Murong Yi (Chinese:慕容顗; died 386) was a ruler of the Xianbei state Western Yan. He was a son of the Former Yan Prince of Yidu, Murong Huan (慕容桓), a son of the founder of Former Yan, Murong Huang.
Traditional Chinese characters are Chinese characters in any character set that does not contain newly created characters or character substitutions performed after 1946. They are most commonly the characters in the standardized character sets of Taiwan, of Hong Kong and Macau, and in the Kangxi Dictionary. The modern shapes of traditional Chinese characters first appeared with the emergence of the clerical script during the Han Dynasty, and have been more or less stable since the 5th century.
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 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 (265-420) at the Battle of Fei River, with the stated intent of permitting the Xianbei, whom Former Qin's emperor Fu Jiān had relocated to Former Qin's capital region after destroying Former Yan in 370. It initially also was intended to rescue the last Former Yan emperor Murong Wei, until he was executed by Fu Jiān in 385. It was a state that was characterized by extreme political instability and internal fighting, as all seven of its rulers died of unnatural causes. After eviscerating Former Qin, the people of the state abandoned the Guanzhong region and headed east back toward their homeland, but eventually settled down in modern Shanxi. It was destroyed in 394 as Later Yan's emperor Murong Chui wanted to reunite the people formerly of Yan and conquered it.
In 386, after the temporary ruler Duan Sui was ambushed and killed by Murong Heng (慕容恆) and Murong Yong, they supported Murong Yi as the Prince of Yan. The Western Yan people—400,000 men and women—then abandoned Chang'an, which had been the Former Qin capital but had been captured by the prior Western Yan ruler Murong Chong -- to head back to their homeland in the east. While on the journey, however, Murong Heng's brother Murong Tao (慕容韜) killed Murong Yi at Linjin (臨晉, in modern Weinan, Shaanxi). He was replaced by Murong Chong's son Murong Yao.
Duan Sui was a ruler of the Xianbei state Western Yan. He was the only ruler of the short-lived state who was not a member of the Murong clan, the imperial clan of Yan.
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.
Chang'an was an ancient capital of more than ten dynasties in Chinese history, today known as Xi'an. Chang'an means "Perpetual Peace" in Classical Chinese since it was a capital that was repeatedly used by new Chinese rulers. During the short-lived Xin dynasty, the city was renamed "Constant Peace" ; the old name was later restored. By the time of the Ming dynasty, a new walled city named Xi'an, meaning "Western Peace", was built at the Sui and Tang dynasty city's site, which has remained its name to the present day.
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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 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.
Fu Pi, courtesy name Yongshu (永叔), formally Emperor Aiping of (Former) Qin ( 秦哀平帝), was an emperor of the Chinese/Di state Former Qin. He was Fu Jiān's oldest son, although not his crown prince, and after Fu Jiān's death at the hands of Yao Chang, the founder of Later Qin, and his brother Fu Hong (苻宏) the Crown Prince was forced to flee to Jin, he claimed imperial title in 385, but was defeated by the Western Yan prince Murong Yong in 386, and then subsequently killed by the Jin general Feng Gai (馮該).
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 Yao was an emperor of the Xianbei state Western Yan. He was the son of Murong Chong, the son of the Former Yan emperor Murong Jun.
Murong Zhong was an emperor of the Xianbei state Western Yan. He was the son of Western Yan's founder, Murong Hong the Prince of Jibei, a son of the Former Yan emperor Murong Jun.
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 Nong (慕容農), 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 and a brother of Murong Bao. 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.
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.
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 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.
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.
