Murong Sheng
Encyclopedia
Yan Zhaowudi ((後)燕昭武帝)
Family name
Chinese name
Personal names in Chinese culture follow a number of conventions different from those of personal names in Western cultures. Most noticeably, a Chinese name is written with the family name first and the given name next, therefore "John-Paul Smith" as a Chinese name would be "Smith John-Paul"...

:
Murong
Murong
Murong refers to an ethnic Xianbei tribe who are a Mongolic people attested from the time of Tanshihuai . Different strands of evidence exist linking the Murong to the language family of Mongols. Murong is also a Chinese surname...

 (慕容; mù róng)
Given name
Chinese name
Personal names in Chinese culture follow a number of conventions different from those of personal names in Western cultures. Most noticeably, a Chinese name is written with the family name first and the given name next, therefore "John-Paul Smith" as a Chinese name would be "Smith John-Paul"...

:
Sheng (盛, shèng)
Temple name
Temple name
Temple names are commonly used when naming most Chinese, Korean , and Vietnamese royalty. They should not be confused with era names. Compared to posthumous names, the use of temple names is more exclusive...

:
Zhongzong (中宗, zhōng zōng)
Posthumous name
Posthumous name
A posthumous name is an honorary name given to royalty, nobles, and sometimes others, in East Asia after the person's death, and is used almost exclusively instead of one's personal name or other official titles during his life...

:
Zhaowu (昭武, zhāo wǔ)
literary meaning:
"accomplished and martial"


Murong Sheng (慕容盛) (373–401), courtesy name Daoyun (道運), formally Emperor Zhaowu of (Later) Yan ((後)燕昭武帝), was an emperor
Emperor
An emperor is a monarch, usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife or a woman who rules in her own right...

 of the Chinese
History of China
Chinese civilization originated in various regional centers along both the Yellow River and the Yangtze River valleys in the Neolithic era, but the Yellow River is said to be the Cradle of Chinese Civilization. With thousands of years of continuous history, China is one of the world's oldest...

/Xianbei
Xianbei
The Xianbei were a significant Mongolic nomadic people residing in Manchuria, Inner Mongolia and eastern Mongolia. The title “Khan” was first used among the Xianbei.-Origins:...

 state Later Yan
Later Yan
The Later Yan was a Murong-Xianbei state, located in modern day northeast China, during the era of Sixteen Kingdoms in China.All rulers of the Later Yan declared themselves "emperors". Later Yan fell to the Goguryeo dynasty.-Rulers of the Later Yan:...

. He was the oldest son of Murong Bao
Murong Bao
Murong Bao , courtesy name Daoyou , formally Emperor Huimin of Yan , temple name Liezong or Liezu , was an emperor of the Chinese/Xianbei state Later Yan...

 (Emperor Huimin), and after Murong Bao was killed by Lan Han
Lan Han
Lan Han was an official of the Chinese/Xianbei state Later Yan, who killed the emperor Murong Bao in 398 and briefly took over the regime before being killed by Murong Bao's son Murong Sheng ....

 (Murong Sheng's father-in-law) avenged his father in a coup and took the throne. For a large part of his reign, he used the title "Commoner Heavenly Prince" (庶人天王, Shu Ren Tian Wang
Tian Wang
Tian Wang , translatable as either "heavenly prince" or "heavenly king," was a Chinese regal title that was most frequently used during the Sixteen Kingdoms era, among the kingdoms founded by members of the Wu Hu tribes, often used as an intermediate stage from claiming a prince/king title to an...

) instead of emperor.

Murong Sheng was described as a talented strategist and general, but he overreacted to what he perceived to be his father's weaknesses—being overly lenient and weak—and was harsh in his reign, causing his officials to be constantly insecure and looking to rebel against him. In one of those rebellions in 401, he was stricken by a rebel soldier and died from his injuries. He was succeeded by his uncle Murong Xi
Murong Xi
Murong Xi , courtesy name Daowen , formally Emperor Zhaowen of Yan , was an emperor of the Chinese/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...

 (Emperor Zhaowen).

Under Former Qin and Western Yan rule

Murong Sheng was born in 373, to Murong Bao
Murong Bao
Murong Bao , courtesy name Daoyou , formally Emperor Huimin of Yan , temple name Liezong or Liezu , was an emperor of the Chinese/Xianbei state Later Yan...

 and his concubine Lady Ding
Empress Dowager Ding
Empress Dowager Ding , formally Empress Xianyou was an empress dowager of the Chinese/Xianbei state Later Yan...

, and was likely born in or near the Former Qin
Former Qin
The Former Qin was a state of the Sixteen Kingdoms in China. Founded by the Fu family of the Di ethnicity, it completed the unification of North China in 376. Its capital had been Xi'an up to the death of the ruler Fu Jiān. Despite its name, the Former Qin was much later and less powerful than...

 capital Chang'an
Chang'an
Chang'an is an ancient capital of more than ten dynasties in Chinese history, today known as Xi'an. Chang'an literally means "Perpetual Peace" in Classical Chinese. During the short-lived Xin Dynasty, the city was renamed "Constant Peace" ; yet after its fall in AD 23, the old name was restored...

, since Murong Bao was then a low-level official there. The first historical reference to him was around the new year 385, when the Former Qin emperor Fu Jiān
Fu Jian
Fu Jian may refer to:* Fú Jiàn , founding emperor of Former Qin, posthumous name Emperor Jingming* Fú Jiān , ruler of Former Qin, posthumous name Emperor Xuanzhao-See also:...

, in response to an attempted rebellion by the former Former Yan
Former Yan
The Former Yan 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 -created title "Prince of Yan," but subsequently, in 352, after seizing most of the former Later Zhao territory, Murong Juan would...

 emperor Murong Wei
Murong Wei
Murong Wei , courtesy name Jingmao , formally Emperor You of Yan was the last emperor of the Chinese/Xianbei state Former Yan...

, ordered all Xianbei in Chang'an executed. (Murong Sheng's grandfather Murong Chui
Murong Chui
Murong Chui , courtesy name Daoming , formally Emperor Wucheng of Yan was a great general of the Chinese/Xianbei state Former Yan who later became the founding emperor of Later Yan...

 (Emperor Wucheng) had already rebelled late 383 and established Later Yan in 384.) Murong Sheng's uncle Murong Rou (慕容柔) was not executed, since he had been previously adopted by the eunuch
Eunuch
A eunuch is a person born male most commonly castrated, typically early enough in his life for this change to have major hormonal consequences...

 Song Ya (宋牙), and Murong Rou presumably put Murong Sheng and his brother Murong Hui
Murong Hui (Later Yan)
Murong Hui was a general and imperial prince of the Chinese/Xianbei state Later Yan, who served under his grandfather Murong Chui and father Murong Bao...

 under his protection, for soon thereafter Murong Rou, Murong Sheng, and Murong Hui fled out of Chang'an and sought refuge with another former Forman Yan prince, Murong Chong
Murong Chong
Murong Chong , formally Emperor Wei of Yan , was an emperor of the Chinese/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....

, a cousin of Murong Sheng's, who had also led a rebellion against Former Qin near Chang'an.

In spring 385, upon hearing news that Murong Wei had been killed, Murong Chong declared himself emperor (with his state later known as Western Yan
Western Yan
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 at the Battle of Fei River, with the stated intent of permitting the Xianbei, whom Former Qin's emperor Fu...

). Murong Sheng was, however, not impressed with Murong Chong, and he secretly told Murong Rou that he believed that Murong Chong will amount to nothing. His judgment was correct, for although Murong Chong captured Chang'an in summer 385, he did not govern his people well, and his Xianbei people became resentful that he stayed in Chang'an (both because he liked the city and because he feared Murong Chui) rather than seeking to head back east to their homeland. In spring 386, the general Han Yan (韓延) assassinated Murong Chong. Western Yan forces than abandoned Chang'an and headed east, toward home—a journey during which they went through a succession of five more leaders (Duan Sui
Duan Sui
Duan Sui was a ruler of the Chinese/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 Former Yan....

, Murong Yi
Murong Yi
Murong Yi was a ruler of the Chinese/Xianbei state Western Yan. He was a son of the Former Yan Prince of Yidu, Murong Huan , a son of the founder of Former Yan, Murong Huang....

, Murong Yao
Murong Yao
Murong Yao was an emperor of the Chinese/Xianbei state Western Yan. He was the son of Murong Chong , the son of the Former Yan emperor Murong Jun....

, Murong Zhong
Murong Zhong
Murong Zhong was an emperor of the Chinese/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....

, and Murong Yong
Murong Yong
Murong Yong , courtesy name Shuming , was the last emperor of the Chinese/Xianbei state Western Yan. He was the grandson of Murong Yun , 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...

) within a span of a few months, with the regime stabilizing under Murong Yong, who settled down at the capital of Zhangzi (長子, in modern Changzhi
Changzhi
Changzhi is a prefecture-level city in Shanxi Province, People's Republic of China. It lies between the city of Huozhou in Shanxi and the city of Hebi in Henan....

, Shanxi
Shanxi
' is a province in Northern China. Its one-character abbreviation is "晋" , after the state of Jin that existed here during the Spring and Autumn Period....

). Murong Sheng, along with his uncle Murong Rou and brother Murong Hui, settled in as well.

Several months later, however, in winter 386, Murong Sheng warned Murong Rou and Murong Hui that, because of their status as Murong Chui's family, they were being suspected by Murong Yong (a distant cousin). At his urging, the three of them fled back to Later Yan. (His observations turned out to be astute, as a year later, Murong Yong had all descendants of Murong Chui and the Former Yan emperor Murong Jun
Murong Jun
Murong Jun , courtesy name Xuanying , formally Emperor Jingzhao of Yan , was an emperor of the Chinese state Former Yan...

 (Murong Chui's older brother) remaining in his state slaughtered.) It took several months for them to reach the Later Yan capital Zhongshan (中山, in modern Baoding
Baoding
-Administrative divisions:Baoding prefecture-level city consists of 3 municipal districts, 4 county-level cities, 18 counties:-Demographics:The Baoding urban area has a population of around 1,006,000 . The population of the Baoding administrative area is 10,890,000. The considerable majority are...

, Hebei
Hebei
' is a province of the People's Republic of China in the North China region. Its one-character abbreviation is "" , named after Ji Province, a Han Dynasty province that included what is now southern Hebei...

). Murong Chui was very pleased at their arrival and declared a general pardon to celebrate. When Murong Chui asked Murong Sheng how things were in Zhangzi, Murong Sheng, at age 14, told him that Western Yan was in a state of disturbance and that Murong Chui, as long as he was able to rule his state will, that when he got ready to attack Western Yan, Murong Yong's soldiers would desert him. Murong Chui created him the Duke of Changle.

During Murong Chui's reign

In 389, at the age of 16, Murong Sheng was put in charge by Murong Chui of the old Former Yan capital Jicheng (薊城, in modern Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...

). In 391, he was given the title of viceroy
Viceroy
A viceroy is a royal official who runs a country, colony, or province in the name of and as representative of the monarch. The term derives from the Latin prefix vice-, meaning "in the place of" and the French word roi, meaning king. A viceroy's province or larger territory is called a viceroyalty...

. He remained there until around the new year 396, when, in light of his father Murong Bao's defeat by Northern Wei
Northern Wei
The Northern Wei Dynasty , also known as the Tuoba Wei , Later Wei , or Yuan Wei , was a dynasty which ruled northern China from 386 to 534 . It has been described as "part of an era of political turbulence and intense social and cultural change"...

's prince Tuoba Gui
Emperor Daowu of Northern Wei
Emperor Daowu of Northern Wei , personal name Tuoba Gui , né Tuoba Shegui , was the founding emperor of the Chinese/Xianbei dynasty Northern Wei. He was the grandson of the last prince of Dai, Tuoba Shiyijian, and after the fall of the Dai state to Former Qin in 376 had been presumed to be the...

 at the Battle of Canhe Slope
Battle of Canhe Slope
Battle of Canhe Slope 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...

, Murong Chui recalled Murong Sheng and his uncle Murong Long
Murong Long
Murong Long , formally Prince Kang of Gaoyang , was a general and imperial prince of the Chinese/Xianbei state Later Yan...

 (the viceroy at another old Former Yan capital, Longcheng (龍城, in modern Jinzhou
Jinzhou
Jinzhou , is a prefecture-level city of Liaoning province, China. It is a geographically strategic city located in the "Liaoxi Corridor" , which connects land transportation between North China and Northeast China. Jinzhou is China's northernmost seaport and the coastal economic center of West...

, Liaoning
Liaoning
' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the northeast of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "辽" , a name taken from the Liao River that flows through the province. "Níng" means "peace"...

) back to Zhongshan with their troops, to prepare for another attack on Northern Wei. In spring 396, Murong Chui's campaign against Northern Wei was initially successful, but he then got ill and was forced to withdraw back to Zhongshan, and he died on the way. Murong Bao succeeded him.

During Murong Bao's reign

Murong Bao then faced a succession issue. Murong Hui, now the Duke of Qinghe, was most favored by Murong Chui and considered the most capable, and when Murong Chui waged his last campaign, he put Murong Hui in charge of Longcheng. As Murong Chui was on his deathbed, he further told Murong Bao to make Murong Hui his crown prince, but Murong Bao favored his young son Murong Ce (慕容策) the Duke of Puyang, and did not favor Murong Hui. Murong Sheng, who was slightly older than Murong Hui, also did not want Murong Hui to be crown prince, and so also encouraged Murong Bao to create Murong Ce crown prince. Murong Bao did so in fall 396, and created Murong Hui and Murong Sheng princes (in Murong Sheng's case, the Prince of Changle). Murong Hui was displeased and secretly considered rebellion.

Later in 396, Northern Wei launched a major attack on Later Yan, quickly taking Bing Province (并州, modern central and northern Shanxi
Shanxi
' is a province in Northern China. Its one-character abbreviation is "晋" , after the state of Jin that existed here during the Spring and Autumn Period....

) and then descending on Zhongshan, putting it under siege. In spring 397, after being unable to force Northern Wei to lift its siege and after Murong Bao's brother Murong Lin
Murong Lin
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...

 the Prince of Zhao rebelled, Murong Bao decided to abandon Zhongshan and flee to Longcheng. Murong Sheng followed his father in joining his brother Murong Hui's army, which had advanced south from Longcheng. Later that year, after Murong Hui killed Murong Long and severely wounded another uncle, Murong Nong
Murong Nong
Murong Nong , formally Prince Huanlie of Liaoxi , 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...

, in an attempted coup to force Murong Bao to create him crown prince, Murong Hui was defeated and killed. Meanwhile, Murong Sheng became one of the major generals.

In 398, against Murong Sheng's and Murong Nong's advice, Murong Bao insisted on launching another campaign to try to regain territory lost to Northern Wei, putting Murong Sheng in charge of Longcheng as he departed. The tired troops mutinied on the way, forcing him to return to Longcheng to defend it with Murong Sheng, but when Murong Nong then inexplicably surrendered to the rebels, Longcheng fell, and Murong Bao and Murong Sheng were forced to flee to Jicheng. Murong Sheng's father-in-law Lan Han
Lan Han
Lan Han was an official of the Chinese/Xianbei state Later Yan, who killed the emperor Murong Bao in 398 and briefly took over the regime before being killed by Murong Bao's son Murong Sheng ....

 then took control of Longcheng and offered to welcome Murong Bao back. Murong Sheng, not trusting his father-in-law, advised his father to secretly advance south to try to join forces with his granduncle Murong De
Murong De
Murong De , name changed in 400 to Murong Beide , courtesy name Xuanming , formally Emperor Xianwu of Yan , was the founding emperor of the Chinese/Xianbei state Southern Yan...

, who had been still defending Yecheng
Ye, China
Ye or Yecheng was an ancient Chinese city located in what is now Linzhang County, Hebei and the neighbouring Anyang County, Henan....

, not realizing that by that point Murong De had abandoned Yecheng and regrouped at Huatai (滑台, in modern Anyang
Anyang
Anyang is a prefecture-level city in Henan province, People's Republic of China. The northernmost city in Henan, Anyang borders Puyang to the east, Hebi and Xinxiang to the south, and the provinces of Shanxi and Hebei to its west and north respectively....

, Henan
Henan
Henan , is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the central part of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "豫" , named after Yuzhou , a Han Dynasty state that included parts of Henan...

) and declared his own independent state of Southern Yan
Southern Yan
The Southern Yan was a state of Xianbei ethnicity during the era of Sixteen Kingdoms in China. Its territory roughly coincided with modern Shandong...

. As Murong Bao and Murong Sheng arrived in vicinity of Huatai, however, they realized this and fled back north again. On the way, Murong Sheng tried to garner support from the people now under Northern Wei rule to coalesce around Murong Bao to start a new resistance, but Murong Bao, now believing in Lan Han's loyalty, was resolved to return to Longcheng despite Murong Sheng's misgivings. Murong Sheng, after being unable to change his father's mind, left his father and hid himself.

His worries about Lan Han turned out to be correct, for as Murong Bao arrived in Longcheng's vicinity, Lan Han had his brother Lan Jia'nan (蘭加難) intercept Murong Bao and kill him. Lan Han then killed Murong Sheng's brother Murong Ce, along with most members of the Murong imperial house, and declared himself the Prince of Changli, apparently having successfully taken over the remaining territories of Later Yan.

Coup against Lan Han

Upon hearing his father's death and Lan Han's coup, Murong Sheng resolved to immediately head to Longcheng to mourn his father, believing that Lan Han would have pity on him, after having killed his father, and would spare him based on his having married Lan Han's daughter. His judgment was correct, and with his wife Princess Lan
Princess Lan
Princess Lan was the wife of Murong Sheng , an emperor of the Chinese/Xianbei state Later Yan, while he was an imperial prince.Princess Lan was the daughter of Lan Han the Prince of Dunqiu and his wife Lady Yi...

's, and her mother Lady Yi's intercession, Murong Sheng was spared, despite repeated requests by Lan Han's brothers Lan Ti (蘭堤) and Lan Jia'nan to have Murong Sheng killed.

Lan Han also spared Murong Qi (慕容奇) the Prince of Taiyuan, whose mother was also a daughter of Lan Han. Murong Sheng and Murong Qi then conspired for Murong Qi to flee out of the city and start an uprising. Murong Sheng, meanwhile, suggested to Lan Han that Lan Ti, not himself, was behind Murong Qi's rebellion. Further, at this time, because of a severe drought, Lan Han went to pray to the Later Yan ancestral temples and Murong Bao's spirit, blaming Murong Bao's murder on Lan Jia'nan. Upon hearing these things, Lan Ti and Lan Jia'nan became angry and started a rebellion of their own. Lan Han's crown prince Lan Mu, meanwhile, suggested that Murong Sheng be killed, and Lan Han initially agreed, but Murong Sheng, upon hearing the news through Princess Lan, declined to attend an imperial meeting that Lan Han called, and Lan Han soon changed his mind.

Soon thereafter, after Lan Mu had won a victory over Lan Ti and Lan Jia'nan, Lan Han held a feast for the soldiers, at which both he and Lan Mu became extremely drunk. Murong Sheng used this opportunity to join some army officers whom he had persuaded to join his cause, and they killed Lan Han and Lan Mu, and then Lan Ti, Lan Jia'nan, and Lan Han's other sons Lan He (蘭和) the Duke of Lu and Lan Yang (蘭揚) the Duke of Chen. Murong Sheng then declared Later Yan's restoration and took the throne, but in order to show humility, did so with his present title of Prince of Changle, rather than claiming imperial title immediately.

Reign

Initially, the people were glad that Murong Sheng was victorious, believing that he would be a capable ruler. That Murong Sheng's reign would be a harsh one, however, was immediately hinted at as he considered executing his wife Princess Lan as being of the traitor Lan Han's family. His mother Consort Ding opposed—citing the fact that Princess Lan had protected both Murong Sheng and her—and Princess Lan was spared, but was never able to become empress. (However, Murong Sheng would also never create another person as empress during his reign.) In winter 398, he formally accepted imperial title, and he honored his father's wife Empress Duan
Empress Duan (Huimin)
Empress Duan , formally Empress Huide , was an empress of the Chinese/Xianbei state Later Yan...

 as empress dowager
Empress Dowager
Empress Dowager was the title given to the mother of a Chinese, Korean, Japanese or Vietnamese emperor.The title was also given occasionally to another woman of the same generation, while a woman from the previous generation was sometimes given the title of Grand empress dowager. Numerous empress...

, while honoring his mother with the title Empress Xianzhuang (獻莊皇后).

Murong Sheng's reign, indeed, was one in which he showed strong personal abilities, and yet at the same time alienated the officials and the people with his harshness. As a result, many officials were executed based on actual or suspected treasonous plots. These included:
  • Fall 398: the general Ma Le (馬勒) and Murong Sheng's cousins Murong Chong (慕容崇, note different character than the Western Yan emperor) the Duke of Gaoyang and Murong Cheng (慕容澄) the Duke of Dongping (sons of Murong Long)
  • Winter 398: the general Murong Hao (慕容豪) (probably a cousin) and the officials Zhang Tong (張通) and Zhang Shun (張順)
  • Spring 399: the officials Liu Zhong (留忠), Liu Zhi (留志), Duan Cheng (段成), and Murong Gen (慕容根) the Duke of Dongyang
  • Spring 399 as well: the generals Zhang Zhen (張真) and He Han (和翰)
  • Fall 399: the general Li Lang (李朗)
  • Winter 399: the general Wei Shuang (衛雙)


However, Murong Sheng was also praised by historians for his attention to ordinary criminal cases, and that he was able to institute a system where he personally heard criminal appeals and was able to discern the truth without resorting to torture (a common interrogation device in Chinese history). Through the next few years, there would be battles with Northern Wei, with neither side being able to decisively gain an advantage.

Around new year 400, Murong Sheng created his son Murong Ding (慕容定) the Duke of Liaoxi. Soon thereafter, Empress Dowager Duan died, and he honored his mother as empress dowager instead and, at the same time, created Murong Ding crown prince. He also soon, to show humility, stopped using the title emperor, instead referring to himself as "Commoner Heavenly Prince."

In fall 401, the generals Murong Guo (慕容國), Qin Yu (秦輿), and Duan Zan (段讚) secretly plotted a coup, but their plot was revealed, and more than 500 people were executed. Five days later, the general Duan Ji (段璣), along with Qin Yu's son Qin Xing (秦興) and Duan Zan's son Duan Tai (段泰) attacked the palace. Murong Sheng personally led the palace guards to fight with the rebels and was initially successful. However, just as things appeared to be settling down, a rebel soldier appeared from his hiding place and stabbed Murong Sheng. Murong Sheng, despite the injury, ordered the guards to clear the palace and go on the correct alert posts, before dying. After his death, his mother Empress Dowager Ding, who had carried on an affair with his uncle Murong Xi
Murong Xi
Murong Xi , courtesy name Daowen , formally Emperor Zhaowen of Yan , was an emperor of the Chinese/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...

, would bypass Crown Prince Ding and make Murong Xi emperor to succeed him.

Personal information

  • Father
    • Murong Bao
      Murong Bao
      Murong Bao , courtesy name Daoyou , formally Emperor Huimin of Yan , temple name Liezong or Liezu , was an emperor of the Chinese/Xianbei state Later Yan...

       (Emperor Huimin)
  • Mother
    • Consort Ding
      Empress Dowager Ding
      Empress Dowager Ding , formally Empress Xianyou was an empress dowager of the Chinese/Xianbei state Later Yan...

       (forced to commit suicide 402), posthumously honored as Empress Xianyou
  • Wife
    • Princess Lan
      Princess Lan
      Princess Lan was the wife of Murong Sheng , an emperor of the Chinese/Xianbei state Later Yan, while he was an imperial prince.Princess Lan was the daughter of Lan Han the Prince of Dunqiu and his wife Lady Yi...

      , daughter of Lan Han
      Lan Han
      Lan Han was an official of the Chinese/Xianbei state Later Yan, who killed the emperor Murong Bao in 398 and briefly took over the regime before being killed by Murong Bao's son Murong Sheng ....

  • Children
    • Murong Ding (慕容定), initially the Duke of Liaoxi (created 400), later the Crown Prince (created 400, forced to commit suicide 401)
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