Murong Chui
Encyclopedia
| Yan Wuchengdi ((後)燕武成帝) | |
|---|---|
| Family name Chinese name Personal names in Chinese culture follow a number of conventions different from those of personal names in Western cultures. Most noticeably, a Chinese name is written with the family name first and the given name next, therefore "John-Paul Smith" as a Chinese name would be "Smith John-Paul"... : |
Murong Murong Murong refers to an ethnic Xianbei tribe who are a Mongolic people attested from the time of Tanshihuai . Different strands of evidence exist linking the Murong to the language family of Mongols. Murong is also a Chinese surname... (慕容; mù róng) |
| Given name Chinese name Personal names in Chinese culture follow a number of conventions different from those of personal names in Western cultures. Most noticeably, a Chinese name is written with the family name first and the given name next, therefore "John-Paul Smith" as a Chinese name would be "Smith John-Paul"... : |
Chui (垂, chuí), initially Ba (霸, bà), briefly Que (quē, character not in Unicode Unicode Unicode is a computing industry standard for the consistent encoding, representation and handling of text expressed in most of the world's writing systems... ) |
| Temple name Temple name Temple names are commonly used when naming most Chinese, Korean , and Vietnamese royalty. They should not be confused with era names. Compared to posthumous names, the use of temple names is more exclusive... : |
Shizu (世祖, shì zǔ) |
| Posthumous name Posthumous name A posthumous name is an honorary name given to royalty, nobles, and sometimes others, in East Asia after the person's death, and is used almost exclusively instead of one's personal name or other official titles during his life... : |
Wucheng (武成, wǔ chéng) literary meaning: "martial and successful" |
Murong Chui (慕容垂) (326–396), courtesy name Daoming (道明), formally Emperor Wucheng of (Later) Yan ((後)燕武成帝) was a great general of the Chinese
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 Former Yan
Former Yan
The Former Yan was a state of Xianbei ethnicity during the era of Sixteen Kingdoms in China.Initially, Murong Huang and his son Murong Jun claimed the Jin Dynasty -created title "Prince of Yan," but subsequently, in 352, after seizing most of the former Later Zhao territory, Murong Juan would...
who later became the founding emperor of 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:...
. He was a controversial figure in Chinese history, as his military abilities were plain, but as he was forced to flee Former Yan due to the jealousies of the regent
Regent
A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...
Murong Ping, he was taken in and trusted by the 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...
emperor Fu Jiān
Fu Jian
Fu Jian may refer to:* Fú Jiàn , founding emperor of Former Qin, posthumous name Emperor Jingming* Fú Jiān , ruler of Former Qin, posthumous name Emperor Xuanzhao-See also:...
, but later betrayed him and established Later Yan, leading to a reputation of him as a traitor. Further, his reputation was damaged in that soon after his death, the Later Yan state suffered great defeats at the hands of Northern Wei Dynasty's founder Emperor Daowu
Emperor Daowu of Northern Wei
Emperor Daowu of Northern Wei , personal name Tuoba Gui , né Tuoba Shegui , was the founding emperor of the Chinese/Xianbei dynasty Northern Wei. He was the grandson of the last prince of Dai, Tuoba Shiyijian, and after the fall of the Dai state to Former Qin in 376 had been presumed to be the...
(Tuoba Gui), leading to the general sense that Murong Chui contributed to the defeats by not building a sound foundation for the empire and by choosing the wrong successor.
During Murong Hui's and Huang's reigns
The future Murong Chui was born in 326, while his father Murong HuangMurong Huang
Murong Huang , courtesy name Yuanzhen , formally Prince Wenming of Yan was a ruler of the Chinese/Xianbei state Former Yan and the commonly recognized founder of the state...
was still the heir apparent
Heir apparent
An heir apparent or heiress apparent is a person who is first in line of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting, except by a change in the rules of succession....
to Murong Hui
Murong Hui
Murong Hui , Xianbei chief and Duke Xiang of Liaodong, posthumously honored as Prince Wuxuan of Yan.Murong Hui had initially been a Xianbei chief who fought Jin forces during the late reign of Emperor Wu of Jin, Jin's founding emperor, but he submitted as a Jin vassal in 289...
the Duke of Liaodong, a vassal of Jin Dynasty (265-420)
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...
. He was Murong Huang's fifth son. His mother was Consort Lan, a concubine of Murong Huang. In his youth, he greatly impressed his father with his talent, and his father, sometime after succeeding his grandfather as the Duke of Liaodong in 333, wanted to make him the heir apparent. The officials advised against the action (since the general rules of succession requires that the heir apparent be the oldest son of the wife—in this case, his older brother Murong Jun
Murong Jun
Murong Jun , courtesy name Xuanying , formally Emperor Jingzhao of Yan , was an emperor of the Chinese state Former Yan...
, the oldest son of Duchess Duan
Princess Duan (Wenming)
Princess Duan was the wife of the Chinese/Xianbei state Former Yan founder Murong Huang. She was likely a daughter of a Duan tribal chief, as the Duans and the Murongs intermarried frequently. When Murong Huang claimed the title "Prince of Yan" in 337, she was created princess...
), and Murong Huang agreed and made Murong Jun heir apparent, but still favored him greatly and officially named him Murong Ba (慕容霸, Ba meaning hegemon). Because of this, Murong Jun was very jealous of his younger brother.
Murong Ba became a general for his father early, after his father claimed the title of Prince of Yan and established Former Yan
Former Yan
The Former Yan was a state of Xianbei ethnicity during the era of Sixteen Kingdoms in China.Initially, Murong Huang and his son Murong Jun claimed the Jin Dynasty -created title "Prince of Yan," but subsequently, in 352, after seizing most of the former Later Zhao territory, Murong Juan would...
, although nominally still being a Jin vassal. In 344, for his contribution in the conquest of the Yuwen
Yuwen
The Yuwen is a Chinese compound surname first originated from the a pre-state clan of Xianbei ethnicity of Xiongnu origin during the era of Sixteen Kingdoms in China, until its destruction by Former Yan's prince Murong Huang in 345...
tribe, Murong Ba was created the Marquess of Duxiang. Later, Murong Ba was posted to the border with the powerful rival Later Zhao
Later Zhao
The Later Zhao was a state of the Sixteen Kingdoms during the Jin Dynasty in China. It was founded by the Shi family of the Jie ethnicity...
, whose general Deng Heng (鄧恆) was charged with looking for opportunities to conquer Former Yan, and Murong Ba resisted Deng successfully, causing Deng to be unable to launch a campaign. It was during these years that once, on a hunt, he fell off a horse and lost one of his teeth. After Murong Jun succeeded Murong Huang in 348, because he was still jealous of Murong Ba, he renamed Murong Ba—to Murong Que (Que means "missing" and is a character unavailable in Unicode
Unicode
Unicode is a computing industry standard for the consistent encoding, representation and handling of text expressed in most of the world's writing systems...
), but soon found out that Que is a character signifying fortune in prophecies, and therefore again renamed him to Murong Chui, the name that he would be known later by.
During Murong Jun's reign
Soon after Murong Jun succeeded Murong Huang, the powerful rival to the south, Later Zhao, collapsed after the death of Shi Hu, as Shi Hu's sons and adoptive grandson Shi Min (who later changed his family name back to his father's original "Ran") engaged in an internecine struggle. Despite the turmoil, Murong Jun was initially hesitant to march south to take over Later Zhao territory, but Murong Chui persuaded him that the opportunity was ripe. With Murong Chui as one of the major generals, Murong Jun advanced south and, after capturing and executing Ran MinRan Min
Ran Min , also known as Shi Min , posthumously honored by Former Yan as Heavenly Prince Daowu of Wei , courtesy name Yongzeng , nickname Jinu , was a military leader during the era of Sixteen Kingdoms in China and the only emperor of the short-lived state Ran Wei . Ran is an uncommon Chinese...
in 352, took over the eastern half of former Later Zhao territory. During the next few years, Murong Chui participated in subduing many former Later Zhao generals who were still remaining semi-independent. In winter 352, Murong Jun formally declared himself independent from Jin, as emperor, and in 354, when creating many of his sons, brothers, and uncles princes, he created Murong Chui the Prince of Wu.
However, Murong Jun continued to be jealous of Murong Chui's talents. He briefly made Murong Chui the defender of the important city and former capital Longcheng (龍城, in modern Jinzhou
Jinzhou
Jinzhou , is a prefecture-level city of Liaoning province, China. It is a geographically strategic city located in the "Liaoxi Corridor" , which connects land transportation between North China and Northeast China. Jinzhou is China's northernmost seaport and the coastal economic center of West...
, Liaoning
Liaoning
' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the northeast of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "辽" , a name taken from the Liao River that flows through the province. "Níng" means "peace"...
), but after it became clear that Murong Chui was ruling the region successfully and garnered the support of the people, Murong Jun became fearful and recalled him to the new capital Yecheng (鄴城, in modern Handan
Handan
Handan is a prefecture-level city located in the southwestern part of Hebei Province of China.- History :Handan was the capital of the State of Zhao during the Warring States period , after the capital moved from Zhongmu. The city was conquered by the State of Qin after the virtual annexation of...
, Hebei
Hebei
' is a province of the People's Republic of China in the North China region. Its one-character abbreviation is "" , named after Ji Province, a Han Dynasty province that included what is now southern Hebei...
).
In 358, Murong Chui would lose his wife Princess Duan
Princess Duan (Murong Chui)
Princess Duan , formally Empress Chengzhao was the first wife of the Former Yan general Murong Chui, who would later become the founder of Later Yan...
to political intrigue. Princess Duan, being the daughter of Duan Mopei (段末柸) and therefore derived from the royal family of Duan
Duan (tribe)
The Duan was a pre-state tribe of Xianbei ethnicity during the era of Sixteen Kingdoms in China. The reason the tribe adopted the Han Chinese family name Duan is unknown. Duan Wuwuchen was given in 303 a hereditary title— the "Duke of Liaoxi" —by the Jin Dynasty...
tribe, was proud of her bloodline and disrespectful to Murong Jun's wife Empress Kezuhun
Empress Kezuhun (Jingzhao)
Empress Kezuhun was an empress of the Chinese/Xianbei state Former Yan. Her husband was Murong Jun .-During Murong Jun's reign:...
. Perhaps at Empress Kezuhun's instigation, the eunuch
Eunuch
A eunuch is a person born male most commonly castrated, typically early enough in his life for this change to have major hormonal consequences...
Nie Hao (涅浩) falsely accused Princess Duan of witchcraft
Witchcraft
Witchcraft, in historical, anthropological, religious, and mythological contexts, is the alleged use of supernatural or magical powers. A witch is a practitioner of witchcraft...
. Murong Jun had her and her alleged coconspirator, Murong Chui's assistant Gao Bi (高弼), arrested.
Princess Duan and Gao were tortured, but they refused to admit the charges of witchcraft, and because of this the torture was intensified. Murong Chui was saddened by his wife's suffering, and he sent her a message trying to persuade her to end her suffering by admitting to the charge (and thus end the torture but be sentenced to death). Princess Duan remarked:
- I am not fearful of death. However, if I falsely implicate myself, I admit to treason. I would be betraying my ancestors and dragging Your Royal Highness into this disaster. The results are dire, and I will not do this.
As she was interrogated, Princess Duan replied logically and openly, and Murong Chui was able to avoid being dragged into the case, but she still died in prison, either from the torture or a secret execution.
Murong Chui then married her sister as his new princess. However, after a brief time, Empress Kezuhun ordered that the new Princess Duan be deposed, and she married her sister, the Lady of Chang'an, to Murong Chui as his new princess. Murong Chui did not dare to refuse, but he was displeased, and Empress Kezuhun became even more resentful of him. Because of this, Murong Chui was briefly effectively exiled to be the governor of remote Ping Province (平州, modern eastern Liaoning
Liaoning
' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the northeast of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "辽" , a name taken from the Liao River that flows through the province. "Níng" means "peace"...
). He was only recalled when Murong Jun became ill in 359.
In 360, Murong Jun died. He was succeeded by his son and 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....
Murong Wei
Murong Wei
Murong Wei , courtesy name Jingmao , formally Emperor You of Yan was the last emperor of the Chinese/Xianbei state Former Yan...
, with Murong Jun's younger brother and Murong Chui's older brother Murong Ke
Murong Ke
Murong Ke , courtesy name Xuangong , formally Prince Huan of Taiyuan , was a famed general and statesman of the Chinese/Xianbei state Former Yan...
the Prince of Taiyuan as regent
Regent
A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...
.
During Murong Ke's regency
Unlike Murong Jun, Murong Ke greatly trusted Murong Chui and consulted him on many decisions—including what to do with Muyu Gen (慕輿根) when Muyu Gen conspired against him in 360. Later that year, he also sent Murong Chui to pacify southern provinces which became disturbant in light of Murong Jun's death. In 365, he assisted Murong Ke in capturing the important Jin city of LuoyangLuoyang
Luoyang is a prefecture-level city in western Henan province of Central China. It borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the east, Pingdingshan to the southeast, Nanyang to the south, Sanmenxia to the west, Jiyuan to the north, and Jiaozuo to the northeast.Situated on the central plain of...
, and after doing so became the commander of the southern armies, defending against possible Jin counterattacks.
In 367, Murong Ke grew ill, and on his deathbed he advised Murong Wei to let Murong Chui succeed him. He also tried to convince Murong Wei's older brother Murong Zang (慕容臧) the Prince of Le'an and his own uncle and co-regent Murong Ping
Murong Ping
Murong Ping was a regent of the Chinese/Xianbei state Former Yan during the reign of Murong Wei , after the death of the previous, far more capable regent Murong Ke...
(慕容評) the Prince of Shangyong of the wisdom of giving at least the post of commander of the armies to Murong Chui. However, after Murong Ke's death later that year, Murong Ping and Empress Dowager Kezuhun disagreed with his advice, and Murong Ping became regent while the commander of the armies post was given to Murong Wei's brother Murong Chong
Murong Chong
Murong Chong , formally Emperor Wei of Yan , was an emperor of the Chinese/Xianbei state Western Yan. He was a son of the Former Yan emperor Murong Jun and a younger brother of Former Yan emperor Murong Wei....
the Prince of Zhongshan.
During Murong Ping's regency
Neither Murong Ping nor Empress Dowager Kezuhun trusted Murong Chui, and he was not given important responsibilities. In 368, when four dukes of the rival Former QinFormer 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...
rebelled against its emperor Fu Jiān
Fu Jian
Fu Jian may refer to:* Fú Jiàn , founding emperor of Former Qin, posthumous name Emperor Jingming* Fú Jiān , ruler of Former Qin, posthumous name Emperor Xuanzhao-See also:...
, Murong Chui was one of the advocates for assisting the four dukes, who sought Former Yan assistance, and further taking the opportunity to conquer Former Qin. However, Murong Ping declined to do so, and Former Qin was able to capture and execute the four dukes.
In 369, the Jin general Huan Wen
Huan Wen
Huan Wen , courtesy name Yuanzi , formally Duke Xuanwu of Nan Commandery , was a general of the Jin Dynasty...
launched a major attack against Former Yan, defeating each Former Yan army sent against him and advancing all the way to Fangtou (枋頭, in modern Hebi
Hebi
Hebi is a prefecture-level city in northern Henan province, People's Republic of China. Situated in mountainous terrain at the edge of the Shanxi plateau, Hebi is about 25 miles south of Anyang, 40 miles northeast of Xinxiang and 65 miles north of Kaifeng....
, Henan
Henan
Henan , is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the central part of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "豫" , named after Yuzhou , a Han Dynasty state that included parts of Henan...
), near Yecheng. Murong Wei and Murong Ping panicked and considered fleeing to the former capital Longcheng. However, Murong Chui volunteered to make one last stand against Huan Wen, and he and his brother 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...
were able to deal Huan a major defeat. Relief forces from Former Qin (which Former Yan requested) then arrived, and together they dealt Huan another major defeat, ending Huan's hopes of destroying Former Yan.
However, both Murong Ping and Empress Kezuhun grew even more jealous of Murong Chui after his victory and denied his soldiers the rewards that he requested. Murong Ping and Empress Kezuhun further considered executing him. Murong Ke's son Murong Kai (慕容楷) and Murong Chui's uncle Lan Jian (蘭建) suggested that he start a coup, but Murong Chui declined. Instead, he accepted his heir apparent
Heir apparent
An heir apparent or heiress apparent is a person who is first in line of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting, except by a change in the rules of succession....
Murong Ling (慕容令)'s suggestion, seeking to flee and take over Longcheng in order to try to force reconciliation with the imperial government.
Murong Chui put his plan in motion in winter 369. However, once he left Yecheng, his son Murong Lin
Murong Lin
Murong Lin was a general and imperial prince of the Chinese/Xianbei state Later Yan. He was a son of the founding emperor Murong Chui and a brother of Murong Bao ; for a while, he himself was a pretender to the Later Yan throne...
, whom he had not favored, fled back to Yecheng to report on him, and Murong Ping sent an army to chase after him. Murong Chui then changed his plan and sought to flee to Former Qin instead. He then scattered his followers and fled back south. On the way, another son Murong Manu (慕容馬奴) wanted to flee back to Yecheng and was killed by him. When he was stopped at the Yellow River
Yellow River
The Yellow River or Huang He, formerly known as the Hwang Ho, is the second-longest river in China and the sixth-longest in the world at the estimated length of . Originating in the Bayan Har Mountains in Qinghai Province in western China, it flows through nine provinces of China and empties into...
, he killed the commander of the guards stopping him, forcing his way to Luoyang, and then fled to Former Qin with the younger Princess Duan, his sons Murong Ling, Murong Bao
Murong Bao
Murong Bao , courtesy name Daoyou , formally Emperor Huimin of Yan , temple name Liezong or Liezu , was an emperor of the Chinese/Xianbei state Later Yan...
, Murong Nong
Murong Nong
Murong Nong , formally Prince Huanlie of Liaoxi , was a general and imperial prince of the Chinese/Xianbei state Later Yan. He was a son of the founding emperor Murong Chui and a brother of Murong Bao...
, Murong Long
Murong Long
Murong Long , formally Prince Kang of Gaoyang , was a general and imperial prince of the Chinese/Xianbei state Later Yan...
, Murong Kai, Lan Jian, and Gao Bi. Princess Kezuhun remained at Yecheng.
During Former Qin
Upon Murong Chui's arrival in Former Qin territory, Fu Jiān, who had long considered conquering Former Yan but feared Murong Chui's military ability, was greatly pleased and exited the capital Chang'anChang'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...
to personally welcome Murong Chui. He created Murong Chui the Marquess of Bintu and greatly honored him, despite misgivings by his prime minister Wang Meng. He also made Murong Chui one of his generals.
Later in 369, after Murong Ping refused to cede the Luoyang region to Former Qin, as Former Yan had promised when seeking Former Qin's aid against Jin, Fu Jiān sent Wang to attack Former Yan. Wang requested that Murong Chui's heir apparent Murong Ling accompany him as a guide. After capturing Luoyang in early 370, Wang bribed Murong Chui's attendant Jin Xi (金熙) to give Murong Ling a false message that Murong Chui had heard that Empress Dowager Kezuhun had regretted her actions and that, therefore, he was defecting back to Former Yan. Murong Ling, unable to verify either the truth or the falsehood of the message, decided to defect back to Former Yan. Wang immediately accused Murong Ling of treason, and Murong Chui, in fear, fled, but was captured, although Fu Jiān believed that Murong Ling was acting independently and therefore pardoned Murong Chui. Former Yan did not trust Murong Ling and exiled him, and later that year, after he tried to start a rebellion, he was killed in battle after being betrayed by his brother Murong Lin.
Late in 370, after Wang defeated Murong Ping and conquered Former Yan, Murong Chui accompanied Fu Jiān to visit the Former Yan capital Yecheng. Initially, he did not hide his disgust to those officials who failed to support him during the struggle with Murong Ping and Empress Dowager Kezuhun, but at Gao Bi's suggestion, he started to treat them with kindness, with the rebuilding of Yan in mind. Still, in 372, he accused Murong Ping of being the root of Former Yan's destruction and requested that Fu Jiān avenge Former Yan by executing Murong Ping; Fu Jiān did not do so, but effectively exiled Murong Ping by making him the governor of a distant commandery.
In 378, Murong Chui participated in the campaign commanded by Fu Jiān's son Fu Pi
Fu Pi
Fu Pi , courtesy name Yongshu , formally Emperor Aiping of Qin , was an emperor of the Chinese/Di state Former Qin...
against Jin's key city of Xiangyang. In 382, when Fu Jiān wanted to launch a major campaign to destroy Jin and unite China, most officials, including Fu Jiān's brother Fu Rong
Fu Rong
Fu Rong , style name Boxiu , formally Duke Ai of Yangping , was an official and general of the Chinese/Di state Former Qin. He was a younger brother of Fu Jiān, the third emperor of the state.-Early life:...
, who succeeded Wang as prime minister after Wang's death in 375, opposed, but Murong Chui and Yao Chang
Yao Chang
Yao Chang , courtesy name Jingmao , formally Emperor Wuzhao of Qin , was the founding emperor of the Chinese/Qiang state Later Qin...
urged the campaign, and Fu Jiān launched his campaign in fall 383. However, Former Qin forces, commanded by Fu Rong, was defeated by Jin forces at the Battle of Fei River
Battle of Fei River
The Battle of Fei River or “Feishui” was a battle in 383, where Fu Jiān of the Di Former Qin Empire was decisively defeated by the numerically inferior Jin army of Eastern Jin....
despite great numerical superiority; Fu Rong was killed, and almost the entire army collapsed—although the forces under Murong Chui's command remained intact, and Fu Jiān, who suffered an arrow wound during the defeat, fled to Murong Chui. Murong Chui's son Murong Bao and brother Murong De both tried to persuade Murong Chui to kill Fu Jiān while he had the power to, but Murong Chui instead returned his forces to Fu Jiān's command and returned to Luoyang with Fu Jiān. However, under suggestion by his son Murong Nong, he planned a rebellion to rebuild Yan.
Murong Chui told Fu Jiān that he was fearful that the people over the Former Yan territory would rebel, and that it would be best if he led a force to pacify the region. Fu Jiān agreed, despite opposition by Quan Yi (權翼). Murong Chui took the army and arrived at Yecheng, which was being defended by Fu Pi. They suspected each other, but each ruled out ambushing the other. When the Dingling
Dingling
The Dingling were an ancient Siberian people. They originally lived on the bank of the Lena River in the area west of Lake Baikal, gradually moving southward to Mongolia and northern China...
chief Zhai Bin (翟斌) rebelled and attacked Luoyang, guarded by Fu Pi's younger brother Fu Hui (苻暉), Fu Pi ordered Murong Chui to put down Zhai's rebellion, and Fu Pi sent his assistant Fu Feilong (苻飛龍) to serve as Murong Chui's assistant. On the way to Luoyang, however, Murong Chui killed Fu Feilong and his Di
Di (ethnic group)
The Di were an ethnic group in China from the 8th century BCE to approximately the middle of the 6th century CE. Note that the character Di is used to differentiate this group from the Beidi , a generic term for "northern barbarians". They lived in areas of the present-day provinces of Gansu,...
soldiers and prepared to openly rebel. Meanwhile, despite his suspicions of Murong Chui, Fu Pi did not put Murong Chui's son Murong Nong and nephews Murong Kai and Murong Shao (慕容紹) under surveillance, and the three fled out of Yecheng and started a rebellion of their own.
In spring 384, Murong Chui, not yet in open rebellion against Former Qin, arrived at Luoyang, but Fu Hui, hearing of Fu Feilong's death, refused to welcome him. Murong Chui then entered into an alliance with Zhai Bin, who urged him to take imperial title. Murong Chui refused at this point (reasoning that he should welcome Murong Wei back as emperor) but accepted the title of Prince of Yan, formally breaking away from Former Qin and establishing Later Yan.
Early reign: rebellion from Former Qin
Immediately, the struggle was on for Murong Chui to capture the territory that was formerly Former Yan's. Both he and Murong Nong quickly captured many cities. Luoyang and Yecheng were isolated. Fu Pi tried to persuade him to stop his rebellion, but he refused, and instead tried to persuade Fu Pi to leave Yecheng with his forces intact; Fu Pi refused, and Murong Chui put Yecheng under siege. With Former Qin now facing further rebellion by Murong Chui's nephews Murong HongMurong Hong
Murong Hong was the founder of the Chinese/Xianbei state Western Yan. He was a son of the Former Yan emperor Murong Jun and a younger brother of Former Yan emperor Murong Wei....
and Murong Chong
Murong Chong
Murong Chong , formally Emperor Wei of Yan , was an emperor of the Chinese/Xianbei state Western Yan. He was a son of the Former Yan emperor Murong Jun and a younger brother of Former Yan emperor Murong Wei....
, and Yao Chang, in the west, Yecheng was not able to receive any reinforcements, but Murong Chui was still unable to capture it quickly. When Zhai Bin, in disappointment over not given a prime ministerial title, considered switching sides again to Former Qin, Murong Chui killed him. Zhai Bin's nephew Zhai Zhen (翟真) rebelled against Later Yan, and for the next several years, while battling Former Qin remnants, Murong Chui also had to battle Dingling forces under Zhai Zhen and later his cousins Zhai Cheng (翟成) and Zhai Liao
Zhai Liao
Zhao Liao was the founder of the Chinese/Dingling state Wei. During his reign, he used the title "Heavenly Prince" , roughly equivalent to emperor.-Early career:...
. Briefly during early 385, he also had to battle Jin forces, which had taken most of the territory south of the Yellow River and was in a temporary alliance with Fu Pi. The future of his Later Yan state did not appear particularly bright at this point. However, after moving north to pacify most of modern Hebei
Hebei
' is a province of the People's Republic of China in the North China region. Its one-character abbreviation is "" , named after Ji Province, a Han Dynasty province that included what is now southern Hebei...
, Murong Chui was eventually able to take Yecheng late in 385 when Fu Pi abandoned it and moved west. (Fu Pi, upon hearing that Fu Jiān had died earlier that year at Yao's hand, then declared himself emperor, but did not pose a further threat to Later Yan.) While isolated pockets of Former Qin resistance remained, by the end of 385 Former Yan was largely in control of the territory north of the Yellow River and east of Taihang Mountains
Taihang Mountains
The Taihang Mountains are a Chinese mountain range running down the eastern edge of the Loess Plateau in Henan, Shanxi and Hebei provinces. The range extends over 400 km from north to south and has an average elevation of 1,500 to 2,000 meters. The principal peak is Xiao Wutaishan...
.
Middle reign: entrenchment of Later Yan
Around the new year 386, Murong Chui decided to make Zhongshan (中山, in modern BaodingBaoding
-Administrative divisions:Baoding prefecture-level city consists of 3 municipal districts, 4 county-level cities, 18 counties:-Demographics:The Baoding urban area has a population of around 1,006,000 . The population of the Baoding administrative area is 10,890,000. The considerable majority are...
, Hebei
Hebei
' is a province of the People's Republic of China in the North China region. Its one-character abbreviation is "" , named after Ji Province, a Han Dynasty province that included what is now southern Hebei...
), which his nephew Murong Wen (慕容溫) the Prince of Lelang had managed to rebuild despite the warfare, his capital. He also claimed the title of emperor.
In 386, Tuoba Gui
Emperor Daowu of Northern Wei
Emperor Daowu of Northern Wei , personal name Tuoba Gui , né Tuoba Shegui , was the founding emperor of the Chinese/Xianbei dynasty Northern Wei. He was the grandson of the last prince of Dai, Tuoba Shiyijian, and after the fall of the Dai state to Former Qin in 376 had been presumed to be the...
, the descendant of the Dai
State of Dai
Dai was a state of the Xianbei clan of Tuoba, during the era of Sixteen Kingdoms in China. It existed from 310 to 376 AD, with its capital at Shengle ....
royal house, who had reestablished Dai earlier that year but subsequently claimed the title Prince of Wei (thus establishing Northern Wei
Northern Wei
The Northern Wei Dynasty , also known as the Tuoba Wei , Later Wei , or Yuan Wei , was a dynasty which ruled northern China from 386 to 534 . It has been described as "part of an era of political turbulence and intense social and cultural change"...
) but faced internal rebellions and turmoil, submitted to Murong Chui as a vassal and sought Former Yan aid. Murong Chui sent Murong Lin to help him, and Northern Wei was preserved.
In 387, Murong Chui's youngest son Murong Rou (慕容柔), and Murong Bao's sons Murong Sheng
Murong Sheng
Murong Sheng , courtesy name Daoyun , formally Emperor Zhaowu of Yan , was an emperor of the Chinese/Xianbei state Later Yan. He was the oldest son of Murong Bao , and after Murong Bao was killed by Lan Han avenged his father in a coup and took the throne...
and Murong Hui
Murong Hui (Later Yan)
Murong Hui was a general and imperial prince of the Chinese/Xianbei state Later Yan, who served under his grandfather Murong Chui and father Murong Bao...
(慕容會, note different character than Murong Chui's grandfather) fled back from Western Yan
Western Yan
The Western Yan was a state of Xianbei ethnicity during the era of Sixteen Kingdoms in China. It was founded by Murong Hong in 384 in the aftermaths of Former Qin's defeat by Jin Dynasty at the Battle of Fei River, with the stated intent of permitting the Xianbei, whom Former Qin's emperor Fu...
, which had been entrenched in modern Shanxi
Shanxi
' is a province in Northern China. Its one-character abbreviation is "晋" , after the state of Jin that existed here during the Spring and Autumn Period....
and whose emperor Murong Yong
Murong Yong
Murong Yong , courtesy name Shuming , was the last emperor of the Chinese/Xianbei state Western Yan. He was the grandson of Murong Yun , the uncle of Former Yan's founder Murong Huang. As a member of Former Yan's imperial clan, he was moved to Guanzhong, Former Qin's capital region, when Former...
was a distant relative of Murong Chui's and who thus greatly suspected Murong Rou and his nephews. Later that year, all descendants of Murong Chui and Murong Jun remaining in Western Yan were massacred by Murong Yong.
Later in 387, Murong Chui personally attacked Zhai Liao, who was then occupying Liyang Commandery (黎陽, roughly modern Hebi
Hebi
Hebi is a prefecture-level city in northern Henan province, People's Republic of China. Situated in mountainous terrain at the edge of the Shanxi plateau, Hebi is about 25 miles south of Anyang, 40 miles northeast of Xinxiang and 65 miles north of Kaifeng....
, Henan
Henan
Henan , is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the central part of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "豫" , named after Yuzhou , a Han Dynasty state that included parts of Henan...
), and Zhai Liao submitted to him. However, later that year, Zhai Liao rebelled again, and when Zhai Liao made another overture to submit in 388, Murong Chui refused, and Zhai Liao declared himself the "Heavenly Prince" (Tian Wang
Tian Wang
Tian Wang , translatable as either "heavenly prince" or "heavenly king," was a Chinese regal title that was most frequently used during the Sixteen Kingdoms era, among the kingdoms founded by members of the Wu Hu tribes, often used as an intermediate stage from claiming a prince/king title to an...
) of Wei.
In 388, Murong Chui, at age 62, transferred much of his day-to-day authority to Murong Bao, now 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....
, only deciding the most important matters personally. He created his now-wife Duan Yuanfei
Empress Duan Yuanfei
Empress Duan Yuanfei , formally Empress Chengai , was an empress of the Chinese/Xianbei state Later Yan. Her husband was the state's founding emperor, Murong Chui . Her name is actually lost to history, but her courtesy name Yuanfei was recorded and used by historians...
-- the niece of two of his deceased wives—empress.
Late reign: deterioration of the state
In 391, an incident that would have terrible consequences occurred to lead to the break of relations between Later Yan and Northern Wei. That year, Tuoba Gui sent his brother Tuoba Gu (拓拔觚) to Later Yan to offer tribute, and Murong Chui's sons detained Tuoba Gu and ordered Tuoba Gui to offer horses to trade for Tuoba Gu's freedom. Tuoba Gui refused and broke off relations with Later Yan, instead entering into an alliance with Western Yan.In 392, after Zhai Liao's and successor son Zhai Zhao
Zhai Zhao
Zhao Zhao was the last ruler of the Chinese/Dingling state Wei. During his reign, he used the title "Heavenly Prince" , roughly equivalent to emperor....
attacked Later Yan's border region, Murong Chui personally led an army against Zhai Zhao's capital Huatai (滑台, in modern Anyang
Anyang
Anyang is a prefecture-level city in Henan province, People's Republic of China. The northernmost city in Henan, Anyang borders Puyang to the east, Hebi and Xinxiang to the south, and the provinces of Shanxi and Hebei to its west and north respectively....
, Henan
Henan
Henan , is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the central part of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "豫" , named after Yuzhou , a Han Dynasty state that included parts of Henan...
). Zhai sought aid from Western Yan, but Murong Yong declined to send a relief force, and Murong Chui quickly crossed the Yellow River and captured Huatai, conquering Zhai's Wei state.
In winter 393, Murong Chui turned his attention to Western Yan. After leading Murong Yong to believe that he would attack Western Yan's capital Zhangzi (長子, in modern Changzhi
Changzhi
Changzhi is a prefecture-level city in Shanxi Province, People's Republic of China. It lies between the city of Huozhou in Shanxi and the city of Hebi in Henan....
, Shanxi
Shanxi
' is a province in Northern China. Its one-character abbreviation is "晋" , after the state of Jin that existed here during the Spring and Autumn Period....
) through Taihang Pass (太行, in modern Jiaozuo
Jiaozuo
Jiaozuo is a prefecture-level city in northern Henan province, People's Republic of China. Sitting on the northern bank of the Yellow River, it borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the south, Xinxiang to the east, Jiyuan to the west, Luoyang to the southwest, and the province of Shanxi...
, Henan
Henan
Henan , is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the central part of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "豫" , named after Yuzhou , a Han Dynasty state that included parts of Henan...
), he instead surprised Western Yan by attacking through Tianjing Pass (天井關, in modern Handan
Handan
Handan is a prefecture-level city located in the southwestern part of Hebei Province of China.- History :Handan was the capital of the State of Zhao during the Warring States period , after the capital moved from Zhongmu. The city was conquered by the State of Qin after the virtual annexation of...
, Henan
Henan
Henan , is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the central part of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "豫" , named after Yuzhou , a Han Dynasty state that included parts of Henan...
), quickly advancing on Zhangzi and began besieging it. Murong Yong sought aid from Jin and Northern Wei, but before Jin and Northern Wei forces could arrive, Murong Chui captured Zhangzi, killing Murong Yong and annexing Western Yan territory into Later Yan.
In 395, in response to Northern Wei's continuous pillaging of the border region, Murong Chui sent Murong Bao, Murong Nong, Murong Lin, Murong De, and Murong Shao to lead a 90,000+-men army in a punitive expedition
Punitive expedition
A punitive expedition is a military journey undertaken to punish a state or any group of persons outside the borders of the punishing state. It is usually undertaken in response to perceived disobedient or morally wrong behavior, but may be also be a covered revenge...
against Northern Wei, with Murong Bao in command. Tuoba Gui withdrew his forces out of his capital Shengle (盛樂, in modern Hohhot
Hohhot
Hohhot , is a city in north-central China and the capital of the Inner Mongolian Autonomous Region, serving as the region's administrative, economic, and cultural centre....
, Inner Mongolia
Inner Mongolia
Inner Mongolia is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China, located in the northern region of the country. Inner Mongolia shares an international border with the countries of Mongolia and the Russian Federation...
) to the west of the Yellow River. Murong Bao's forces gave chase and eventually became worn out, and Tuoba Gui announced false rumors that Murong Chui had died, causing the soldiers to become worried. Meanwhile, some of Murong Lin's supporters considered a coup to support Murong Lin as emperor, and while Murong Lin himself was not involved, mutual suspicions emerged. Murong Bao therefore decided to retreat, not realizing that Tuoba Gui was shadowing his army in the dark winter cold. In deep winter 395, Northern Wei forces ambushed the unsuspecting Later Yan forces at the Battle of Canhe Slope
Battle of Canhe Slope
Battle of Canhe Slope refers to a battle in 395 where the Chinese/Xianbei state Later Yan, then ruling over northern and central China, had launched a punitive campaign against its former vassal Northern Wei, also of Xianbei extraction...
, killing many soldiers but capturing the most. Murong Bao and a number of his generals were able to flee. Initially, Tuoba Gui was going to release the Later Yan soldiers to show generosity, but at Kepin Jian (可頻建)'s warning that this would permit Later Yan to rebuild its army quickly, slaughtered the captured Later Yan soldiers.
Murong Bao was humiliated and urged Murong Chui to launch another campaign against Northern Wei, and Murong De also urged Murong Chui to do so. He therefore summoned his son Murong Long
Murong Long
Murong Long , formally Prince Kang of Gaoyang , was a general and imperial prince of the Chinese/Xianbei state Later Yan...
the Prince of Gaoyang and grandson Murong Sheng back to the capital Zhongshan with reinforcements from the northern part of the empire, ready to launch another attack against Northern Wei in 396. Murong Chui then launched the attack, quickly capturing Northern Wei's important city Pingcheng (平城, in modern Datong
Datong
Datong is a prefecture-level city in northern Shanxi Province of North China, located a few hundred kilometres west by rail from Beijing with an elevation of...
, Shanxi
Shanxi
' is a province in Northern China. Its one-character abbreviation is "晋" , after the state of Jin that existed here during the Spring and Autumn Period....
) and aimed for Shengle, and Tuoba Gui, in panic, considered abandoning Shengle again. When Murong Chui led his army through the Canhe Slope, however, the soldiers saw the bodies of the dead soldiers and began to cry bitterly, and Murong Chui became so enraged and embarrassed that he grew extremely ill. In response, the Later Yan forces began to withdraw, and on the way back to Zhongshan, Murong Chui died at Shanggu (上谷, in modern Zhangjiakou
Zhangjiakou
Zhangjiakou, also known also by several other names, is a prefecture-level city in northwestern Hebei province of North China, adjacent to Beijing to the southeast. Its administrative area has a population of 4.35 million, and covers...
, Hebei
Hebei
' is a province of the People's Republic of China in the North China region. Its one-character abbreviation is "" , named after Ji Province, a Han Dynasty province that included what is now southern Hebei...
). His death was not announced until the army reached Zhongshan, however, and he was buried with imperial honors. Murong Bao succeeded him, but in less a year most of Later Yan would fall into Northern Wei's hands.
Era names
- Yanwang ("Prince of Yan") (燕王 yàn wáng) 384-386
- Jianxing (建興 jiàn xīng) 386-396
Personal information
- Father
- Murong HuangMurong HuangMurong Huang , courtesy name Yuanzhen , formally Prince Wenming of Yan was a ruler of the Chinese/Xianbei state Former Yan and the commonly recognized founder of the state...
(Prince Wenming of Former YanFormer YanThe Former Yan was a state of Xianbei ethnicity during the era of Sixteen Kingdoms in China.Initially, Murong Huang and his son Murong Jun claimed the Jin Dynasty -created title "Prince of Yan," but subsequently, in 352, after seizing most of the former Later Zhao territory, Murong Juan would...
)
- Murong Huang
- Mother
- Consort Lan, posthumously honored as Empress Wenzhao
- Wives
- Princess DuanPrincess Duan (Murong Chui)Princess Duan , formally Empress Chengzhao was the first wife of the Former Yan general Murong Chui, who would later become the founder of Later Yan...
(died in prison 358), daughter of Duan Mopei (段末柸), posthumously honored as Empress Chengzhao, mother of Heir Apparent Ling and Crown Prince Bao - Princess Kezuhun (married 358, effectively divorced 369), sister of Empress KezuhunEmpress Kezuhun (Jingzhao)Empress Kezuhun was an empress of the Chinese/Xianbei state Former Yan. Her husband was Murong Jun .-During Murong Jun's reign:...
, wife of Murong JunMurong JunMurong Jun , courtesy name Xuanying , formally Emperor Jingzhao of Yan , was an emperor of the Chinese state Former Yan...
(Emperor Jingzhao of Former Yan) - Princess Duan (initially married and forced to be deposed 358, became wife again 369), the sister of the first Princess Duan
- Empress Duan YuanfeiEmpress Duan YuanfeiEmpress Duan Yuanfei , formally Empress Chengai , was an empress of the Chinese/Xianbei state Later Yan. Her husband was the state's founding emperor, Murong Chui . Her name is actually lost to history, but her courtesy name Yuanfei was recorded and used by historians...
(created 388, committed suicide 396), niece of Princesses Duan, mother of Princes Lang and Jian
- Princess Duan
- Major Concubines
- Consort DuanEmpress Dowager Duan (Zhaowen)Empress Dowager Duan was an empress dowager of the Chinese/Xianbei state Later Yan. She was a concubine of the founding emperor Murong Chui , and she was the mother of Murong Xi .-Biography:...
, mother of Prince Xi
- Consort Duan
- Children
- Murong Ling (慕容令) or Murong Quan (慕容全), the heir apparentHeir apparentAn heir apparent or heiress apparent is a person who is first in line of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting, except by a change in the rules of succession....
(killed in battle 370), posthumously honored the Emperor Xianzhuang by his nephew Murong ShengMurong ShengMurong Sheng , courtesy name Daoyun , formally Emperor Zhaowu of Yan , was an emperor of the Chinese/Xianbei state Later Yan. He was the oldest son of Murong Bao , and after Murong Bao was killed by Lan Han avenged his father in a coup and took the throne...
(Emperor Zhaowu) - Murong BaoMurong BaoMurong Bao , courtesy name Daoyou , formally Emperor Huimin of Yan , temple name Liezong or Liezu , was an emperor of the Chinese/Xianbei state Later Yan...
(慕容寶), the Crown Prince (created 384), later Emperor Huimin - Murong Manu (慕容馬奴) (executed 369)
- Murong NongMurong NongMurong Nong , formally Prince Huanlie of Liaoxi , was a general and imperial prince of the Chinese/Xianbei state Later Yan. He was a son of the founding emperor Murong Chui and a brother of Murong Bao...
(慕容農), Prince Huanlie of Liaoxi (created 386, killed by rebels in 398) - Murong LongMurong LongMurong Long , formally Prince Kang of Gaoyang , was a general and imperial prince of the Chinese/Xianbei state Later Yan...
(慕容隆), Prince Kang of Gaoyang (created 386, killed by Murong HuiMurong Hui (Later Yan)Murong Hui was a general and imperial prince of the Chinese/Xianbei state Later Yan, who served under his grandfather Murong Chui and father Murong Bao...
397) - Murong LinMurong LinMurong Lin was a general and imperial prince of the Chinese/Xianbei state Later Yan. He was a son of the founding emperor Murong Chui and a brother of Murong Bao ; for a while, he himself was a pretender to the Later Yan throne...
(慕容麟), the Prince of Zhao (created 386, killed by Murong DeMurong DeMurong 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...
398) - Murong Rou (慕容柔), the Prince of Yangping (created 387)
- Murong XiMurong XiMurong Xi , courtesy name Daowen , formally Emperor Zhaowen of Yan , was an emperor of the Chinese/Xianbei state Later Yan. He was one of the youngest sons of Murong Chui , and after the death of his nephew Murong Sheng became emperor due to his affair with Murong Sheng's mother, Empress...
(慕容熙), the Prince of Hejian (created 393), later Emperor Zhaowen - Murong Lang (慕容朗), the Prince of Bohai (created 393, killed by rebels of Duan Sugu 397)
- Murong Jian (慕容鑒), the Prince of Boling (created 393, killed by rebels of Duan Sugu 397)
- Murong Wonu (慕容倭奴), the Prince of Luyang (captured by Northern WeiNorthern WeiThe Northern Wei Dynasty , also known as the Tuoba Wei , Later Wei , or Yuan Wei , was a dynasty which ruled northern China from 386 to 534 . It has been described as "part of an era of political turbulence and intense social and cultural change"...
395 and presumptively killed)
- Murong Ling (慕容令) or Murong Quan (慕容全), the heir apparent