Yān was a state during the Western Zhou

Western Zhou

The Western Zhōu period was the first half of the Zhou Dynasty of ancient China. It began when King Wu of Zhou overthrew the Shang Dynasty at the Battle of Muye. C.H...

, Spring and Autumn and Warring States Period

Warring States Period

The Warring States Period , also known as the Era of Warring States, or the Warring Kingdoms period, covers the Iron Age period from about 475 BC to the reunification of China under the Qin Dynasty in 221 BC...

s of Chinese history. Its capital was Ji (nowadays 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...

, also known as Yanjing

Fanyang

Yanjing for administrative purposes was an ancient city and capital of the State of Yan in northern China. It was located in modern Beijing.- History :...

, "capital of Yan"). During the Warring States, the capital was also moved to its lower capital at Xiadu

Xiadu

Xiadu was the lower capital of Yan during the Warring States Period. The remains of the city are located in Yixian County, Baoding City, Hebei, China. At 30 km², Xiadu is the largest excavated city from the Warring States Period....

 at times, which was the largest city in terms of area at the time.

The history of Yan began in the Western Zhou

Western Zhou

The Western Zhōu period was the first half of the Zhou Dynasty of ancient China. It began when King Wu of Zhou overthrew the Shang Dynasty at the Battle of Muye. C.H...

 (1046–771 BC). After the authority of the Zhou king declined during the Spring and Autumn Period (771 to 403 BC), Yan survived and became one of the strongest states in China. During the Warring States Period

Warring States Period

The Warring States Period , also known as the Era of Warring States, or the Warring Kingdoms period, covers the Iron Age period from about 475 BC to the reunification of China under the Qin Dynasty in 221 BC...

 (475-221 BC), Yan was one of the last states to be conquered by the armies of Qin Shihuang: Yan fell in 222 BC, immediately before the founding of the Qin dynasty

Qin Dynasty

The Qin Dynasty was the first imperial dynasty of China, lasting from 221 to 207 BC. The Qin state derived its name from its heartland of Qin, in modern-day Shaanxi. The strength of the Qin state was greatly increased by the legalist reforms of Shang Yang in the 4th century BC, during the Warring...

 (221-207 BC). Yan experienced a brief period of independence after the collapse of the Qin dynasty, but was eventually absorbed by the victorious Western Han Dynasty (202 BC – 9 AD).

Zhou Dynasty

During the first years of the Zhou Dynasty, Yan was located near 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...

, but after the failed revolt led by the leaders of the Shang Dynasty

Shang Dynasty

The Shang Dynasty or Yin Dynasty was, according to traditional sources, the second Chinese dynasty, after the Xia. They ruled in the northeastern regions of the area known as "China proper" in the Yellow River valley...

, the fiefdom was relocated further north in what is now Hebei Province to stop incursions by the Beidi

Beidi

Beidi or Northern Di were groups of people who lived to the north of what was then China during the Zhou Dynasty. By the end of the dynasty they were mostly conquered or absorbed by the Chinese....

 northern nomads.

The borders of Yan were approximately in a horizontal shape, stretching from the mountains of Shanxi Province to the Liaodong Peninsula. As the most northeastern of all the Chinese states during this time period, it suffered several invasions from present day Mongolia. The border states of Zhao

Zhao (state)

Zhao was a significant Chinese state during the Warring States Period, along with six others...

 and Qi

Qi (state)

Qi was a powerful state during the Spring and Autumn Period and Period of the Warring States in ancient China. Its capital was Linzi, now part of the modern day city of Zibo in Shandong Province....

 were its main enemies. The mountainous border in the west between Zhao and Yan became the area in which their armies often clashed. Despite this, the war between Zhao and Yan usually dragged on into a stalemate, requiring the help of other kingdoms to conclude.

In 300 BC, general Qin Kai defeated the Donghu and conquered the Liaodong Peninsula.

The strongest opposition came from the Qi, one of the strongest states in China. In 314 BC, taking advantage of a succession crisis within Yan, Qi invaded and in a little over several months practically conquered the country. However, due to the misconduct of Qi troops during the conquest of Yan a revolt eventually drove them away and the borders of Yan were restored. Yan's new king, King Zhao of Yan then plotted with the states of Zhao, Qin

Qin (state)

The State of Qin was a Chinese feudal state that existed during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States Periods of Chinese history...

, Han

Han (state)

Han was a kingdom during the Warring States Period in China, located in modern-day Shanxi and Henan. Not to be confused with South Korea which shares the same character....

 and Wei

Wei (state)

The State of Wei was a Zhou Dynasty vassal state during the Warring States Period of Chinese history. Its territory lay between the states of Qin and Qi and included parts of modern day Henan, Hebei, Shanxi and Shandong...

 for a joint expedition against Qi. Led by the brilliant tactician Yue Yi

Yue Yi

Yue Yi was an officer of the State of Yan during the Warring State period, also known as Lord Guojun. He was the son of the prime minister of the small nation of Zhongshan, but when Zhongshan was destroyed by Zhao's King Wuling, he was forced to wander from country to country...

, it was highly successful and within a year most of Qi's seventy walled cities had fallen, with the exception of Zimu and Lu. However with the death of King Zhao and the expulsion of Yue Yi to Zhao by the new king, King Wei of Yan, General Tian Shan managed to recapture all of the cities from the 5 kingdoms.

Despite the wars, Yan survived through the Warring States period. In 227 BC

227 BC

Year 227 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Flaccus and Regulus...

, with Qin troops on the border after the collapse of Zhao, the Yan Prince Dan sent an assassin named Jing Ke

Jing Ke

Jing Ke was a guest residing in the estates of Dan, crown prince of Yan and renowned for his failed assassination attempt of Ying Zheng, King of Qin state, who later became China's first emperor...

 to kill the king of Qin

Qin (state)

The State of Qin was a Chinese feudal state that existed during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States Periods of Chinese history...

, later First Emperor of Qin

Qin Shi Huang

Qin Shi Huang , personal name Ying Zheng , was king of the Chinese State of Qin from 246 BC to 221 BC during the Warring States Period. He became the first emperor of a unified China in 221 BC...

, hoping to end the Qin threat. The mission failed, with Jing Ke dying at the hands of the King of Qin in Xianyang

Xianyang

Xianyang is a former capital of China in Shaanxi province, on the Wei River, a few kilometers upstream from Xi'an. It has an area of...

.

Surprised and enraged by such a bold act (one that came terribly close to causing his demise), the king of Qin called on Wang Jian

Wang Jian (Qin)

Wang Jian , a military leader of Qin in the Warring States Period. He was born in Guanzhong county, city of Pinyang, Dongxiang village .-Major Achievement:...

 to destroy Yan. Crushing the bulk of the Yan army at the frozen Yishui River, Ji fell the following year and the ruler, King Xi, fled to the Liaodong Peninsula.

In 222 BC

222 BC

Year 222 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Marcellus and Calvus...

 Liaodong fell as well, and Yan was totally conquered by Qin. Yan was the third last state to fall, and with its destruction the fates of the remaining two kingdoms were sealed. In 221 BC, Qin conquered all of China, ending the Warring States period and founding the Qin Dynasty

Qin Dynasty

The Qin Dynasty was the first imperial dynasty of China, lasting from 221 to 207 BC. The Qin state derived its name from its heartland of Qin, in modern-day Shaanxi. The strength of the Qin state was greatly increased by the legalist reforms of Shang Yang in the 4th century BC, during the Warring...

.

Post-Qin interregnum

in 207 BC, the Qin dynasty collapsed and China resumed a state of civil war. King Wu Chen of Zhao eventually sent his General Han Guang

Han Guang

Han Guang was a ruler of the Kingdom of Liaodong of the Eighteen Kingdoms during the Chu–Han contention period of Chinese history....

 to conquer Yan for Zhao, but upon his conquest, Han Guang appointed himself King of Yan. Han Guang had sent his general Zang Tu

Zang Tu

Zang Tu was a Chinese warlord who lived in the late Qin Dynasty and early Han Dynasty period of Chinese history.-Biography:Zang was originally a military general serving under Han Guang, king of Yan...

 to assist Xiang Yu

Xiang Yu

Xiang Yu was a prominent military leader and political figure during the late Qin Dynasty. His given name was Ji while his style name was Yu ....

, the king of Chu

Chu (state)

The State of Chu was a Zhou Dynasty vassal state in present-day central and southern China during the Spring and Autumn period and Warring States Period . Its ruling house had the surname Nai , and clan name Yan , later evolved to surname Mi , and clan name Xiong...

, in his war against Qin. When Zang Tu returned, Han Guang was ordered to become King of Liaodong instead. When Han Guang refused, Zang Tu killed him and declared himself King of both Yan and Liaodong.

Zang Tu submitted Yan to Han during the war between Han and Chu in order to keep his title, but once the war was finished he revolted. Liu Bang sent Fan Kuai and Zhou Bo to put down the rebellion, and they captured and executed Zang Tu.

Lu Wan

Lu Wan

Lu Wan was a military general serving under Liu Bang .-Biography:Lu Wan was from Fengyi, Pei County . He was a childhood friend of Liu Bang and they both studied in the same school in their hometown. Besides, they also shared the same birthday...

 became the new King of Yan and reigned there for most of Liu Bang's life until he failed to meet a summons to the Imperial Court due to illness. He fled to 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...

 to avoid being executed. Yan then came under direct control of the Han Dynasty

Han Dynasty

The Han Dynasty was the second imperial dynasty of China, preceded by the Qin Dynasty and succeeded by the Three Kingdoms . It was founded by the rebel leader Liu Bang, known posthumously as Emperor Gaozu of Han. It was briefly interrupted by the Xin Dynasty of the former regent Wang Mang...

.

Yan in astronomy

Yan is represented by the star Zeta Capricorni

Zeta Capricorni

Zeta Capricorni, , is a fourth-magnitude star in the constellation Capricornus. ζ Capricorni is a binary star, with the primary component ζ Capricorni A being a yellow G-type supergiant with an apparent magnitude of +3.77...

in asterism Twelve States, Girl mansion

Girl (Chinese constellation)

The Girl mansion is one of the Twenty-eight mansions of the Chinese constellations. It is one of the northern mansions of the Black Tortoise.- Asterisms :...

. Yan is also represented by the star Nu Ophiuchi

Nu Ophiuchi

Nu Ophiuchi is a Class K0, third-magnitude star in the constellation Ophiuchus. Its closest stellar neighbour is the bright binary system Tau Ophiuchi, roughly 16.9 light years away from the star...

in asterism Left Wall, Heavenly Market enclosure

Heavenly Market enclosure

Tian Shi Yuan, the Heavenly Market Enclosure , is one of the San Yuan or Three enclosures. Stars and constellations of this group are visible during late summer and early autumn in the Northern Hemisphere . The summer triangle lies directly to the northwest.-Asterisms:The asterisms are :...

(see Chinese constellation

Chinese constellation

Chinese constellations are the way the ancient Chinese grouped the stars. They are very different from the modern IAU recognized constellations. This is because the IAU was based on Greco-Roman astronomy instead of Chinese astronomy....

).

External links

• Yan State Capital Relics in Baoding
• Han Dynasty-Political, Social, Cultural, Historical Analysis of China