Murong Chui

Crushed Huan Wen at Fangtou; after the Battle of Fei River he restored his state, founding the Later Yan.

Life

Battle of Fangtou

Murong Chui, a Xianbei and a member of the Former Yan royal house, was known for his courage and strategy from youth. In 369, during Huan Wen's Northern Expedition from the Eastern Jin, he crushed the Jin army at Fangtou, winning great renown.

Defected to Former Qin

But this brought him the suspicion of Former Yan's powerful ministers, and he was forced to defect to Fu Jian of Former Qin, who treated him extremely well; Wang Meng once urged Fu Jian to get rid of him, but Fu Jian refused.

Restored the state as Yan

After Former Qin collapsed following the Battle of Fei River in 383, Murong Chui seized the chance to break away, founding the Later Yan in 384 with its capital at Zhongshan. In 395 his son Murong Bao was crushed by the Northern Wei at Canhe Slope; the next year Murong Chui personally led a campaign against the Northern Wei and died of illness on the way.

Legacy

Murong Chui was one of the most outstanding generals of the Sixteen Kingdoms, and his restoration of his state marked the complete collapse of the Former Qin's unification of the north.

Major works & achievements

• Crushed Huan Wen at Fangtou
• Founded Later Yan

Did you know? His original name was Murong Ba; after falling from a horse and breaking a tooth, he changed his name to Chui.

Key dates

• 369Crushed Huan Wen at Fangtou
• 369Defected to Former Qin
• 384Founded Later Yan
• 395Defeat at Canhe Slope
• 396Died