| A universal guide for China studiesChinese History - Zhou Dynasty 周代 (11th cent.-221 BC) |
Encoding: Unicode (UTF-8) [Location: Home > History > Zhou > Zhou feudal lords > Yan] [bottom
]
Zhou Dynasty |  period before (Shang)Zhou Dynasty --Zhou feudal lords next period (Qin)  | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Map and Geography I Map and Geography II Map and Geography III | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |  The state of Yan (also written 匽) is also called Northern Yan (Beiyan) 北燕 to distinguish it a small fiefdom called Southern Yan (Nanyan) 南燕 located near modern Yanjin 延津/Hebei. The first ruler of Yan was Ji Shi, Duke of Shao (Shao Gong Shi 召公奭), an uncle of King Zhou Chengwang 周成王. This remote territory located in modern Hebei and Liaoning provinces had often to cope with the intrusion of the inhabitants of the northeast, and for a long time of Western Zhou (Xizhou) 西周 era the names of the Yan rulers are unknown, and we know only few personal names of the Yan rulers later. the Spring and Autumn (Chunqiu) 春秋 period on Yan became stronger through the help of the advisor Le Yi 樂毅 and could defend itself against Qi 齊 and later against the state of Zhao 趙 during the Warring States (Zhanguo) 戰國 period. In 227 Prince Dan (Yan Dan) 燕丹 sent out Jing Ke 荊軻 to murder the king of Qin 秦, a state that had become stronger and stronger, but without success (a story reported in the small Han 漢 time novel Yan Danzi 燕丹子). In 222 Yan was conquered by Qin. The name Yan was often used for imperial princedoms, and for five of the Non-Chinese Sixteen States (Shiliuguo 十六國) of the north during the time of south-north division. 
Go back to the Zhou Dynasty introduction page and learn more about Zhou Dynasty economy, arts, literature, government... | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
]