Former Yan

Yan
Former Yan in 338 AD
Former Yan in 338 AD
Former Yan in 369 AD
Former Yan in 369 AD
CapitalJicheng (棘城) (337–342)
Longcheng (342–350)
Jicheng (薊城) (350–357)
Yecheng (357–370)
GovernmentMonarchy
Emperor 
• 337–348
Murong Huang
• 348–360
Murong Jun
• 360–370
Murong Wei
History 
• Murong Huang's claim of princely title
23 November 337[1][2]
• Murong Jun's claim of imperial title
4 January 353[3][4]
• Fall of Yecheng
11 December 370[5][6]
• Disestablished
370
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Jin dynasty (266–420)
Ran Wei
Later Zhao
Duan Qi
Former Qin
Today part ofChina

Yan, known in historiography as the Former Yan (Chinese: 前燕; pinyin: Qián Yān; 337–370), was a dynastic state of China ruled by the Murong clan of the Xianbei during the Sixteen Kingdoms period. From Liaoning, the Former Yan later conquered and ruled over Hebei, Shaanxi, Shandong and Henan at its peak. They were notably the first of several Xianbei states to have establish their rule over the Central Plains. The prefix of "Former" is used in historiography to distinguish them from the other Yan states that came after them such as Later Yan.

Initially, Murong Huang and his son Murong Jun claimed the Eastern Jin-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". The Yan changed their capital from time to time, with their last capital, Ye being the most prestigious due to its status as a major population hub.

  1. ^ ([咸康三年]冬,十月,丁卯,皝即燕王位,...)
  2. ^ Zizhi Tongjian, vol. 95.
  3. ^ ([永和八年]十一月,...戊辰,俊即皇帝位,...)
  4. ^ Zizhi Tongjian, vol. 99.
  5. ^ ([太和五年]十一月,....戊寅,燕散骑侍郎馀蔚帅扶馀、高句丽及上党质子五百馀人,夜,开邺北门,纳秦兵,...)
  6. ^ Zizhi Tongjian, vol. 102.