Former Yan

The Former Yan (Chinese: 前燕; pinyin: Qiányàn; 337-370) 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 (265-420)-created title "Prince of Yan," but subsequently, in 352, after seizing most of the former Later Zhao territory, Murong Jun would declare himself emperor, and after that point, the rulers of the Former Yan declared themselves "emperors".

History

In winter 342, the Xianbei of Former Yan, ruled by the Murong clan, attacked Goguryeo's capital, and destroying the capital Hwando and forcing its King Gogukwon to flee for a while. The Xianbei used the Goguryeo people for slave labor. Buyeo was also destroyed by the Xianbei in 346, the Korean peninsula also became subject to Xianbei migration.^[7] The Xianbei enslaved 50,000 men and women from Goguryeo in addition to taking the queen mother and queen prisoner after the capital was seized during their 342 invasion of Goguryeo.^[8]

Their capital was Yen (Beijing) in 350, then Ye (Changteh) in 357, and finally Loyang in 364.^[9]

Rulers of the Former Yan

See also

• Xianbei
• List of past Chinese ethnic groups
• Wu Hu

Notes and references

1. ^ "兩千年中西曆轉換". Sinica.edu.tw. Retrieved 2011-08-03. 
2. ^ Zizhi Tongjian, vol. 95.
3. ^ "兩千年中西曆轉換". Sinica.edu.tw. Retrieved 2011-08-03. 
4. ^ Zizhi Tongjian, vol. 99.
5. ^ "兩千年中西曆轉換". Sinica.edu.tw. Retrieved 2011-08-03. 
6. ^ Zizhi Tongjian, vol. 102.
7. ^ Charles Roger Tennant (1996). A history of Korea (illustrated ed.). Kegan Paul International. p. 22.  
8. ^ Chinul (1991). Buswell, Robert E., ed. Tracing Back the Radiance: Chinul's Korean Way of Zen. Translated by Robert E. Buswell (abridged ed.). University of Hawaii Press. p. 4.  
9. ^ Grousset, Rene (1970). The Empire of the Steppes. Rutgers University Press. p. 58.