Empress Yan was an empress 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...

/Di (ethnic group)

Di (ethnic group)

The Di were an ethnic group in China from the 8th century BCE to approximately the middle of the 6th century CE. Note that the character Di is used to differentiate this group from the Beidi , a generic term for "northern barbarians". They lived in areas of the present-day provinces of Gansu,...

 state Cheng Han

Cheng Han

The Cheng Han was a state of the Sixteen Kingdoms during the Jin Dynasty in China. It represented two states, the Cheng state proclaimed in 304 by Li Xiong and the Han state in 338 by Li Shou...

. Her husband was Li Shou

Li Shou

Li Shou , courtesy name Wukao , formally Emperor Zhaowen of Han , was an emperor of the Chinese/Ba-Di state Cheng Han...

 (Emperor Zhaowen). When Li Shou, after a coup, took over the throne from his cousin and the founding emperor Li Xiong

Li Xiong

Li Xiong , courtesy name Zhongjuan , formally Emperor Wu of Cheng , was the first emperor of the Chinese/Ba-Di state Cheng Han and commonly regarded as its founder...

's son Li Qi

Li Qi

Li Qi , courtesy name Shiyun , posthumous name Duke You of Qiongdu , was an emperor of the Chinese/Ba-Di state Cheng Han. He seized the throne after his brother Li Yue assassinated their father Li Xiong's designated heir, their cousin Li Ban, in 334...

, he created her empress in 338

338

Year 338 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Ursus and Polemius...

. She bore him at least one son—the crown prince

Crown Prince

A crown prince or crown princess is the heir or heiress apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The wife of a crown prince is also titled crown princess....

 Li Shi

Li Shi

Li Shi , courtesy name Ziren , historically known by his Jin Dynasty -bestowed title Marquess of Guiyi , was the last emperor of the Chinese/Ba-Di state Cheng Han...

, who succeeded Li Shou after Li Shou's death in 343

343

Year 343 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Memmius and Romulus...

. Li Shi honored her 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...

. Nothing else is recorded about her, and it is not known whether she survived to the destruction of the empire by Jin Dynasty (265-420)

Jìn Dynasty (265-420)

The Jìn Dynasty , was a dynasty in Chinese history, lasting between the years 265 and 420 AD. There are two main divisions in the history of the Dynasty, the first being Western Jin and the second Eastern Jin...

 forces in 347

347

Year 347 was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Rufinus and Eusebius...

.