Murong Nong (慕容農) (died 398), formally Prince Huanlie of Liaoxi (遼西桓烈王), 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). Throughout most of the state's history, he was admired by the people and officials alike for his military and governance abilities, but his inexplicable failures in 398 helped to lead to the downfall of himself, his brother Murong Bao, and the Later Yan state.
The earliest known written records of the history of China date from as early as 1250 BC, from the Shang dynasty, during the king Wu Ding's reign, who was mentioned as the twenty-first Shang king by the same. Ancient historical texts such as the Records of the Grand Historian and the Bamboo Annals describe a Xia dynasty before the Shang, but no writing is known from the period, and Shang writings do not indicate the existence of the Xia. The Shang ruled in the Yellow River valley, which is commonly held to be the cradle of Chinese civilization. However, Neolithic civilizations originated at various cultural centers along both the Yellow River and Yangtze River. These Yellow River and Yangtze civilizations arose millennia before the Shang. With thousands of years of continuous history, China is one of the world's oldest civilizations, and is regarded as one of the cradles of civilization.
The Xianbei were an ancient nomadic people that once resided in the eastern Eurasian steppes in what is today Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, and Northeast China. They originated from the Donghu people who splintered into the Wuhuan and Xianbei when they were defeated by the Xiongnu at the end of the 3rd century BC. The Xianbei were largely subordinate to larger nomadic powers and the Han dynasty until they gained prominence in 87 AD by killing the Xiongnu chanyu Youliu. However unlike the Xiongnu, the Xianbei political structure lacked the organization to pose a concerted challenge to the Chinese for most of their time as a nomadic people. After suffering several defeats by the end of the Three Kingdoms period, the Xianbei migrated south and settled in close proximity to Chinese society. As one of the Five Barbarians, they took part in the Uprising of the Five Barbarians and founded their own states in China such as the Northern Wei. These states opposed and promoted sinicization at one point or another but trended towards the latter and had merged with the general Chinese population by the Tang dynasty.
The Later Yan was a Murong–Xianbei state, located in modern-day northeast China, during the era of Sixteen Kingdoms in China.
The first reference to Murong Nong in history was in 369, when Murong Chui, then a Former Yan prince, fled to Former Qin after he came after suspicion of the emperor Murong Wei's mother Empress Dowager Kezuhun and the regentMurong Ping; Murong Nong was one of his sons who fled with him. He was mentioned as having told his father in 377 that, in light of the capable prime minister Wang Meng's death, the Former Qin emperor Fu Jiān's reign appeared to be deteriorating and that Murong Chui should consider reestablishing Yan (which had fallen to Former Qin in 370). Murong Chui laughed off his suggestion at this point but kept it in mind.
The Former Yan was a state of Xianbei ethnicity during the era of Sixteen Kingdoms in China.
The Former Qin (351-394) was a state of the Sixteen Kingdoms in eastern Asia, mainly China. Founded by an officer in Shi Le's dynasty, it completed the unification of North China in 376. Its capital was Xi'an up to the death of the ruler Fu Jiān in 385. Despite its name, the Former Qin was much later and less powerful than the Qin Dynasty which had ruled all of China during the 3rd century BC. The adjective "former" is used to distinguish it from the "Later Qin" state (384-417).
Murong Wei, courtesy name Jingmao (景茂), formally Emperor You of (Former) Yan was the last emperor of the Xianbei state Former Yan. He became emperor at age 10 and, late in his reign, with powers in the hands of his mother Empress Dowager Kezuhun and his incompetent and corrupt granduncle Murong Ping, was captured by Former Qin's prime minister Wang Meng in 370, ending Former Yan. Later, during the middle of Former Qin's collapse after its defeat at the Battle of Fei River in 383, he tried to join his brother Murong Chong in rebellion and was executed by Former Qin's emperor Fu Jiān in early 385.
Murong Nong would renew his suggestion in 383 after Former Qin had failed in its attempt to conquer Jin and been severely weakened in the defeat at the Battle of Fei River. Murong Chui agreed this time, and after receiving Fu Jiān's permission to go on a mission to try to pacify the northeastern empire, instead plotted rebellion. As part of the plan, as Murong Chui rose south of the Yellow River near Luoyang, Murong Nong and his cousin Murong Kai (慕容楷) started a rebellion of their own north of the Yellow River in spring 384. He quickly defeated the highly regarded Former Qin general Shi Yue (石越), and became a major menace for Former Qin troops, and he was known both for his military strategies and strict discipline.
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.. The battle is considered to be one of the most significant battles in the history of China. The aftermath of the battle includes the Former Qin empire falling into massive civil war and its eventual destruction, ensuring the survival of Eastern Jin and other Chinese regimes south of the Yangtze River.
The Yellow River or Huang He is the second longest river in China, after the Yangtze River, and the sixth longest river system in the world at the estimated length of 5,464 km (3,395 mi). Originating in the Bayan Har Mountains in Qinghai province of Western China, it flows through nine provinces, and it empties into the Bohai Sea near the city of Dongying in Shandong province. The Yellow River basin has an east–west extent of about 1,900 kilometers (1,180 mi) and a north–south extent of about 1,100 km (680 mi). Its total drainage area is about 752,546 square kilometers (290,560 sq mi).
Luoyang is a city located in the confluence area of Luo River and Yellow River in the west of Henan province. Governed as a prefecture-level city, it borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the east, Pingdingshan to the southeast, Nanyang to the south, Sanmenxia to the west, Jiyuan to the north, and Jiaozuo to the northeast. As of the final 2010 census, Luoyang had a population of 6,549,941 inhabitants with 1,857,003 people living in the built-up area made of the city's five urban districts, all of which except the Jili District are not urbanized yet.
During Murong Chui's reign
In spring 384, Murong Chui declared the establishment of Later Yan, and Murong Nong continued to contribute greatly to the campaigns that he would wage the next year against Former Qin remnants and other generals who had maintained semi-independence in light of Former Qin's collapse. Around the new year 386, Murong Nong stamped out all remaining Former Qin resistance in the You (幽州, modern Beijing, Tianjin, and northern Hebei) and Ping (平州, modern Liaoning) Provinces, including the rebel Yu Yan (餘巖), and further recovered some commanderies that Goguryeo had seized. Murong Chui made him effective viceroy of You and Ping Provinces, in charge of the old Former Yan capital Longcheng (龍城, in modern Jinzhou, Liaoning), and he remained in that post for several years, apparently greatly favored by the people of the region. In 386, Murong Chui created him the Prince of Liaoxi.
Beijing, alternately romanized as Peking, is the capital of the People's Republic of China, the world's third most populous city proper, and most populous capital city. The city, located in northern China, is governed as a municipality under the direct administration of central government with 16 urban, suburban, and rural districts. Beijing Municipality is surrounded by Hebei Province with the exception of neighboring Tianjin Municipality to the southeast; together the three divisions form the Jingjinji metropolitan region and the national capital region of China.
Tianjin, alternately romanized as Tientsin, is a coastal metropolis in northern China and one of the nine national central cities of the People's Republic of China (PRC), with a total population of 15,621,200 as of 2016 estimation. Its built-up area, made up of 12 central districts, was home to 12,491,300 inhabitants in 2016 and is also the world's 29th-largest agglomeration and 11th-most populous city proper.
Hebei is a province of China in the North China region. The modern province was established in 1911 as Zhili Province or Chihli Province. Its one-character abbreviation is "冀" (Jì), named after Ji Province, a Han dynasty province (zhou) that included what is now southern Hebei. The name Hebei literally means "north of the river", referring to its location entirely to the north of the Yellow River.
In 389, believing that there were no longer matters for him to attend to in the You/Ping region, Murong Nong submitted a report to Murong Chui requesting a recall to the capital Zhongshan (中山, in modern Baoding, Hebei), stating, in part:
Baoding is a prefecture-level city in central Hebei province, approximately 150 kilometres (93 mi) southwest of Beijing. At the 2010 census, Baoding City had 11,194,372 inhabitants out of which 2,176,857 lived in the built-up area made of 3 urban districts and Qingyuan and Mancheng counties largely being conurbated, on 1,840 km2 (710 sq mi). Baoding is among 13 Chinese cities with a population of over 10 million, ranking seventh.
I initially advanced my forces here to suppress rebels, and I was ordered to keep these provinces safe. My soldiers have rested for several years, and there are still many bandits in Qing (青州, modern central and eastern Shandong), Xu (徐州, modern northern Jiangsu and Anhui), Jing (荊州, modern Hubei), and Yong (雍州, modern central and northern Shaanxi) Provinces. I hope that soon someone will succeed me here, so that I may return and expend all my effort for the empire -- so that I do not have unspent strength while I am alive and regrets when I die.
(At that time, Qing, Xu, and Jing Provinces were under Jin rule, while Yong Province was under Later Qin, so Murong Nong was showing his ambition in conquering or at least defeating Jin and Later Qin.)
The Later Qin, also known as Yao Qin (姚秦), was a state of Qiang ethnicity of the Sixteen Kingdoms during the Jin dynasty (265-420) in China. The Later Qin is entirely distinct from the Qin dynasty, the Former Qin and the Western Qin.
Murong Chui, upon receiving the report, summoned Murong Nong to the capital, and had his brother Murong Long the Prince of Gaoyang succeed him at Longcheng. For the next several years, Murong Nong participated in a number of his father's campaigns and was particularly effective in the campaign that destroyed the independent state of Wei and its emperor Zhai Zhao in 392. He also played a major role in Later Yan's destruction of Western Yan in 394, allowing Later Yan to seize modern Shanxi. In 394, Murong Nong attacked Jin's Qing Province, then under the governance of former Later Yan vassal Bilü Hun (辟閭渾) and had some success against Bilü, but around the new year 395, for reasons unknown, Murong Chui ordered him to return to Zhongshan and abandon the campaign.
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.
Murong Nong's aura of invincibility, however, began to wane in 395—albeit in a campaign that he was not the supreme commander of. That year, aggravated by the harassing raids by the former Later Yan vassal Northern Wei's prince Tuoba Gui, Murong Chui sent Murong Bao to command an 80,000-men army, with Murong Nong and Murong Lin as his assistant commanders, to try to crush Northern Wei. However, after stalemates with Northern Wei near Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, Murong Bao retreated after false reports of Murong Chui's death—and was, in retreat, crushed by Tuoba Gui at the Battle of Canhe Slope, with loss of nearly the entire army. Murong Nong was, along with his brothers, able to escape death.
In early 396, Murong Chui personally led forces to try to force Northern Wei's submission, and Murong Nong and Murong Long were the forward commanders. They had initial successes against Northern Wei, 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, and he made Murong Nong the viceroy of Bing Province (并州, modern central and northern Shanxi) to guard against a Northern Wei attack. However, Murong Nong immediately made the mistakes of collecting food for his troops—too much for the local population, then suffering from a famine, to support—and sending military officers to watch over non-Han tribes. The people became resolved to revolt, and they sent messengers to Northern Wei, requesting Tuoba Gui to advance on Bing Province. In late fall 396, he arrived at the capital of the province, Jinyang (晉陽, in modern Taiyuan, Shanxi), and when Murong Nong engaged Tuoba Gui in battle, Tuoba Gui defeated him, and he was forced to flee back to Zhongshan, but his wife and children were captured by Northern Wei and he himself was wounded.
Tuoba Gui continued his advance on Zhongshan. Murong Bao gave Murong Nong a small force to command in the defense of Zhongshan, but most of the military matters were entrusted to Murong Lin the Prince of Zhao, who advised Murong Bao not to engage Northern Wei forces, much to the frustration of Murong Nong and Murong Long. 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.
Murong Bao, who settled in at Longcheng, made Murong Nong his prime minister. At Murong Nong's suggestion, Murong Bao initially stopped his thoughts of regaining the lost provinces, but in early 398, against the advice of Murong Nong and Murong Sheng the Prince of Changle, Murong Bao resolved to try to advance south—but his army was worn out. As soon as Murong Bao left Longcheng, his general Duan Sugu (段速骨) started a rebellion, and the army abandoned Murong Bao, who immediately fled back to Longcheng. Meanwhile, Duan, having forced Murong Long's son Murong Chong (慕容崇) the Prince of Gaoyang as leader, sieged Longcheng. Even with secret help from Lan Han the Prince of Dunqiu—Murong Chui's uncle—however, Duan was initially unsuccessful, until Murong Nong inexplicably, in fear of his life, surrendered to him. This greatly destroyed the morale of Longcheng's defense forces, as everyone relied on Murong Nong's leadership, and Longcheng fell to Duan. Duan imprisoned Murong Nong, but his strategist Ajiao Luo (阿交羅) suggested that Murong Nong might be a better puppet than Murong Chong. Upon hearing this news, however, Murong Chong's attendants Zong Rang (鬷讓) and Chuli Jian (出力犍) assassinated Ajiao and Murong Nong.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
Related Research Articles
Murong Huang, courtesy name Yuanzhen (元真), formally Prince Wenming of (Former) Yan ( 燕文明王) was a ruler of the Xianbei state Former Yan and the commonly recognized founder of the state. When he first succeeded his father Murong Hui in 333, he carried the Jin Dynasty (265-420)-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. After his son Murong Jun completely broke away from Jin and claimed the title of emperor in 353, he was posthumoustly honored as Emperor Wenming of (Former) Yan with the temple name Taizu (太祖).
Murong Jun, courtesy name Xuanying (宣英), formally Emperor Jingzhao of (Former) Yan ( 燕景昭帝), was an emperor of Former Yan. He was the state's second ruler, but after first using the Jin Dynasty (265-420)-created title of Prince of Yan, was the first to use imperial title, as during his reign the state expanded from possessing merely modern Liaoning and parts of Hebei to nearly all of the territory north of the Yellow River and some substantial holdings south of the Yellow River.
Empress Kezuhun was an empress consort and empress dowager of the Chinese/Xianbei state Former Yan. Her husband was Murong Jun, who was succeeded by their son Murong Wei.
Murong Hong was the founder of the 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.
Murong Chong, formally Emperor Wei of (Western) Yan ( 燕威帝), was an emperor of the Western Yan. He was a son of the Former Yan emperor Murong Jun and a younger brother of Former Yan emperor Murong Wei.
Murong Yong, courtesy name Shuming (叔明), was the last emperor of the Xianbei state Western Yan. He was the grandson of Murong Yun (慕容運), the uncle of Former Yan's founder Murong Huang. As a member of Former Yan's imperial clan, he was moved to Guanzhong, Former Qin's capital region, when Former Qin destroyed Former Yan in 370. He was described as poor, and he and his wife made their living by selling boots.
Murong Chui, courtesy name Daoming (道明), formally Emperor Wucheng of (Later) Yan ( 燕武成帝) was a great general of the Chinese/Xianbei state Former Yan who later became the founding emperor of Later Yan. He was a controversial figure in Chinese history, as his military abilities were plain, but as he was forced to flee Former Yan due to the jealousies of the regent Murong Ping, he was taken in and trusted by the Former Qin emperor Fu Jiān, but later betrayed him and established Later Yan, leading to a reputation of him as a traitor. Further, his reputation was damaged in that soon after his death, the Later Yan state suffered great defeats at the hands of Northern Wei Dynasty's founder Emperor Daowu, leading to the general sense that Murong Chui contributed to the defeats by not building a sound foundation for the empire and by choosing the wrong successor.
Murong Bao, courtesy name Daoyou (道佑), formally Emperor Huimin of (Later) Yan ( 燕惠愍帝), temple name Liezong (烈宗) or Liezu (烈祖), was an emperor of the Chinese/Xianbei state Later Yan. He inherited from his father Murong Chui a sizable empire but lost most of it within a span of a year, and would be dead in less than three, a victim of a rebellion by his granduncle Lan Han. Historians largely attributed this to his irresolution and inability to judge military and political decisions. While Later Yan would last for one more decade after his death, it would never regain the power it had under Murong Chui.
Murong Long (慕容隆), 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 and a brother of Murong Bao, 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.
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. He was known both for his abilities and his treachery, and he betrayed both his father and his brothers Murong Ling (慕容令) and Murong Bao on separate occasions. Eventually, he was executed by his uncle Murong De, the founder of Southern Yan.
Murong Hui (慕容會) (373–397) was a general and imperial prince of the Xianbei state Later Yan, who served under his grandfather Murong Chui and father Murong Bao. During his father's reign, angry that he was not created crown prince, he tried to seize that position by force, but after his failure was killed.
Lan Han was an official of the Xianbei state Later Yan, who killed the emperor Murong Bao in 398 and briefly took over the regime before being killed by Murong Bao's son Murong Sheng.
Emperor Daowu of Northern Wei ( 魏道武帝) (371–409), personal name Tuoba Gui (拓拔珪), né Tuoba Shegui (拓拔渉珪), was the founding emperor of the 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 eventual successor to the Dai throne. After Former Qin fell into disarray in 383 following its defeat by Jin forces at the Battle of Fei River, Tuoba Gui took the opportunity to reestablish Dai in 386, but soon changing the state's name to Wei and declared himself a prince. He was initially a vassal of Later Yan. However, after he defeated the Later Yan emperor Murong Bao in 397 and seized most of Later Yan's territory, he claimed imperial title in 398.
Empress Murong, formally Empress Daowu (道武皇后), was an empress of the Chinese/Xianbei dynasty Northern Wei Dynasty. Her husband was the founding emperor Emperor Daowu.
Murong Sheng, courtesy name Daoyun (道運), formally Emperor Zhaowu of (Later) Yan ( 燕昭武帝), was an emperor of the Xianbei state Later Yan. He was the oldest son of Murong Bao, and after Murong Bao was killed by Lan Han avenged his father in a coup and took the throne. For a large part of his reign, he used the title "Commoner Heavenly Prince" instead of emperor.
Murong De, name changed in 400 to Murong Beide (慕容備德), courtesy name Xuanming (玄明), formally Emperor Xianwu of (Southern) Yan ( 燕獻武帝), was the founding emperor of the Chinese/Xianbei state Southern Yan. He was the son of Former Yan's founding prince Murong Huang and younger brother to both Former Yan emperor Murong Jun and Later Yan emperor Murong Chui, and therefore was an imperial prince and general during the times of both states. After Murong Chui's son Murong Bao lost most of Later Yan's territory to Northern Wei, Murong De took troops under his own command south and established Southern Yan, which secured modern Shandong, but failed to expand further, and was destroyed by Jin Dynasty (265-420) after Murong De's death and succession by his nephew Murong Chao.
Murong Xi, courtesy name Daowen (道文), formally Emperor Zhaowen of (Later) Yan ( 燕昭文帝), was an emperor of the Xianbei state Later Yan. He was one of the youngest sons of Murong Chui, and after the death of his nephew Murong Sheng became emperor due to his affair with Murong Sheng's mother, Empress Dowager Ding. He was regarded as a cruel and capricious ruler, who acted at the whims of himself and his wife, Empress Fu Xunying, greatly damaging the Later Yan state. After Empress Fu died in 407, he left the capital Longcheng to bury her, and the soldiers in Longcheng took this chance to rebel and replace him with Murong Bao's adopted son Murong Yun, and Murong Xi himself was captured and killed.
Murong Chao, courtesy name Zuming (祖明), was the last emperor of the Chinese/Xianbei state Southern Yan. He was the nephew of the founding emperor Murong De who was trapped under the rule of Later Qin, but was welcomed to Southern Yan after his uncle found out about his existence. Because Murong De had no surviving sons, Murong Chao inherited his throne after his death in 405. Initially considered able, Murong Chao turned out to be capricious and thoroughly unwilling to accept criticism once he became emperor, and after he provoked Jin, the Jin general Liu Yu captured and killed him in 410, ending Southern Yan.
Gao Yun (高雲),, at one time Murong Yun (慕容雲), courtesy name Ziyu (子雨), formally Emperor Huiyi of (Later)/(Northern) Yan, was an emperor who, depending on the historian's characterization, was either the last emperor of the Xianbei state Later Yan, or the first emperor of its succeeding state Northern Yan. He was ethnically Korean and a descendant of the royal house of Goguryeo, whose ancestors were captured by Former Yan. He was adopted into the Later Yan imperial house after helping the emperor Murong Bao put down a rebellion by Murong Bao's son Murong Hui. He became emperor after the people rebelled against the despotic rule of his adoptive uncle Murong Xi, and during his reign, he used the title "Heavenly Prince". In 409, he was assassinated, and after a disturbance, was replaced by his ethnic Han chinese general Feng Ba.
Battle of Canhe Slope (參合陂之戰) 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. Later Yan forces were led by its crown prince Murong Bao and enjoyed some initial successes, but after being frustrated by the containment strategy by Northern Wei's prince Tuoba Gui, withdrew. Tuoba Gui then gave chase and crushed Later Yan forces at Canhe Slope (Canhebei，参合陂). He captured a large number of Later Yan forces as captive, but in fear that releasing them would allow a future Later Yan campaign against Northern Wei, slaughtered them. The battle reversed the power relations between Later Yan and Northern Wei. After Later Yan's emperor Murong Chui died in 396 and Murong Bao succeeded to the throne, Northern Wei would launch a debilitating campaign of conquest against Later Yan, and by 398 had captured most of Later Yan's territory, reducing Later Yan to a small regional state.
