from Wenxi County (), Hedong Commandery, which i ...
sent troops to attack Gongsun Yuan, but was defeated because of heavy rain.
Gongsun Yuan's reign
After Guanqiu Jian's defeat, Gongsun Yuan claimed independence in July, and used the era date Shaohan (); the new country had a government and officials, and set up four
commanderies
In the Middle Ages, a commandery (rarely commandry) was the smallest administrative division of the European landed properties of a military order. It was also the name of the house where the knights of the commandery lived.Anthony Luttrell and G ...
:
Liaodong
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 ...
Lelang
The Lelang Commandery was a commandery of the Han dynasty established after it had conquered Wiman Joseon in 108 BC and lasted until Goguryeo conquered it in 313. The Lelang Commandery extended the rule of the Four Commanderies of Han as far so ...
and Daifang, and in January 238, Gongsun Yuan resumed relations with Wu, hoping for military reinforcements from it.
Downfall
In June 238, after planning with Cao Rui, the Cao Wei general
Sima Yi
Sima Yi ( ; 179 CE – 7 September 251 CE), courtesy name Zhongda, was a Chinese military general, politician, and regent of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of China.
He formally began his political career in 208 un ...
led 40,000 soldiers to attack Gongsun Yuan; after a siege lasting three months, Gongsun Yuan's headquarters fell to Sima Yi, who received assistance from Goguryeo. Many who served in the Yan state were massacred.
Gongsun Gong
Gongsun Gong () ( 200s–230s) was a Chinese military general, politician, and warlord who lived during the late Eastern Han dynasty and early Three Kingdoms. He was a son of Gongsun Du and a younger brother of Gongsun Kang, who both consecutiv ...
was released from prison.
Relations with Goguryeo
Goguryeo frequently battled with the Gongsun clan despite initial cooperation. In 197, hostilities between the Gongsuns and Goguryeo first broke out when Balgi, elder brother of King
Sansang of Goguryeo
King Sansang of Goguryeo (died 227, r. 196–227
) was the 10th ruler of Goguryeo, the northernmost of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. He was the third son of the eighth king Sindae and the younger brother of the ninth king Gogukcheon, who died w ...
, staged a rebellion and gained the support of Gongsun Du. Sansang's younger brother Gyesu repelled the attack, defeating Gongsun Du, and Balgi committed suicide. Gongsun Kang took advantage of a succession feud in Goguryeo and launched an attack again in 209, defeating Goguryeo and forcing it to move its capital. In Sima Yi's conquest of Yan, Goguryeo sent thousands of troops to assist Sima Yi.
Impact
Relations between Goguryeo, Cao Wei and Eastern Wu
After Wu's envoys were killed by Gongsun Yuan in 233, some of their troops escaped to Goguryeo and set up an Eastern Wu-Goguryeo alliance. In 234, Cao Wei sent envoys to set up an alliance with Goguryeo. Between Cao Wei and Eastern Wu, Goguryeo chose Cao Weikilling Eastern Wu's envoys in 234 and another set in 236. In 238, Goguryeo sent troops to assist in the defeat of Gongsun Yuan. The Cao Wei-Goguryeo alliance broke down in 242, when King Dongcheon of Goguryeo plundered the Liaodong district of Xi'anping (西安平; near present-day
Dandong
Dandong (), formerly known as Andong, is a coastal prefecture-level city in southeastern Liaoning province, in the northeastern region of People's Republic of China.
It is the largest Chinese border city, facing Sinuiju, North Korea across the ...
) at the mouth of the Yalu River.Tennant 1996 : 22. Original quote: "Wei. In 242, under King Tongch'ŏn, they attacked a Chinese fortress near the mouth of the Yalu in an attempt to cut the land route across Liao, in return for which the Wei invaded them in 244 and sacked Hwando." Cao Wei launched a war in retaliation, which ended in a Cao Wei victory and destroyed the Goguryeo capital of
Hwando
Hwando () is a mountain fortress of the ancient Korean kingdom of Goguryeo, built to protect Goguryeo's second capital, Gungnae. It is located in present-day Ji'an city of the province of Jilin, China.
The fortress is located 2.5 km west of Ji'an ...
, sent its King fleeing, and broke the tributary relationships between Goguryeo and the other tribes of Korea that formed much of Goguryeo's economy.Gardiner 1969 : 34. Although the King evaded capture and eventually settled in a new capital, Goguryeo was reduced to such insignificance that for half a century there was no mention of the state in Chinese historical texts.Byington 2007 : 93.
Five Barbarians
Sima Yi's conquest of Gongsun Yuan was attributed partly with the
Uprising of the Five Barbarians
The Upheaval of the Five Barbarians also translated as the Rebellion, the Revolt, or the Invasion of the Five Barbarians () is a Chinese expression which refers to a series of rebellions and invasions between 304 and 316 by non- Han peoples, comm ...
Incident, through increasing the financial power of Liaodong and forcing Han people in Liaodong to move inland, allowing the Xianbei to enter Liaodong.