Western Yan
| Western Yan (西燕) 燕 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 384–394 | |||||||||
 | |||||||||
| Capital |
Chang'an (385-386) Zhangzi (386-394) | ||||||||
| Emperor | |||||||||
• 384 | Murong Hong | ||||||||
• 384-386 | Murong Chong | ||||||||
• 386-394 | Murong Yong | ||||||||
| History | |||||||||
• Established | 384 | ||||||||
• Murong Chong's claim of imperial title | 27 January 385[1][2] | ||||||||
• Capturing of Chang'an | 385 | ||||||||
• Abandoning of Chang'an | 386 | ||||||||
• Settling at Zhangzi | 386 | ||||||||
• Disestablished | 394 | ||||||||
| |||||||||
The Western Yan (Chinese: 西燕; pinyin: Xīyàn; 384-394) 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 (during a short span of 10 years) 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.
Some rulers of the Western Yan declared themselves emperors while some declared themselves wang (translatable as either "king" or "prince").
Rulers of the Western Yan
| Temple names | Posthumous names | Family names and given name | Durations of reigns | Era names and their according durations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Did not exist | Did not exist | 慕容泓 Mùróng Hóng | 384 | Yanxing (燕興 Yànxīng) 384 |
| Did not exist | Wei (威 wēi) | 慕容沖 Mùróng Chōng | 384-386 | Yanxing (燕興 Yànxīng) 384 Gengshi (更始 Gèngshǐ) 385-386 |
| Did not exist | Did not exist | 段隨 Duàn Suí | 386 | Changping (昌平 Chāngpíng) 386 |
| Did not exist | Did not exist | 慕容顗 Mùróng Yǐ | 386 | Jianming (建明 Jiànmíng) 386 |
| Did not exist | Did not exist | 慕容瑤 Mùróng Yáo | 386 | Jianping (建平 Jiànpíng) 386 |
| Did not exist | Did not exist | 慕容忠 Mùróng Zhōng | 386 | Jianwu (建武 Jiànwǔ) 386 |
| Did not exist | Did not exist | 慕容永 Mùróng Yǒng | 386-394 | Zhongxing (中興 Zhōngxīng) 386-394 |