Murong Yi (died 386) was a ruler 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 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...

. He was a son of the 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...

 Prince of Yidu, Murong Huan (慕容桓), a son of the founder of Former Yan, Murong Huang

Murong Huang

Murong Huang , courtesy name Yuanzhen , formally Prince Wenming of Yan was a ruler of the Chinese/Xianbei state Former Yan and the commonly recognized founder of the state...

.

In 386, after the temporary ruler 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....

 was ambushed and killed by Murong Heng (慕容恆) 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...

, they supported Murong Yi as the Prince of Yan. The Western Yan people—400,000 men and women—then abandoned 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...

, which had been 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 but was captured by the prior Western Yan ruler 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....

 -- to head back to their homeland in the east. While on the journey, however, Murong Heng's brother Murong Tao (慕容韜) killed Murong Yi at Linjin (臨晉, in modern Weinan

Weinan

Weinan is a Municipality in the province of Shaanxi, PRC. The Grand Historian Sima Qian was born in Weinan.-Administration:...

, Shaanxi

Shaanxi

' is a province in the central part of Mainland China, and it includes portions of the Loess Plateau on the middle reaches of the Yellow River in addition to the Qinling Mountains across the southern part of this province...

). He was replaced by Murong Chong's son 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....

.

Era name

• Jianming (建明 jiàn míng) 386