Murong Chui

Murong Chui, courtesy name Daoming, Xianbei name Altun, also known by his posthumous name as the Emperor Chengwu of Later Yan, was the founding emperor of China's Later Yan dynasty. He was originally a general of the Former Yan.
He was a controversial figure in Chinese history, as his military abilities were outstanding, but as he was forced to flee Former Yan due to the jealousies of the regent Murong Ping, he was taken in and trusted by the Former Qin emperor Fu Jian, but later betrayed him and established Later Yan, giving him a reputation as a traitor. His reputation was further damaged as soon after his death, the Later Yan state suffered great defeats at the hands of Northern Wei dynasty's founder Emperor Daowu, leading to the general sense that Murong Chui contributed to the defeats by not building a sound foundation for the empire and by choosing the wrong successor. However he continues to be regarded as a general without parallel during his lifetime for having suffered no defeats throughout his career. Murong Chui's biography in the Book of Jin described him as seven chi and seven cun tall and having long arms.

During Former Yan

During Murong Hui's and Huang's reigns

The future Murong Chui was born in 326, while his father Murong Huang was still the heir apparent to Murong Hui the Duke of Liaodong, a vassal of Jin dynasty. He was Murong Huang's fifth son. His mother was Consort Lan, a concubine of Murong Huang. In his youth, he impressed his father with his talent, and he, sometime after succeeding his grandfather as the Duke of Liaodong in 333, wanted to make him the heir apparent. His officials advised against the action, and Murong Huang agreed and made Murong Jun heir apparent, but still favored him greatly and officially named him Murong Ba. Because of this, Murong Jun was very jealous of his younger brother.
Murong Ba became a general for his father early, after his father claimed the title of Prince of Yan and established Former Yan, although nominally still being a Jin vassal. In 344, for his contribution in the conquest of the Yuwen tribe, Murong Ba was made the Marquess of Duxiang. Later, Murong Ba was posted to the border with the powerful rival Later Zhao, whose general Deng Heng was charged with looking for opportunities to conquer Former Yan, and Murong Ba resisted Deng, causing Deng to be unable to launch a campaign. It was during these years that once, on a hunt, he fell off a horse and lost one of his teeth. After Murong Jun succeeded Murong Huang in 348, because he was still jealous of Murong Ba, he renamed Murong Ba—to Murong Que, but soon found out that Que is a character signifying fortune in prophecies, and therefore again renamed him to Murong Chui, the name that he would be known later by.

During Murong Jun's reign

Soon after Murong Jun succeeded Murong Huang, Later Zhao collapsed after the death of Shi Hu, as Shi Hu's sons and adoptive grandson Shi Min engaged in a destructive struggle. Despite the turmoil, Murong Jun was initially hesitant to march south to take over Later Zhao territory, but Murong Chui convinced him that the opportunity was ripe. With Murong Chui as a major generals, Murong Jun advanced south and, after capturing and executing Ran Min in 352, took over the eastern half of former Later Zhao territory. During the next few years, Murong Chui participated in subduing many former Later Zhao generals who were still semi-independent. In the winter of 352, Murong Jun formally declared himself independent from the Jin, as emperor, and in 354, when making titles for many of his sons, brothers, and uncles princes, he made Murong Chui the Prince of Wu.
However, Murong Jun continued to be jealous of Murong Chui's talents. He briefly made Murong Chui the defender of the important city and former capital Longcheng, but after it became clear that Murong Chui was ruling the region successfully and garnered the support of the people, Murong Jun became fearful and recalled him to the new capital Yecheng.
In 358, Murong Chui would lose his wife Princess Duan to political intrigue. Princess Duan, being the daughter of Duan Mopei and therefore derived from the royal family of Duan tribe, was proud of her bloodline and disrespectful to Murong Jun's wife Empress Kezuhun. Perhaps at Empress Kezuhun's instigation, the eunuch Nie Hao falsely accused Princess Duan of witchcraft. Murong Jun had her and her alleged coconspirator, Murong Chui's assistant Gao Bi, arrested.
Princess Duan and Gao were tortured, but they refused to admit the charges of witchcraft, and because of this the torture was intensified. Murong Chui was saddened by his wife's suffering, and he sent her a message trying to persuade her to end her suffering by admitting to the charge. Princess Duan remarked:

I am not fearful of death. However, if I falsely implicate myself, I admit to treason. I would be betraying my ancestors and dragging Your Royal Highness into this disaster. The results are dire, and I will not do this.

As she was interrogated, Princess Duan replied logically and openly, and Murong Chui was able to avoid being dragged into the case, but she still died in prison, either from the torture or a secret execution.
Murong Chui then married her sister as his new princess. However, after a brief time, Empress Kezuhun ordered that the new Princess Duan be deposed, and she married her sister, the Lady of Chang'an, to Murong Chui as his new princess. Murong Chui did not dare to refuse, but he was displeased, and Empress Kezuhun became even more resentful of him. Because of this, Murong Chui was briefly effectively exiled to be the governor of remote Ping Province. He was only recalled when Murong Jun became ill in 359.
In 360, Murong Jun died. He was succeeded by his son and crown prince Murong Wei, with Murong Jun's younger brother and Murong Chui's older brother Murong Ke, Prince of Taiyuan as regent.

During Murong Wei's reign

During Murong Ke's regency

Unlike Murong Jun, Murong Ke trusted Murong Chui and consulted him on many decisions—including what to do with Muyu Gen when Muyu Gen conspired against him in 360. Later that year, he sent Murong Chui to pacify southern provinces which became disturbant in light of Murong Jun's death. In 365, he assisted Murong Ke in capturing the important Jin city of Luoyang, and after doing so became the commander of the southern armies, defending against possible Jin counterattacks.
In 367, Murong Ke grew ill, and on his deathbed he advised Murong Wei to let Murong Chui succeed him. He also tried to convince Murong Wei's older brother Murong Zang, Prince of Le'an and his own uncle and co-regent Murong Ping, Prince of Shangyong of the wisdom of giving at least the post of commander of the armies to Murong Chui. However, after Murong Ke's death later that year, Murong Ping and Empress Dowager Kezuhun disagreed with his advice, and Murong Ping became regent while the commander of the armies post was given to Murong Wei's brother Murong Chong, Prince of Zhongshan.

During Murong Ping's regency

Neither Murong Ping nor Empress Dowager Kezuhun trusted Murong Chui, and he was not given important responsibilities. In 368, when four dukes of the rival Former Qin rebelled against its emperor Fu Jian, Murong Chui was one of the advocates for assisting the four dukes, who sought Former Yan assistance, and further taking the opportunity to conquer Former Qin. However, Murong Ping declined to do so, and Former Qin captured and executed the four dukes.
In 369, the Jin general Huan Wen launched a major attack against Former Yan, defeating each Former Yan army sent against him and advancing all the way to Fangtou, near Yecheng. Murong Wei and Murong Ping panicked and considered fleeing to the former capital Longcheng. However, Murong Chui volunteered to make one last stand against Huan Wen, and he and his brother Murong De dealt Huan a major defeat. Relief forces from Former Qin then arrived, and together they dealt Huan another major defeat, ending Huan's hopes of destroying Former Yan.
However, both Murong Ping and Empress Kezuhun grew even more jealous of Murong Chui after his victory and denied his soldiers the rewards that he requested. Murong Ping and Empress Kezuhun further considered executing him. Murong Ke's son Murong Kai and Murong Chui's uncle Lan Jian suggested that he start a coup, but Murong Chui declined. Instead, he accepted his heir apparent Murong Ling's suggestion, seeking to flee and take over Longcheng to try to force reconciliation with the imperial government.
Murong Chui put his plan in motion in the winter of 369. However, once he left Yecheng, his son Murong Lin, whom he had not favored, fled back to Yecheng to report on him, and Murong Ping sent an army to chase after him. Murong Chui then changed his plan and sought to flee to Former Qin instead. He then scattered his followers and fled back south. On the way, another son Murong Manu wanted to flee back to Yecheng and was killed by him. When he was stopped at the Yellow River, he killed the commander of the guards stopping him, forcing his way to Luoyang, and then fled to Former Qin with the younger Princess Duan, Murong Kai, Lan Jian, Gao Bi and his sons Murong Ling, Murong Bao, Murong Nong, and Murong Long. Princess Kezuhun remained at Yecheng.

During Former Qin

Upon Murong Chui's arrival in Former Qin territory, Fu Jian, who had long considered conquering Former Yan but feared Murong Chui's military ability, was pleased and exited the capital Chang'an to personally welcome Murong Chui. He made Murong Chui the Marquess of Bintu and greatly honored him, despite misgivings by his prime minister Wang Meng. He also made Murong Chui one of his generals.
Later in 369, after Murong Ping refused to cede the Luoyang region to Former Qin, as Former Yan had promised when seeking Former Qin's aid against the Jin, Fu Jian sent Wang to attack Former Yan. Wang requested that Murong Chui's heir apparent Murong Ling accompany him as a guide. After capturing Luoyang in early 370, Wang bribed Murong Chui's attendant Jin Xi to give Murong Ling a false message that Murong Chui had heard that Empress Dowager Kezuhun had regretted her actions and that, therefore, he was defecting back to Former Yan. Murong Ling, unable to verify either the truth of the message, decided to defect back to Former Yan. Wang immediately accused Murong Ling of treason, and Murong Chui, in fear, fled, but was captured, although Fu Jian believed that Murong Ling was acting independently and therefore pardoned Murong Chui. Former Yan did not trust Murong Ling and exiled him, and later that year, after he tried to start a rebellion, he was killed in battle after being betrayed by his brother Murong Lin.
Late in 370, after Wang defeated Murong Ping and conquered Former Yan, Murong Chui accompanied Fu Jian to visit the Former Yan capital Yecheng. Initially, he did not hide his disgust to those officials who failed to support him during the struggle with Murong Ping and Empress Dowager Kezuhun, but at Gao Bi's suggestion, he started to treat them with kindness, with the rebuilding of Yan in mind. Still, in 372, he accused Murong Ping of being the root of Former Yan's destruction and requested that Fu Jian avenge Former Yan by executing Murong Ping; Fu Jian did not do so, but effectively exiled Murong Ping by making him the governor of a distant commandery.
In 378, Murong Chui participated in the campaign commanded by Fu Jian's son Fu Pi against the Jin's key city of Xiangyang. In 382, when Fu Jian wanted to launch a major campaign to destroy the Jin and unite China, most officials, including Fu Jian's brother Fu Rong, who succeeded Wang as prime minister after Wang's death in 375, opposed, but Murong Chui and Yao Chang urged for the campaign, and Fu Jian launched his campaign in the fall of 383. However, Former Qin forces, commanded by Fu Rong, was defeated by Jin forces at the Battle of Fei River despite great numerical superiority; Fu Rong was killed, and almost the entire army collapsed—although the forces under Murong Chui's command remained intact, and Fu Jian, who suffered an arrow wound during the defeat, fled to Murong Chui. Murong Chui's son Murong Bao and brother Murong De both tried to persuade Murong Chui to kill Fu Jian while he had the power to, but Murong Chui instead returned his forces to Fu Jian's command and returned to Luoyang with Fu Jian. However, under suggestion by his son Murong Nong, he planned a rebellion to rebuild Yan.
Murong Chui told Fu Jian that he was fearful that the people of the Former Yan territory would rebel, and that it would be best if he led a force to pacify the region. Fu Jian agreed, despite opposition by Quan Yi. Murong Chui took the army and arrived at Yecheng, which was being defended by Fu Pi. They suspected each other, but each ruled out ambushing the other. When the Dingling chief Zhai Bin rebelled and attacked Luoyang, guarded by Fu Pi's younger brother Fu Hui, Fu Pi ordered Murong Chui to put down Zhai's rebellion, and Fu Pi sent his assistant Fu Feilong to serve as Murong Chui's assistant. On the way to Luoyang, however, Murong Chui killed Fu Feilong and his Di soldiers and prepared to openly rebel. Meanwhile, despite his suspicion of Murong Chui, Fu Pi did not put Murong Chui's son Murong Nong and nephews Murong Kai and Murong Shao under surveillance, and the three fled from Yecheng and started a rebellion of their own.
In the spring of 384, Murong Chui, not yet in open rebellion against Former Qin, arrived at Luoyang, but Fu Hui, hearing of Fu Feilong's death, refused to welcome him. Murong Chui then entered into an alliance with Zhai Bin, who urged him to take imperial title. Murong Chui refused at this point but accepted the title of Prince of Yan, formally breaking away from Former Qin and establishing Later Yan.