Yifu Hun
Encyclopedia
Yifu Hun (died 466), more commonly known in historical accounts as Yi Hun (乙渾) (because after the change of Xianbei names to Han names
in 496, "Yifu" was changed to "Yi"), was a high level official of the Chinese
/Xianbei
dynasty Northern Wei
, who effectively briefly served as the regent
for Emperor Xianwen
.
Little is known about Yifu Hun's background despite his one-time prominent status, as neither official histories Wei Shu nor Bei Shi contained a biography for him -- a fairly unusual fact, as both of those works were generally considered highly comprehensive in including biographies, even for villainous figures. He came to power in 465 after Emperor Wencheng
died and was succeeded by his young son Emperor Xianwen. Yifu quickly seized power and killed a number of other officials, including Yang Baoping (楊保平), Jia Airen (賈愛仁) the Duke of Pingyang, and Zhang Tiandu (張天度) the Duke of Nanyang. He then summoned Emperor Wencheng's trusted prime minister Buliugu Li
, away from the capital Pingcheng (平城, in modern Datong
, Shanxi
) back to Pingcheng, and after he got into conflicts with Buliugu, killed Buliugu, as well as Qiumuling Duohou (丘穆陵多侯), who had warned Buliugu not to return to the capital, and Tuoba Yu (拓拔郁) the Duke of Shunyang. He became the commander of the armed forces, and while he was not regent by title, he effectively was regent. He was also created the Prince of Taiyuan.
By 466, Yifu was continuing to carry out a campaign of terror. However, Emperor Wencheng's wife Empress Dowager Feng
then staged a coup d'etat
, probably along with Jia Xiu (賈秀) and Tuoba Pi (拓拔丕), and Yifu was arrested and executed.
Change of Xianbei names to Han names
The Change of Xianbei family names to Han names was part of a larger sinicization campaign. It was at its peak intensity under Emperor Xiaowen of the Northern Wei dynasty in 496.-Background:...
in 496, "Yifu" was changed to "Yi"), was a high level official 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:...
dynasty 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"...
, who effectively briefly served as 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...
for Emperor Xianwen
Emperor Xianwen of Northern Wei
Emperor Xianwen of Northern Wei , personal name Tuoba Hong, was an emperor of the Chinese/Xianbei dynasty Northern Wei...
.
Little is known about Yifu Hun's background despite his one-time prominent status, as neither official histories Wei Shu nor Bei Shi contained a biography for him -- a fairly unusual fact, as both of those works were generally considered highly comprehensive in including biographies, even for villainous figures. He came to power in 465 after Emperor Wencheng
Emperor Wencheng of Northern Wei
Emperor Wencheng of Northern Wei , personal name Tuoba Jun , was an emperor of the Chinese/Xianbei dynasty Northern Wei...
died and was succeeded by his young son Emperor Xianwen. Yifu quickly seized power and killed a number of other officials, including Yang Baoping (楊保平), Jia Airen (賈愛仁) the Duke of Pingyang, and Zhang Tiandu (張天度) the Duke of Nanyang. He then summoned Emperor Wencheng's trusted prime minister Buliugu Li
Buliugu Li
Buliugu Li , more commonly known in historical accounts as Lu Li , formally Prince Jian of Pingyuan , was a high level official for the Chinese/Xianbei dynasty Northern Wei who served mostly during the reign of Emperor Wencheng.Buliugu Li's father Buliugu...
, away from the capital 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....
) back to Pingcheng, and after he got into conflicts with Buliugu, killed Buliugu, as well as Qiumuling Duohou (丘穆陵多侯), who had warned Buliugu not to return to the capital, and Tuoba Yu (拓拔郁) the Duke of Shunyang. He became the commander of the armed forces, and while he was not regent by title, he effectively was regent. He was also created the Prince of Taiyuan.
By 466, Yifu was continuing to carry out a campaign of terror. However, Emperor Wencheng's wife Empress Dowager Feng
Empress Feng (Wencheng)
Empress Feng , formally Empress Wenming was an empress of the Chinese/Xianbei dynasty Northern Wei. Her husband was Emperor Wencheng...
then staged a coup d'etat
Coup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
, probably along with Jia Xiu (賈秀) and Tuoba Pi (拓拔丕), and Yifu was arrested and executed.