Murong Long
Encyclopedia
Murong Long (died 397), formally Prince Kang of Gaoyang (高陽康王), was a general and imperial prince of the Chinese
/Xianbei
state Later Yan
. He was a son of the founding emperor Murong Chui
(Emperor Wucheng) and a brother of Murong Bao
(Emperor Huimin), and when his brother's empire was under threat from the rival Northern Wei
's prince Tuoba Gui
, he tried to save it, but was killed by his nephew Murong Hui
, intent on seizing power from both his father and his uncles.
prince, fled to Former Qin
after he came after suspicion of the emperor Murong Wei
's mother Empress Dowager Kezuhun
and the regent
Murong Ping
; Murong Long was one of his sons who fled with him. When Murong Chui subsequently resolved to rebel against Former Qin after its emperor Fu Jiān
was defeated at the Battle of Fei River
in his attempt to conquer Jin
and reunite China, Murong Long was involved in his first act of rebellion — massacring the Di soldiers that Murong Chui's deputy, Fu Feilong (苻飛龍), commanded. Murong Chui subsequently declared the independence of Later Yan in 384.
Fu Pi
, Murong Long was the one who rescued him from the encounter. In 386, Murong Chui created him the Prince of Gaoyang. He continued to distinguish himself in campaigns against independent warlords and Jin generals. In 389, when his brother Murong Nong
, himself a distinguished general, was recalled from his post as viceroy at the old Former Yan capital Longcheng (龍城, in modern Jinzhou
, Liaoning
), Murong Long replaced him as viceroy, and he followed Murong Nong's policies. The populace favored him as much as Murong Nong.
During Murong Chui's reign, Murong Nong and Murong Long were the most well-regarded princes. Because of this, Murong Chui's wife Empress Duan Yuanfei
once suggested to him that the crown prince
Murong Bao
lacked abilities to govern, and Murong Chui should choose either Murong Nong or Murong Long instead. Murong Chui, believing Murong Bao to be capable, rejected her suggestion.
Around the new year 396, after an army commanded by Murong Bao had suffered a crushing defeat by Northern Wei
's prince Tuoba Gui
at the Battle of Canhe Slope
, Murong Chui planned a second campaign against Northern Wei, and he recalled Murong Long and his troops back to the capital Zhongshan (中山, in modern Baoding
, Hebei
), replacing him as viceroy with Murong Bao's son Murong Hui
the Duke of Qinghe. With Murong Long's fresh troops leading the way and with Murong Long and Murong Nong as forward commanders, the campaign against Northern Wei was initially successful, but as the army passed through Canhe Slope, they mourned in such a great manner that Murong Chui, in shame and anger, grew ill, and the army was forced to retreat. He died soon thereafter and was succeeded by Murong Bao.
), then advanced against Zhongshan. Murong Bao put another brother, Murong Lin
the Prince of Zhao, in charge of Zhongshan's defenses, and Murong Lin advocated the strategy of defending the city and not engaging Northern Wei, much to Murong Long and Murong Nong's frustration.
In spring 397, after Murong Lin failed in a coup attempt, he fled out of the capital, and Murong Bao, in fear that Murong Lin would seize a relief force commanded by his son Murong Hui the Prince of Qinghe, decided to abandon Zhongshan. Murong Nong's and Murong Long's subordinates tried to persuade each to stay in Zhongshan rather than to follow Murong Bao, but each refused, feeling that loyalty to their brother required them to follow him. They therefore followed Murong Bao and joined Murong Hui's army.
However, Murong Hui was resentful that he was not made crown prince, a position given to his younger brother Murong Ce (慕容策), and he considered seizing the position by force. Murong Bao, realizing this, tried to transfer some of Murong Hui's army to the commands of Murong Nong and Murong Long, but this only made Murong Hui more resentful, and he acted first against his uncles, sending assassins against them. Murong Long was killed, but Murong Nong survived the attack but was severely wounded (described as having suffered a wound so deep that his brain was visible), and Murong Hui, who then openly declared a coup, was then defeated and killed.
(慕容崇) (note different tone than Murong Chong
the late emperor of Western Yan
)
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 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 son of the founding emperor 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...
(Emperor Wucheng) and a brother of 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...
(Emperor Huimin), and when his brother's empire was under threat from the rival 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"...
's prince 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...
, he tried to save it, but was killed by his nephew 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...
, intent on seizing power from both his father and his uncles.
Before Later Yan's founding
The first reference to Murong Long in history was in 369, when Murong Chui, then a Former YanFormer 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...
prince, fled to 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...
after he came after suspicion of the emperor 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...
's mother Empress Dowager 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:...
and 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
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...
; Murong Long was one of his sons who fled with him. When Murong Chui subsequently resolved to rebel against Former Qin after 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:...
was defeated 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....
in his attempt to conquer 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...
and reunite China, Murong Long was involved in his first act of rebellion — massacring the Di soldiers that Murong Chui's deputy, Fu Feilong (苻飛龍), commanded. Murong Chui subsequently declared the independence of Later Yan in 384.
During Murong Chui's reign
Throughout the next few years, Murong Long largely served as a general directly under his father's command, as Later Yan tried to establish itself over the old territory of Former Yan. In 384, when Murong Chui was nearly trapped by an ambush by the Former Qin viceroyViceroy
A viceroy is a royal official who runs a country, colony, or province in the name of and as representative of the monarch. The term derives from the Latin prefix vice-, meaning "in the place of" and the French word roi, meaning king. A viceroy's province or larger territory is called a viceroyalty...
Fu Pi
Fu Pi
Fu Pi , courtesy name Yongshu , formally Emperor Aiping of Qin , was an emperor of the Chinese/Di state Former Qin...
, Murong Long was the one who rescued him from the encounter. In 386, Murong Chui created him the Prince of Gaoyang. He continued to distinguish himself in campaigns against independent warlords and Jin generals. In 389, when his brother 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...
, himself a distinguished general, was recalled from his post as viceroy at the old Former Yan 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"...
), Murong Long replaced him as viceroy, and he followed Murong Nong's policies. The populace favored him as much as Murong Nong.
During Murong Chui's reign, Murong Nong and Murong Long were the most well-regarded princes. Because of this, Murong Chui's wife Empress 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...
once suggested to him that the 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 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...
lacked abilities to govern, and Murong Chui should choose either Murong Nong or Murong Long instead. Murong Chui, believing Murong Bao to be capable, rejected her suggestion.
Around the new year 396, after an army commanded by Murong Bao had suffered a crushing defeat by 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"...
's prince 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...
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...
, Murong Chui planned a second campaign against Northern Wei, and he recalled Murong Long and his troops back to the capital Zhongshan (中山, in modern Baoding
Baoding
-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...
), replacing him as viceroy with Murong Bao's son 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...
the Duke of Qinghe. With Murong Long's fresh troops leading the way and with Murong Long and Murong Nong as forward commanders, the campaign against Northern Wei was initially successful, but as the army passed through Canhe Slope, they mourned in such a great manner that Murong Chui, in shame and anger, grew ill, and the army was forced to retreat. He died soon thereafter and was succeeded by Murong Bao.
During Murong Bao's reign
Murong Bao, although aware of Empress Duan's earlier suggestion to make Murong Nong or Murong Long crown prince (and in fact was so resentful of it that he forced her to commit suicide), appeared to trust his brothers greatly. However, in fall 396, Northern Wei launched a major campaign against Later Yan, and Tuoba Gui, after defeating Murong Nong and seizing Bing Province (并州, modern central and northern ShanxiShanxi
' 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....
), then advanced against Zhongshan. Murong Bao put another brother, 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...
the Prince of Zhao, in charge of Zhongshan's defenses, and Murong Lin advocated the strategy of defending the city and not engaging Northern Wei, much to Murong Long and Murong Nong's frustration.
In spring 397, after Murong Lin failed in a coup attempt, he fled out of the capital, and Murong Bao, in fear that Murong Lin would seize a relief force commanded by his son Murong Hui the Prince of Qinghe, decided to abandon Zhongshan. Murong Nong's and Murong Long's subordinates tried to persuade each to stay in Zhongshan rather than to follow Murong Bao, but each refused, feeling that loyalty to their brother required them to follow him. They therefore followed Murong Bao and joined Murong Hui's army.
However, Murong Hui was resentful that he was not made crown prince, a position given to his younger brother Murong Ce (慕容策), and he considered seizing the position by force. Murong Bao, realizing this, tried to transfer some of Murong Hui's army to the commands of Murong Nong and Murong Long, but this only made Murong Hui more resentful, and he acted first against his uncles, sending assassins against them. Murong Long was killed, but Murong Nong survived the attack but was severely wounded (described as having suffered a wound so deep that his brain was visible), and Murong Hui, who then openly declared a coup, was then defeated and killed.
Son
Murong ChóngMurong 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....
(慕容崇) (note different tone than 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 late emperor of 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...
)