Murong Huang
Encyclopedia
| Yan Wenmingwang ((前)燕文明王) | |
|---|---|
| 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"... : |
Huang (皝, huǎng) |
| 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... : |
Wenming (文明, wén míng) literary meaning: "civil and understanding" |
Murong Huang (慕容皝) (297–348), courtesy name Yuanzhen (元真), formally Prince Wenming of (Former) Yan ((前)燕文明王) was a ruler 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...
and the commonly recognized founder of the state. When he first succeeded his father 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...
in 333, he carried the 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...
-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
Emperor Cheng of Jin , personal name Sima Yan , courtesy name Shigen , was an emperor of the Eastern Jin Dynasty . He was the eldest son of Emperor Ming and became the crown prince on April 1, 325...
did retroactively recognize Murong Huang's princely title in 341 after much debate among Jin officials.) After his son Murong Jun
Murong Jun
Murong Jun , courtesy name Xuanying , formally Emperor Jingzhao of Yan , was an emperor of the Chinese state Former Yan...
completely broke away from Jin and claimed the title of emperor
Emperor
An emperor is a monarch, usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife or a woman who rules in her own right...
in 353, he was posthumoustly honored as Emperor Wenming of (Former) Yan with the 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...
Taizu (太祖).
Early life
Murong Huang's father Murong HuiMurong 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...
had initially been a 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:...
chief who fought 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...
forces during the late reign of Emperor Wu of Jin
Emperor Wu of Jìn
Emperor Wu of Jin, , personal name Sima Yan , style name Anshi , was the grandson of Sima Yi and son of Sima Zhao. He became the first emperor of the Jin Dynasty after forcing Cao Huan, last ruler of the state of Cao Wei, to abdicate to him. He reigned from 265 to 290, and after conquering the...
, 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
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...
, 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 (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
Xiongnu
The Xiongnu were ancient nomadic-based people that formed a state or confederation north of the agriculture-based empire of the Han Dynasty. Most of the information on the Xiongnu comes from Chinese sources...
state Han Zhao
Han Zhao
The Han Zhao , or Former Zhao, or Northern Han , was a Southern Xiongnu state during Sixteen Kingdoms period coeval with the Chinese Jin Dynasty...
. As a result, many refugees arrived in the relatively safe domain of Murong Hui's, and as he treated the ethnically Han
Han Chinese
Han Chinese are an ethnic group native to China and are the largest single ethnic group in the world.Han Chinese constitute about 92% of the population of the People's Republic of China , 98% of the population of the Republic of China , 78% of the population of Singapore, and about 20% of the...
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
Shi Le , courtesy name Shilong , formally Emperor Ming of Zhao , was the founding emperor of the Chinese/Jie state Later Zhao...
(who later established his own independent state 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...
), 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 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 in 320 and 325. In early 322, Murong Hui named Murong Huang 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....
. 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 JinEmperor Cheng of Jin
Emperor Cheng of Jin , personal name Sima Yan , courtesy name Shigen , was an emperor of the Eastern Jin Dynasty . He was the eldest son of Emperor Ming and became the crown prince on April 1, 325...
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) and became a general for the Duan chief Duan Liao (段遼). Murong Ren and Murong Zhao conspired to have Murong Ren attack the capital Jicheng (棘城, 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"...
) from his defense post of Pingguo (平郭, in modern Yingkou
Yingkou
Yingkou is located in the northwestern portion of the Liaodong Peninsula, and on the left bank of the Daliao River, which enters the sea in the city. To the west is the Liaodong Bay of the Bohai Gulf, and the city thus looks across to Jinzhou and Huludao...
, 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"...
) 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). 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 interccepted 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, 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"...
), 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
Bohai Sea
Bohai Sea , also known as Bohai Gulf, Bohai, or Bo Hai, is the innermost gulf of the Yellow Sea on the coast of Northeastern and North China. It is approximately 78,000 km2 Bohai Sea , also known as Bohai Gulf, Bohai, or Bo Hai, is the innermost gulf of the Yellow Sea on the coast of...
-- 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
Shi Hu , courtesy name Jilong , formally Emperor Wu of Zhao , was an emperor of the Chinese/Jie state Later Zhao...
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
"唐山"redirects here. For an alternative name of China, see Names of China#TangTangshan is a largely industrial prefecture-level city in Hebei province, People's Republic of China. It has become known for the 1976 Tangshan earthquake which measured 7.8 on the Richter scale and killed at least...
, 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...
), 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 (慕輿根), 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
Murong Ke , courtesy name Xuangong , formally Prince Huan of Taiyuan , was a famed general and statesman of the Chinese/Xianbei state Former Yan...
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 and the Goguryeo
Goguryeo
Goguryeo or Koguryŏ was an ancient Korean kingdom located in present day northern and central parts of the Korean Peninsula, southern Manchuria, and southern Russian Maritime province....
.
Also in 339, Murong Huang married his sister to Tuoba Shiyijian
Tuoba Shiyijian
Tuoba Shiyijian was the last prince of the Tuoba Dai and ruled from 338 to 376 when Dai was conquered by the Former Qin. He was the son of Tuoba Yulü and the younger brother of Tuoba Yihuai , whom he succeeded in 338. In 340 he moved the capital to Shengle...
, the Prince of 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 ....
, 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, 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"...
).
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 names -- 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
Murong Jun , courtesy name Xuanying , formally Emperor Jingzhao of Yan , was an emperor of the Chinese state Former Yan...
.
Personal information
- Father
- Murong HuiMurong HuiMurong 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...
(慕容廆), XianbeiXianbeiThe 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:...
chief and Duke Xiang of Liaodong, posthumously honored as Prince Wuxuan of Yan
- Murong Hui
- Mother
- Duchess Duan, Murong Hui's wife, daughter of the DuanDuan (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...
chief Duan Jie (段階)
- Duchess Duan, Murong Hui's wife, daughter of the Duan
- Wife
- Princess DuanPrincess 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...
(created 337)
- Princess Duan
- Major Concubines
- Consort Gao, mother of Prince Ke
- Consort Lan, mother of Prince Ba
- Consort Gongsun, mother of Princes Na and De
- Children
- Murong JunMurong JunMurong Jun , courtesy name Xuanying , formally Emperor Jingzhao of Yan , was an emperor of the Chinese state Former Yan...
(慕容儁), 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....
, later Emperor Jingzhao - Murong KeMurong KeMurong Ke , courtesy name Xuangong , formally Prince Huan of Taiyuan , was a famed general and statesman of the Chinese/Xianbei state Former Yan...
(慕容恪), Prince Huan of Taiyuan (created 354) - Murong Ba (慕容霸), later renamed Murong ChuiMurong ChuiMurong 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...
(慕容垂), the Prince of Wu (created 354), later Emperor Chengwu of Later YanLater YanThe 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:... - 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 QinFormer QinThe 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...
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 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...
(慕容德), initially the Duke of Liang (created 354), later the Prince of Fanyang, later Emperor Xianwu of Southern YanSouthern YanThe Southern Yan was a state of Xianbei ethnicity during the era of Sixteen Kingdoms in China. Its territory roughly coincided with modern Shandong... - 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 398
- Princess Murong, married Tuoba ShiyijianTuoba ShiyijianTuoba Shiyijian was the last prince of the Tuoba Dai and ruled from 338 to 376 when Dai was conquered by the Former Qin. He was the son of Tuoba Yulü and the younger brother of Tuoba Yihuai , whom he succeeded in 338. In 340 he moved the capital to Shengle...
, posthumously honored as Empress Zhaocheng
- Murong Jun