Empress Huyan (Murong Chao)
Encyclopedia
Empress Huyan was an empress of the Chinese
/Xianbei
state Southern Yan
. Her husband was the last emperor, Murong Chao
.
Her father Huyan Ping (呼延平) was a subordinate of Murong Chao's uncle Murong De
when Murong De was the governor of Zhangye Commandery (張掖, roughly modern Zhangye
, Gansu
) during Former Qin
. Later, when Murong De and his brother Murong Chui
rebelled against Former Qin in 384, with Murong Chui establishing Later Yan
and becoming its emperor, Fu Chang (苻昌) the new governor of Zhangye arrested and executed Murong Chao's father Murong Na (慕容納) and all sons of Murong De and Murong Na. At that time, Murong Na's wife Lady Duan was not executed because she was pregnant, but she was imprisoned to await execution after she gave birth.
However, Huyan Ping was then the jailer, and took Murong Na and Murong De's mother Lady Gongsun and Lady Duan and escaped to the lands of the Qiang tribes, where Lady Duan gave birth to Murong Chao. After Lady Gongsun died in 394, Huyan Ping took Lady Duan and Murong Chao to Later Liang
. Later, after Later Liang surrendered to Later Qin
in 403, Huyan Ping, Lady Duan, and Murong Chao were among the populace of the Later Liang capital Guzang (姑臧, in modern Wuwei, Gansu
) forcibly relocated to the Later Qin capital Chang'an
. There, Huyan Ping died, and Lady Duan had Murong Chao take Huyan Ping's daughter as his wife.
In 405, after Murong De, who had by then established Southern Yan and become its emperor, had become aware that Murong Chao was being detained in Chang'an, he sent secret messengers to encourage him to flee to Southern Yan. Murong Chao did not dare to tell even his mother and wife, and fled to Southern Yan. As Murong De had no surviving sons, he made Murong Chao his crown prince
, and after he died later that year, Murong Chao succeeded him as emperor.
One thing that Murong Chao immediately opened negotiations with Later Qin on was to request Later Qin to deliver his mother and wife to him. Murong Chao accepted the Later Qin emperor Yao Xing
's terms—submit as a vassal, and also to deliver Former Qin imperial musicians who had become Southern Yan court musicians to Later Qin. In 407, Yao Xing delivered Lady Duan and Lady Huyan to Southern Yan. Murong Chao created Lady Huyan empress in 408.
Murong Chao's rule was an arbitrary and incompetent one, and the Southern Yan state suffered greatly, particularly after he provoked Jin
by attacking its borders and capturing its people to be trained as replacement musicians in 409. This drew a major attack by the Jin general Liu Yu
, and in 410, the Southern Yan capital Guanggu (廣固, in modern Qingzhou
, Shandong
) fell, and Southern Yan was no more. Murong Chao was executed, and he entrusted his mother and wife to the Jin official Liu Jingxuan (劉敬宣), who had once been a Southern Yan subject. However, no further records about the fate of Empress Huyan was recorded, and it was quite possible that she was executed as well, as Liu Yu executed large numbers of Southern Yan officials and nobles.
History of China
Chinese civilization originated in various regional centers along both the Yellow River and the Yangtze River valleys in the Neolithic era, but the Yellow River is said to be the Cradle of Chinese Civilization. With thousands of years of continuous history, China is one of the world's oldest...
/Xianbei
Xianbei
The Xianbei were a significant Mongolic nomadic people residing in Manchuria, Inner Mongolia and eastern Mongolia. The title “Khan” was first used among the Xianbei.-Origins:...
state Southern Yan
Southern Yan
The Southern Yan was a state of Xianbei ethnicity during the era of Sixteen Kingdoms in China. Its territory roughly coincided with modern Shandong...
. Her husband was the last emperor, Murong Chao
Murong Chao
Murong Chao , courtesy name Zuming , was the last emperor of the Chinese/Xianbei state Southern Yan. He was the nephew of the founding emperor Murong De who was trapped under the rule of Later Qin, but was welcomed to Southern Yan after his uncle found out about his existence...
.
Her father Huyan Ping (呼延平) was a subordinate of Murong Chao's uncle Murong De
Murong De
Murong De , name changed in 400 to Murong Beide , courtesy name Xuanming , formally Emperor Xianwu of Yan , was the founding emperor of the Chinese/Xianbei state Southern Yan...
when Murong De was the governor of Zhangye Commandery (張掖, roughly modern Zhangye
Zhangye
-Administration:Zhangye has 1 urban district, 4 counties, 1 autonomous county, 97 towns, and 977 villages.-Demographics:Zhangye has a total population of 1,260,000, only 260,000 being urban residents...
, Gansu
Gansu
' is a province located in the northwest of the People's Republic of China.It lies between the Tibetan and Huangtu plateaus, and borders Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, and Ningxia to the north, Xinjiang and Qinghai to the west, Sichuan to the south, and Shaanxi to the east...
) during Former Qin
Former Qin
The Former Qin was a state of the Sixteen Kingdoms in China. Founded by the Fu family of the Di ethnicity, it completed the unification of North China in 376. Its capital had been Xi'an up to the death of the ruler Fu Jiān. Despite its name, the Former Qin was much later and less powerful than...
. Later, when Murong De and his brother Murong Chui
Murong Chui
Murong Chui , courtesy name Daoming , formally Emperor Wucheng of Yan was a great general of the Chinese/Xianbei state Former Yan who later became the founding emperor of Later Yan...
rebelled against Former Qin in 384, with Murong Chui establishing Later Yan
Later Yan
The Later Yan was a Murong-Xianbei state, located in modern day northeast China, during the era of Sixteen Kingdoms in China.All rulers of the Later Yan declared themselves "emperors". Later Yan fell to the Goguryeo dynasty.-Rulers of the Later Yan:...
and becoming its emperor, Fu Chang (苻昌) the new governor of Zhangye arrested and executed Murong Chao's father Murong Na (慕容納) and all sons of Murong De and Murong Na. At that time, Murong Na's wife Lady Duan was not executed because she was pregnant, but she was imprisoned to await execution after she gave birth.
However, Huyan Ping was then the jailer, and took Murong Na and Murong De's mother Lady Gongsun and Lady Duan and escaped to the lands of the Qiang tribes, where Lady Duan gave birth to Murong Chao. After Lady Gongsun died in 394, Huyan Ping took Lady Duan and Murong Chao to Later Liang
Later Liang
The Later Liang was a state of the Sixteen Kingdoms during the Jin Dynasty in China. It was founded by the Lü family of the Di ethnicity.All rulers of the Later Liang proclaimed themselves "Heavenly Prince" ....
. Later, after Later Liang surrendered to Later Qin
Later Qin
The Later Qin was a state of Qiang ethnicity of the Sixteen Kingdoms during the Jin Dynasty in China. Note that the Later Qin is entirely distinct from the ancient Qin Dynasty, the Former Qin, and the Western Qin....
in 403, Huyan Ping, Lady Duan, and Murong Chao were among the populace of the Later Liang capital Guzang (姑臧, in modern Wuwei, Gansu
Gansu
' is a province located in the northwest of the People's Republic of China.It lies between the Tibetan and Huangtu plateaus, and borders Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, and Ningxia to the north, Xinjiang and Qinghai to the west, Sichuan to the south, and Shaanxi to the east...
) forcibly relocated to the Later Qin capital Chang'an
Chang'an
Chang'an is an ancient capital of more than ten dynasties in Chinese history, today known as Xi'an. Chang'an literally means "Perpetual Peace" in Classical Chinese. During the short-lived Xin Dynasty, the city was renamed "Constant Peace" ; yet after its fall in AD 23, the old name was restored...
. There, Huyan Ping died, and Lady Duan had Murong Chao take Huyan Ping's daughter as his wife.
In 405, after Murong De, who had by then established Southern Yan and become its emperor, had become aware that Murong Chao was being detained in Chang'an, he sent secret messengers to encourage him to flee to Southern Yan. Murong Chao did not dare to tell even his mother and wife, and fled to Southern Yan. As Murong De had no surviving sons, he made Murong Chao his crown prince
Crown Prince
A crown prince or crown princess is the heir or heiress apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The wife of a crown prince is also titled crown princess....
, and after he died later that year, Murong Chao succeeded him as emperor.
One thing that Murong Chao immediately opened negotiations with Later Qin on was to request Later Qin to deliver his mother and wife to him. Murong Chao accepted the Later Qin emperor Yao Xing
Yao Xing
Yao Xing , courtesy name Zilue , formally Emperor Wenhuan of Qin , was an emperor of the Chinese/Qiang state Later Qin. He was the son of the founding emperor Yao Chang . For most of his reign, he did not use the title of emperor, but used the title Heavenly Prince...
's terms—submit as a vassal, and also to deliver Former Qin imperial musicians who had become Southern Yan court musicians to Later Qin. In 407, Yao Xing delivered Lady Duan and Lady Huyan to Southern Yan. Murong Chao created Lady Huyan empress in 408.
Murong Chao's rule was an arbitrary and incompetent one, and the Southern Yan state suffered greatly, particularly after he provoked Jin
Jìn Dynasty (265-420)
The Jìn Dynasty , was a dynasty in Chinese history, lasting between the years 265 and 420 AD. There are two main divisions in the history of the Dynasty, the first being Western Jin and the second Eastern Jin...
by attacking its borders and capturing its people to be trained as replacement musicians in 409. This drew a major attack by the Jin general Liu Yu
Emperor Wu of Liu Song
Emperor Wu of Song , personal name Liu Yu , courtesy name Dexing , nickname Jinu , was the founding emperor of the Chinese dynasty Liu Song. He came from a humble background, but became prominent after leading a rebellion in 404 to overthrow Huan Xuan, who had usurped the Jin throne in 403...
, and in 410, the Southern Yan capital Guanggu (廣固, in modern Qingzhou
Qingzhou
Qingzhou , formerly Yidu County , is a county-level city, which is located in the west of Weifang City, Shandong Province, China. Qingzhou is a dynamic industry city, and also grows a great number of farm products...
, Shandong
Shandong
' is a Province located on the eastern coast of the People's Republic of China. Shandong has played a major role in Chinese history from the beginning of Chinese civilization along the lower reaches of the Yellow River and served as a pivotal cultural and religious site for Taoism, Chinese...
) fell, and Southern Yan was no more. Murong Chao was executed, and he entrusted his mother and wife to the Jin official Liu Jingxuan (劉敬宣), who had once been a Southern Yan subject. However, no further records about the fate of Empress Huyan was recorded, and it was quite possible that she was executed as well, as Liu Yu executed large numbers of Southern Yan officials and nobles.