Princess Duan (Wenming)
Encyclopedia
Princess Duan was the wife of the Chinese
/Xianbei
state Former Yan
founder Murong Huang
. She was likely a daughter of a Duan
tribal chief, as the Duans and the Murongs intermarried frequently. When Murong Huang claimed the title "Prince of Yan" in 337
, she was created princess. There was no further mentioning of her during the reign of Murong Huang or his son and successor Murong Jun
, who was likely her son, but there is no conclusive evidence. It is not known when she died. Sometime after Murong Jun declared himself emperor in 352
, she was honored as an empress, although it was not clear whether she was still alive at that point. After Former Yan's fall in 370
and subsequent "restoration" as Later Yan
in 384
by Murong Chui
, the son of her husband Murong Huang but by his concubine Consort Lan, not her, Murong Chui excluded her from her husband's temple and enshrined his mother Consort Lan instead.
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 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...
founder 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...
. She was likely a daughter of a Duan
Duan (tribe)
The Duan was a pre-state tribe of Xianbei ethnicity during the era of Sixteen Kingdoms in China. The reason the tribe adopted the Han Chinese family name Duan is unknown. Duan Wuwuchen was given in 303 a hereditary title— the "Duke of Liaoxi" —by the Jin Dynasty...
tribal chief, as the Duans and the Murongs intermarried frequently. When Murong Huang claimed the title "Prince of Yan" in 337
337
Year 337 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Felicianus and Titianus...
, she was created princess. There was no further mentioning of her during the reign of Murong Huang or his son and successor Murong Jun
Murong Jun
Murong Jun , courtesy name Xuanying , formally Emperor Jingzhao of Yan , was an emperor of the Chinese state Former Yan...
, who was likely her son, but there is no conclusive evidence. It is not known when she died. Sometime after Murong Jun declared himself emperor in 352
352
Year 352 was a leap year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Decentius and Paulus...
, she was honored as an empress, although it was not clear whether she was still alive at that point. After Former Yan's fall in 370
370
Year 370 was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Augustus and Valens...
and subsequent "restoration" as 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:...
in 384
384
Year 384 was a leap year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Ricomer and Clearchus...
by 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...
, the son of her husband Murong Huang but by his concubine Consort Lan, not her, Murong Chui excluded her from her husband's temple and enshrined his mother Consort Lan instead.