Ran Min
Encyclopedia
Ran Min also known as Shi Min (石閔), posthumously
honored by Former Yan
as Heavenly Prince
Daowu of (Ran) Wei ((冉)魏悼武天王), courtesy name Yongzeng (永曾), nickname Jinu (棘奴), was a military
leader during the era of Sixteen Kingdoms
in China
and the only emperor of the short-lived state Ran Wei (冉魏). Ran (冉) is an uncommon Chinese family name. He was noted for ordering massacres of Jie
people under Later Zhao.
, Hebei
) and was a descendant of an aristocratic family, but one who must have, in the serious famines circa 310, joined a group of refugees led by Chen Wu (陳午). When Later Zhao's founder Shi Le
defeated Chen in 311, he captured the 11-year-old Ran Zhan as well, and for reasons unknown, he had his nephew Shi Hu
adopt Ran Zhan as his son and change his name accordingly to Shi Zhan. Ran Min's mother was named Wang (王). It is not known when he was born, but he would have been known as Shi Min.
A Shi Zhan was mentioned to have died in battle when Shi Hu was defeated by Han Zhao
's emperor Liu Yao
in 328, but it is not clear whether this Shi Zhan was Shi Min's father.
but saw his army collapse after sieging the Former Yan capital Jicheng (棘城, in modern Jinzhou
, Liaoning
) for about 20 days but failing to capture it. The only army group that remained intact was the one commanded by Shi Min.
During the remainder of Shi Hu's reign, Shi Min was often referred to as a general he turned out to be. For example, in 339, when the Jin
general Yu Liang
considered launching a major campaign against Later Zhao, Shi Hu chose to react, and he had his general Kui An (夔安) command five generals, one of whom was Shi Min, to attack Jin's northern regions. (Shi Min's later ally Li Nong (李農) was one of the other generals, while Shi Hu's son Shi Jian
the Prince of Yiyang was another.) Shi Min was successful in his task, and the five generals together inflicted heavy damages, thwarting Yu's plans. For his accomplishments, Shi Min was created the Duke of Wuxing.
Shi Shi
became emperor, but the government was controlled by Shi Shi's mother Empress Dowager Liu
and the official Zhang Chai (張豺). Shi Shi's older brother Shi Zun
the Prince of Pengcheng was unhappy about the situation, and a number of generals who were unimpressed with Empress Dowager Liu and Zhang, including Shi Min, suggested that he march to the capital Yecheng
and overthrow them. Shi Zun did so—and also promised to create Shi Min crown prince if they were victorious. In summer 349, Shi Zun defeated Shi Shi's forces and deposed and killed him, along with Empress Dowager Liu and Zhang Chai. Shi Zun claimed the imperial title. However, he did not appoint Shi Min crown prince as promised, but rather appointed another nephew Shi Yan (石衍) a crown prince. Further, while he gave Shi Min important posts, he did not allow him to have control of the government, as Shi Min wished. Shi Min became disgruntled.
In winter 349, in fear of Shi Min, Shi Zun summoned a meeting of the princes before his mother, Empress Dowager Zheng
, announcing that he would execute Shi Min. Empress Dowager Zheng opposed, reasoning that Shi Min's contributions during the coup against Shi Shi had to be remembered. Shi Zun hesitated, and meanwhile, Shi Jian, one of the princes attending the meeting, quickly reported the news to Shi Min, who acted quickly and surrounded the palace, capturing and executing Shi Zun, Empress Dowager Zheng, Shi Zun's wife Empress Zhang
, Shi Yan, and several key officials loyal to Shi Zun. He made Shi Jian emperor, but he and Li Nong seized the control of the government.
Shi Jian could not endure Shi Min's hold on power, and he sent his brother Shi Bao the Prince of Leping and the generals Li Song (李松) and Zhang Cai (張才) against Shi Min, but after they were defeated, Shi Jian pretended as if they acted independently and executed them all. Another brother of his, Shi Zhi
the Prince of Xinxing, then rose in the old capital Xiangguo (襄國, in modern Xintai
, Hebei
), in alliance with the Qiang chieftain Yao Yizhong (姚弋仲) and the Di
chieftain Pu Hong
(蒲洪) against Shi Min and Li Nong. Shi Jian then tried to have the general Sun Fudu (孫伏都), a fellow ethnic Jie, attack Shi Min, but Shi Min quickly defeated him, and Shi Jian, trying to absolve himself, then ordered Shi Min to execute Sun. Shi Min, however, began to realize that Shi Jian was behind Sun's attack, and he decided that he needed to disarm the Jie people, who knew that he was not a Jie but ethnically a Han. He ordered that all non-Han not be allowed to carry arms, and most non-Hans fled Yecheng after that. Shi Min put Shi Jian under house arrest with no outside communication.
As the non-Han continued fleeing Yecheng, Shi Min realized that he would not be able to use the Hu (胡 Xiongnu
), so he issued an order to the Hans according to which each civil servant who would kill one Hu (胡) and brought his head to him will be promoted in rank by three degrees, and a military officer will be transferred to the service at his Supreme Command. Shi Min himself lead Hans in killing the Hu (胡) and Jie (羯) people without regard for sex or age, during the day were severed tens of thousands heads. In total were killed over 200 thousand people, their bodies were dumped outside the city. Troop commanders in various parts of the state received a prescript from Shi Min to be killing the Hus (胡), as a result a half of the people with high noses and bushy beards were killed. Among the 200,000 people who died in the massacre were some ethnic Hans who had high noses or thick beards, both considered to be the indicators of non-Hanness.
In 350, under a pressure from Shi Min, still a nominal head of the state Shi Jian changed the name of his state from Zhao to Wei (衛) and the imperial clan name from Shi to Li (李). Many key officials fled to Shi Zhi. Local generals throughout the empire effectively became independent, waiting for the conflict to be resolved. As Shi Min troops were busy against Shi Zhi's, Shi Jian made one final attempt against him, ordering general Zhang Shen (張沈) to attack the capital after Shi Min left it. However, the Shi Jian's eunuch
s reported that to Shi Min and Li Nong, and they quickly returned to Yecheng and executed Shi Jian, killing along 38 of Shi Hu grandsons and the rest of the Shi clan. Shi Min, restoring his father's original family name of Ran (冉), then took the throne as the emperor of a new state, Wei (魏, note different character from the state name declared previously).
. He appointed his wife Lady Dong
an empress, and his oldest son Ran Zhi
a crown prince. His other sons and his ally Li Nong were made princes, Li Nong sons were given titles of dukes. He proclaimed a general amnesty, hoping to have the generals who became independent abide by his edicts, but few of them accepted, though most Han generals outwardly did not defy him either. For unknown reasons, he soon killed Li. He sent a letter to Emperor Mu of Jin
's court with a mixed message, appearing to invite Jin to send forces north and agreeing to submit, but the letter could also be read as a defiant challenge. Jin did not react, although it began to also seek allegiance of the generals in the former territory of Later Zhao southern provinces.
Ran Min's brief reign was characterized by rash decisions and massive executions. He would often react violently to advisors who suggested ideas different from his own, including killing them, and then regret those violent reactions after he realized that he was wrong.
In spring 351, Ran Min set a siege of the Shi Zhi's capital Xiangguo. Shi Zhi sought aid from Former Yan's prince Murong Jun
and was able to deal Ran a major defeat. At this time, the Xiongnu soldiers in Yecheng rebelled, captured his son Ran Yin, and surrendered to Shi Zhi, who executed Ran Yin. Ran Min was thought to be dead, but when he appeared in Yecheng, the city was calmed. Shi Zhi had his general Liu Xian (劉顯) siege Yecheng, but Ran Min defeated Liu in battle and awed him so much that Liu agreed that once he returned to Xiangguo, he would kill Shi Zhi and surrender. He did so and sent Shi Zhi's head to Ran Min, and Ran Min had Shi Zhi's head be burned on a busy street in Yecheng. Later Zhao was at its final end.
However, wars continued. Liu Xian, after briefly submitting to Ran Min, proclaimed himself emperor. The western provinces were taken over by Fu Jiàn
, who established Former Qin
. The southern provinces larely switched their allegiance to Jin. Meanwhile, Former Yan, which had already captured You Province (幽州, modern Beijing
, Tianjin
, and northern Hebei
) and moved its capital to Jicheng (薊城, in modern Beijing
-- note different character than old capital), continued to advance south. Ran Min, who captured Xiangguo in early 352 and executed Liu Xian, decided to head north to face the Former Yan army, against advice of several officials who felt that his army needed a rest. The Former Yan general Murong Ke
, Murong Jun's brother, pretended to lose several skirmishes and then retreat, tricking Ran Min and his infantry into the open field, and then used his cavalry to surround Ran Min's, inflicting great losses. Ran Min's horse suddenly died, and he fell off and was captured. Former Yan forces delivered him to Murong Jun, and he insulted Murong Jun. Murong Jun had him whipped 300 times and then executed, although was soon fearful that his spirit was causing a draught, and therefore honored him with the posthumous name
Daowu. Ran Min's wife Empress Dong and her son Ran Zhi would hold out for several more months, but eventually surrendered later that year, ending Ran Wei's brief existence.
Ran Min is mostly known for his famous order to execute all of the Wu Hu
, particularly the Jie, which were reported as a race of caucasians. Then he fought with Hu armies in Jizhou
, lead to several millions of migrants of different races to flee, and in the way they attacked each other and only 2-3/10 people was able to go back to their origins. Although the North soon again fell under control of the Xianbei, Ran Min's actions caused them to think twice before adopting cruel policies towards the Han people. Despite its brief existence, Ran Wei was able to serve as a warning to the northern non-Han tribes who ruled in North China, and played a great role in their eventual decision to sinocize and give up their former ways.
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...
honored by 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...
as Heavenly Prince
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...
Daowu of (Ran) Wei ((冉)魏悼武天王), courtesy name Yongzeng (永曾), nickname Jinu (棘奴), was a military
Military
A military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
leader during the era of Sixteen Kingdoms
Sixteen Kingdoms
The Sixteen Kingdoms, or less commonly the Sixteen States, were a collection of numerous short-lived sovereign states in China proper and its neighboring areas from 304 to 439 AD after the retreat of the Jin Dynasty to South China and before the establishment of the Northern Dynasties...
in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
and the only emperor of the short-lived state Ran Wei (冉魏). Ran (冉) is an uncommon Chinese family name. He was noted for ordering massacres of Jie
Jie (ethnic group)
The Jié were members of a small tribe in Northern China in the 4th century CE. They established the Later Zhao state.According to the Book of Wei, their name derives from the Jiéshì area where they reside....
people under Later Zhao.
Family background
Ran Min's father Ran Liang (冉良), who later changed his name to Ran Zhan (冉瞻), and from Wei Commandery (魏郡, roughly modern HandanHandan
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...
) and was a descendant of an aristocratic family, but one who must have, in the serious famines circa 310, joined a group of refugees led by Chen Wu (陳午). When Later Zhao's founder 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...
defeated Chen in 311, he captured the 11-year-old Ran Zhan as well, and for reasons unknown, he had his nephew Shi Hu
Shi Hu
Shi Hu , courtesy name Jilong , formally Emperor Wu of Zhao , was an emperor of the Chinese/Jie state Later Zhao...
adopt Ran Zhan as his son and change his name accordingly to Shi Zhan. Ran Min's mother was named Wang (王). It is not known when he was born, but he would have been known as Shi Min.
A Shi Zhan was mentioned to have died in battle when Shi Hu was defeated by 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...
's emperor Liu Yao
Liu Yao
Liu Yao , courtesy name Yongming , was the final emperor of the Chinese/Xiongnu state Han Zhao. He became emperor in 318 after most other members of the imperial Liu clan were massacred by Jin Zhun in a coup. However, the empire was soon divided in half, as the general Shi Le declared...
in 328, but it is not clear whether this Shi Zhan was Shi Min's father.
During Shi Hu's reign
As Shi Min grew in age, Shi Hu became impressed by his bravery in battle and battlefield tactics, and he treated Shi Min as his own son. The first mention in history of him as a general was in 338, when Shi Hu unsuccessfully tried to destroy the rival state 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...
but saw his army collapse after sieging the Former Yan 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"...
) for about 20 days but failing to capture it. The only army group that remained intact was the one commanded by Shi Min.
During the remainder of Shi Hu's reign, Shi Min was often referred to as a general he turned out to be. For example, in 339, when the 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...
general Yu Liang
Yu Liang
Yu Liang , courtesy name Yuangui , formally Marquess Wenkang of Duting , was a Jin Dynasty official and general who impressed many with his knowledge but whose inability to tolerate dissent and overly high evaluation of his own abilities led to the disastrous revolt of Su Jun, weakening Jin's...
considered launching a major campaign against Later Zhao, Shi Hu chose to react, and he had his general Kui An (夔安) command five generals, one of whom was Shi Min, to attack Jin's northern regions. (Shi Min's later ally Li Nong (李農) was one of the other generals, while Shi Hu's son Shi Jian
Shi Jian
Shi Jian was briefly an emperor of the Chinese/Jie state Later Zhao. He was the third of four short-lived emperors after the death of his father Shi Hu . He is sometimes referred to by his title prior to becoming emperor, Prince of Yiyang...
the Prince of Yiyang was another.) Shi Min was successful in his task, and the five generals together inflicted heavy damages, thwarting Yu's plans. For his accomplishments, Shi Min was created the Duke of Wuxing.
During the confusion after Shi Hu's death
After Shi Hu's death in 349, his youngest son and crown princeCrown 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....
Shi Shi
Shi Shi
Shi Shi was briefly the emperor of the Jie/Chinese Hun state Later Zhao following his father Shi Hu's death in 349. In the Chinese annals he is sometimes referred to by his title after removal as an Emperor, Prince of Qiao .Shi Shi was Shi Hu's youngest son, by his third empress Empress Liu,...
became emperor, but the government was controlled by Shi Shi's mother Empress Dowager Liu
Empress Liu (Wu)
Empress Liu was an empress of the Chinese/Jie state Later Zhao. She was Shi Hu 's third and final empress.The future Empress Liu was the youngest daughter of the final Han Zhao emperor Liu Yao...
and the official Zhang Chai (張豺). Shi Shi's older brother Shi Zun
Shi Zun
Shi Zun was briefly an emperor of the Chinese/Jie state Later Zhao. He was the second of four short-lived emperors after the death of his father Shi Hu...
the Prince of Pengcheng was unhappy about the situation, and a number of generals who were unimpressed with Empress Dowager Liu and Zhang, including Shi Min, suggested that he march to the capital Yecheng
Ye, China
Ye or Yecheng was an ancient Chinese city located in what is now Linzhang County, Hebei and the neighbouring Anyang County, Henan....
and overthrow them. Shi Zun did so—and also promised to create Shi Min crown prince if they were victorious. In summer 349, Shi Zun defeated Shi Shi's forces and deposed and killed him, along with Empress Dowager Liu and Zhang Chai. Shi Zun claimed the imperial title. However, he did not appoint Shi Min crown prince as promised, but rather appointed another nephew Shi Yan (石衍) a crown prince. Further, while he gave Shi Min important posts, he did not allow him to have control of the government, as Shi Min wished. Shi Min became disgruntled.
In winter 349, in fear of Shi Min, Shi Zun summoned a meeting of the princes before his mother, Empress Dowager Zheng
Empress Zheng Yingtao
Empress Zheng Yingtao was an empress of the Chinese/Jie state Later Zhao. She was Shi Hu 's first empress, but not his first wife....
, announcing that he would execute Shi Min. Empress Dowager Zheng opposed, reasoning that Shi Min's contributions during the coup against Shi Shi had to be remembered. Shi Zun hesitated, and meanwhile, Shi Jian, one of the princes attending the meeting, quickly reported the news to Shi Min, who acted quickly and surrounded the palace, capturing and executing Shi Zun, Empress Dowager Zheng, Shi Zun's wife Empress Zhang
Empress Zhang (Shi Zun)
Empress Zhang was briefly an empress of the Chinese/Jie state Later Zhao. She was Shi Zun's wife and the last empress in Later Zhao history. After Shi Zun, a son of the emperor Shi Hu, took over the throne in 349 after overthrowing his younger brother Shi Shi, he made her empress...
, Shi Yan, and several key officials loyal to Shi Zun. He made Shi Jian emperor, but he and Li Nong seized the control of the government.
Shi Jian could not endure Shi Min's hold on power, and he sent his brother Shi Bao the Prince of Leping and the generals Li Song (李松) and Zhang Cai (張才) against Shi Min, but after they were defeated, Shi Jian pretended as if they acted independently and executed them all. Another brother of his, Shi Zhi
Shi Zhi
Shi Zhi was briefly, for about one year, an emperor of the Chinese/Jie state Later Zhao. He was the last of four short-lived emperors after the death of his father Shi Hu , and Later Zhao's final emperor...
the Prince of Xinxing, then rose in the old capital Xiangguo (襄國, in modern Xintai
Xintai
Xintai is a county-level city administered under Tai'an prefecture-level city, in the Shandong province of eastern China. It is located about 50km to the southeast of the city of Tai'an.-Climate:...
, 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 alliance with the Qiang chieftain Yao Yizhong (姚弋仲) and the 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,...
chieftain Pu Hong
Fu Hong
Fu Hong originally named Pu Hong , courtesy name Guangshi, was the Di He was the father of first emperor of Former Qin, Fu Jiàn. In 350, Fu Hong self-proclaimed to be the Prince of Three Qins receiving a prophecy willed him to become King . On the same year, he was poisoned by his subordinate Ma...
(蒲洪) against Shi Min and Li Nong. Shi Jian then tried to have the general Sun Fudu (孫伏都), a fellow ethnic Jie, attack Shi Min, but Shi Min quickly defeated him, and Shi Jian, trying to absolve himself, then ordered Shi Min to execute Sun. Shi Min, however, began to realize that Shi Jian was behind Sun's attack, and he decided that he needed to disarm the Jie people, who knew that he was not a Jie but ethnically a Han. He ordered that all non-Han not be allowed to carry arms, and most non-Hans fled Yecheng after that. Shi Min put Shi Jian under house arrest with no outside communication.
As the non-Han continued fleeing Yecheng, Shi Min realized that he would not be able to use the Hu (胡 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...
), so he issued an order to the Hans according to which each civil servant who would kill one Hu (胡) and brought his head to him will be promoted in rank by three degrees, and a military officer will be transferred to the service at his Supreme Command. Shi Min himself lead Hans in killing the Hu (胡) and Jie (羯) people without regard for sex or age, during the day were severed tens of thousands heads. In total were killed over 200 thousand people, their bodies were dumped outside the city. Troop commanders in various parts of the state received a prescript from Shi Min to be killing the Hus (胡), as a result a half of the people with high noses and bushy beards were killed. Among the 200,000 people who died in the massacre were some ethnic Hans who had high noses or thick beards, both considered to be the indicators of non-Hanness.
In 350, under a pressure from Shi Min, still a nominal head of the state Shi Jian changed the name of his state from Zhao to Wei (衛) and the imperial clan name from Shi to Li (李). Many key officials fled to Shi Zhi. Local generals throughout the empire effectively became independent, waiting for the conflict to be resolved. As Shi Min troops were busy against Shi Zhi's, Shi Jian made one final attempt against him, ordering general Zhang Shen (張沈) to attack the capital after Shi Min left it. However, the Shi Jian's 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...
s reported that to Shi Min and Li Nong, and they quickly returned to Yecheng and executed Shi Jian, killing along 38 of Shi Hu grandsons and the rest of the Shi clan. Shi Min, restoring his father's original family name of Ran (冉), then took the throne as the emperor of a new state, Wei (魏, note different character from the state name declared previously).
As emperor of Ran Wei
Ran Min honored his mother Lady Wang with a title of empress dowagerEmpress Dowager
Empress Dowager was the title given to the mother of a Chinese, Korean, Japanese or Vietnamese emperor.The title was also given occasionally to another woman of the same generation, while a woman from the previous generation was sometimes given the title of Grand empress dowager. Numerous empress...
. He appointed his wife Lady Dong
Empress Dong (Ran Min)
Empress Dong was the only empress of the short-lived Chinese state Ran Wei. Her husband was its only emperor, Ran Min. When he proclaimed the new state in 350 after overthrowing the Later Zhao emperor Shi Jian and declared himself emperor, he created her empress and created her oldest son Ran...
an empress, and his oldest son Ran Zhi
Ran Zhi
Ran Zhi was a crown prince of the short-lived Chinese state Ran Wei. His father was the state's only emperor, Ran Min.Ran Zhi, as Ran Min's oldest son, was created crown prince when he proclaimed the new state in 350 after overthrowing the Later Zhao emperor Shi Jian and declared himself...
a crown prince. His other sons and his ally Li Nong were made princes, Li Nong sons were given titles of dukes. He proclaimed a general amnesty, hoping to have the generals who became independent abide by his edicts, but few of them accepted, though most Han generals outwardly did not defy him either. For unknown reasons, he soon killed Li. He sent a letter to Emperor Mu of Jin
Emperor Mu of Jin
Emperor Mu of Jin , personal name Sima Dan , courtesy name Pengzi , was an emperor of the Eastern Jin Dynasty...
's court with a mixed message, appearing to invite Jin to send forces north and agreeing to submit, but the letter could also be read as a defiant challenge. Jin did not react, although it began to also seek allegiance of the generals in the former territory of Later Zhao southern provinces.
Ran Min's brief reign was characterized by rash decisions and massive executions. He would often react violently to advisors who suggested ideas different from his own, including killing them, and then regret those violent reactions after he realized that he was wrong.
In spring 351, Ran Min set a siege of the Shi Zhi's capital Xiangguo. Shi Zhi sought aid from Former Yan's prince Murong Jun
Murong Jun
Murong Jun , courtesy name Xuanying , formally Emperor Jingzhao of Yan , was an emperor of the Chinese state Former Yan...
and was able to deal Ran a major defeat. At this time, the Xiongnu soldiers in Yecheng rebelled, captured his son Ran Yin, and surrendered to Shi Zhi, who executed Ran Yin. Ran Min was thought to be dead, but when he appeared in Yecheng, the city was calmed. Shi Zhi had his general Liu Xian (劉顯) siege Yecheng, but Ran Min defeated Liu in battle and awed him so much that Liu agreed that once he returned to Xiangguo, he would kill Shi Zhi and surrender. He did so and sent Shi Zhi's head to Ran Min, and Ran Min had Shi Zhi's head be burned on a busy street in Yecheng. Later Zhao was at its final end.
However, wars continued. Liu Xian, after briefly submitting to Ran Min, proclaimed himself emperor. The western provinces were taken over by Fu Jiàn
Fu Jiàn
Fú Jiàn , originally named Pú Jiàn , courtesy name Jianye , formally Emperor Jingming of Qin , was the founding emperor of the Chinese/Di state Former Qin....
, who established 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...
. The southern provinces larely switched their allegiance to Jin. Meanwhile, Former Yan, which had already captured You Province (幽州, modern Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
, Tianjin
Tianjin
' is a metropolis in northern China and one of the five national central cities of the People's Republic of China. It is governed as a direct-controlled municipality, one of four such designations, and is, thus, under direct administration of the central government...
, and northern 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...
) and moved its capital to Jicheng (薊城, in modern Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
-- note different character than old capital), continued to advance south. Ran Min, who captured Xiangguo in early 352 and executed Liu Xian, decided to head north to face the Former Yan army, against advice of several officials who felt that his army needed a rest. The Former Yan general 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...
, Murong Jun's brother, pretended to lose several skirmishes and then retreat, tricking Ran Min and his infantry into the open field, and then used his cavalry to surround Ran Min's, inflicting great losses. Ran Min's horse suddenly died, and he fell off and was captured. Former Yan forces delivered him to Murong Jun, and he insulted Murong Jun. Murong Jun had him whipped 300 times and then executed, although was soon fearful that his spirit was causing a draught, and therefore honored him with the 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...
Daowu. Ran Min's wife Empress Dong and her son Ran Zhi would hold out for several more months, but eventually surrendered later that year, ending Ran Wei's brief existence.
Ran Min is mostly known for his famous order to execute all of the Wu Hu
Wu Hu
Wu Hu was a Chinese term for the northern non-Chinese nomadic tribes which caused the Wu Hu uprising, and established the Sixteen Kingdoms from 304 to 439 AD.-Definition:...
, particularly the Jie, which were reported as a race of caucasians. Then he fought with Hu armies in Jizhou
Jizhou
Jìzhōu is a city in Hengshui, Hebei province, China. It shares its name with a province of old, Jizhou , which covered parts of Hebei, Henan, and Shandong Provinces.-Administrative Divisions:Towns:...
, lead to several millions of migrants of different races to flee, and in the way they attacked each other and only 2-3/10 people was able to go back to their origins. Although the North soon again fell under control of the Xianbei, Ran Min's actions caused them to think twice before adopting cruel policies towards the Han people. Despite its brief existence, Ran Wei was able to serve as a warning to the northern non-Han tribes who ruled in North China, and played a great role in their eventual decision to sinocize and give up their former ways.
Ran Wei
| 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... s | 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... s | Family names and 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"... | Durations of reigns | Era names and their according durations |
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| Did not exist | Daowu Tianwang (悼武天王 Wǔdào Tiānwáng) | 冉閔 Rǎn Mǐn | 350-352 | Yongxing (永興 Yǒngxīng, lit. perpetual prosperity) 350-352 |
Personal information
- Father
- Ran Zhan (冉瞻), later adopted by Shi HuShi HuShi Hu , courtesy name Jilong , formally Emperor Wu of Zhao , was an emperor of the Chinese/Jie state Later Zhao...
and name changed to Shi Zhan (石瞻), likely died 327 in battle against Han ZhaoHan ZhaoThe Han Zhao , or Former Zhao, or Northern Han , was a Southern Xiongnu state during Sixteen Kingdoms period coeval with the Chinese Jin Dynasty...
, posthumously honored as Emperor Gao
- Ran Zhan (冉瞻), later adopted by Shi Hu
- Mother
- Empress Dowager Wang
- Wife
- Empress DongEmpress Dong (Ran Min)Empress Dong was the only empress of the short-lived Chinese state Ran Wei. Her husband was its only emperor, Ran Min. When he proclaimed the new state in 350 after overthrowing the Later Zhao emperor Shi Jian and declared himself emperor, he created her empress and created her oldest son Ran...
- Empress Dong
- Children
- Ran ZhiRan ZhiRan Zhi was a crown prince of the short-lived Chinese state Ran Wei. His father was the state's only emperor, Ran Min.Ran Zhi, as Ran Min's oldest son, was created crown prince when he proclaimed the new state in 350 after overthrowing the Later Zhao emperor Shi Jian and declared himself...
(冉智), the Crown Prince (created 350), later created the Marquess of Haibin by 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... - Ran Yin (冉胤), Prince of Taiyuan (created prince 350, killed by Later Zhao emperor Shi ZhiShi ZhiShi Zhi was briefly, for about one year, an emperor of the Chinese/Jie state Later Zhao. He was the last of four short-lived emperors after the death of his father Shi Hu , and Later Zhao's final emperor...
351) - Ran Ming (冉明), Prince of Pengcheng (created prince 350)
- Ran Yu (冉裕), Prince of Wuxing (created prince 350)
- Ran Cao (冉操)
- Ran Zhi
See also
- JieJieJie might refer to:* Jie of Xia, last ruler of the Xia Dynasty of China* Jie , tribe in the Xiongnu Confederation in the 4th and 5th centuries* Jie , an ethnic group of Ugandan pastoralists....
- Wu HuWu HuWu Hu was a Chinese term for the northern non-Chinese nomadic tribes which caused the Wu Hu uprising, and established the Sixteen Kingdoms from 304 to 439 AD.-Definition:...
- List of past Chinese ethnic groups
- Later ZhaoLater ZhaoThe 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...
- Shi HuShi HuShi Hu , courtesy name Jilong , formally Emperor Wu of Zhao , was an emperor of the Chinese/Jie state Later Zhao...
- GenocideGenocideGenocide is defined as "the deliberate and systematic destruction, in whole or in part, of an ethnic, racial, religious, or national group", though what constitutes enough of a "part" to qualify as genocide has been subject to much debate by legal scholars...
- 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...