Murong Zhong
Encyclopedia
Murong Zhong (died 386) 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
.
In 386, a year that had already seen four Western Yan rulers killed, Murong Zhong was made emperor by the general Murong Yong
after Murong Yong had killed Murong Yao
. Murong Zhong made Murong Yong the commander of the armed forces and created him the Duke of Hedong.
At that time, the Western Yan people were on an exodus from Chang'an
, the Former Qin
capital that they had captured in 385 but abandoned earlier in 386 because they wanted to head east back to their homeland. After Murong Zhong became emperor, his people reached Wenxi (聞喜, in modern Yuncheng, Shanxi
) when they heard that Murong Zhong's granduncle Murong Chui
had already established Later Yan
as its emperor, and they were hesitant to proceed further, and the built the city of Yanxi (燕熙) at Wenxi to serve as temporary headquarters.
Just three months after he became emperor, Murong Zhong was assassinated in a coup by the general Diao Yun (刁雲), who then supported Murong Yong as the ruler.
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 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 the son of Western Yan's founder, Murong Hong
Murong Hong
Murong Hong was the founder 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....
the Prince of Jibei, 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...
emperor Murong Jun
Murong Jun
Murong Jun , courtesy name Xuanying , formally Emperor Jingzhao of Yan , was an emperor of the Chinese state Former Yan...
.
In 386, a year that had already seen four Western Yan rulers killed, Murong Zhong was made emperor by the general 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...
after Murong Yong had killed 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 made Murong Yong the commander of the armed forces and created him the Duke of Hedong.
At that time, the Western Yan people were on an exodus from 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...
, 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 that they had captured in 385 but abandoned earlier in 386 because they wanted to head east back to their homeland. After Murong Zhong became emperor, his people reached Wenxi (聞喜, in modern Yuncheng, 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....
) when they heard that Murong Zhong's granduncle 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...
had already established 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:...
as its emperor, and they were hesitant to proceed further, and the built the city of Yanxi (燕熙) at Wenxi to serve as temporary headquarters.
Just three months after he became emperor, Murong Zhong was assassinated in a coup by the general Diao Yun (刁雲), who then supported Murong Yong as the ruler.