| Wang Yan 王衍 | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emperor of the Greater Shu | |||||||||||||
| 2nd Emperor of Former Shu | |||||||||||||
| Reign | July 12, 918[1][2] – December 15, 925[3][2] | ||||||||||||
| Predecessor | Wang Jian | ||||||||||||
| Born | 899[4] | ||||||||||||
| Died | 926[3] | ||||||||||||
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| House | Wang | ||||||||||||
| Dynasty | Former Shu | ||||||||||||
Wang Yan (Chinese: 王衍) (899–926), né Wang Zongyan (王宗衍), courtesy name Huayuan (化源), also known in historiography as Houzhu of Former Shu (前蜀後主; "last lord of Former Shu"), later posthumously created the Duke of Shunzheng (順正公) by the Later Tang dynasty, was the second and final emperor of China's Former Shu dynasty during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period. He was the youngest son of founding emperor Wang Jian (Emperor Gaozu), but became his heir because his mother Consort Xu was Wang Jian's favorite concubine and was able to gain the support of the chancellor Zhang Ge.
Wang Yan's reign was traditionally considered one of decadence, corruption, and incompetence. In 925, his state was conquered by its northeastern neighbor Later Tang. Wang Yan surrendered to the Later Tang army, but was later killed by Emperor Zhuangzong of Later Tang.