Murong Hui

Murong Hui¹ (慕容廆, 269 – 4 June 333²), courtesy name Yiluo (弈洛), was an Xianbei chief, formally known as Duke Xiang of Liaodong, posthumously honored as Emperor Wuxuan (武宣皇帝). In the Book of Jin, Murong Hui was described as tall, physically strong and having a beautiful appearance.³

Murong Hui had initially been a Xianbei chief who fought Jin forces during the late reign of Emperor Wu of Jin, Jin's founding emperor, but he submitted as a Jin vassal in 289. Under constant attack by fellow Xianbei chief Duan Jie (段階) of the Duan tribe, he humbly sought peace with the Duan and married one of Duan Jie's daughters. From this union came Murong Huang (in 297) and two of his younger brothers, Murong Ren (慕容仁) and Murong Zhao (慕容昭).⁴⁵

During Murong Hui's rule as tribal chief, the Jin dynasty's central government was in constant turmoil and eventually collapsed due to infighting and agrarian rebellions, the strongest of which was the Xiongnu state Han-Zhao. As a result, many refugees arrived in the relatively safe domain of Murong Hui's, and as he treated the ethnically Han refugees with kindness, most chose to stay, greatly strengthening his power, and as Jin forces in the north gradually fell to Han-Zhao's capable general Shi Le (who later established his own independent state Later Zhao), Murong Hui became the only domain in northern China still under titular Jin rule, carrying the Jin-bestowed title of the Duke of Liaodong. He entrusted Murong Huang with many important military tasks such as fighting the powerful fellow Xianbei Yuwen tribe in 320 and 325. In early 322, Murong Hui named Murong Huang heir apparent. However, Murong Hui also greatly favored Murong Huang's brothers Murong Ren, Murong Zhao, and particularly Murong Han (慕容翰), who was regarded very highly as a general. Murong Huang became jealous and suspicious of these brothers, feelings which became known to them and which would sow the seeds of future troubles.

Family

Consort and issue(s):

• Empress Wuxuan, of the Duan clan (武宣皇后 段氏)
  • Murong Huang, Prince Wenming (文明王慕容皝; 297– 25 October 348), third son
  • Murong Ren, Duke of Liaodong (遼東公慕容仁, d. 336), fourth son
  • Murong Zhao (慕容昭, d. 333), fifth son
• Unknown
  • Murong Han (慕容翰, d. 344), first son
  • Second son
  • Murong You (慕容幼), sixth son
  • Murong Zhi (慕容稚), seventh son
  • Murong Jūn, Prince Xiangyang (襄阳王 慕容軍), eight son⁶
  • Murong Han (慕容汗), ninth son
  • Murong Ping, Prince Shangyong (上庸王 慕容評), tenth son
  • Murong Biao, Prince Wuchang (武昌王 慕容彪), eleventh son
  • Princess Murong (慕容氏, d. 341), first daughter
    • Married Tuoba Shiyiqian (拓跋什翼犍), a son of Tuoba Yulü

Notes

Footnotes

1. The character "廆" has multiple pronunciations: "guī", "huì" and "wěi". ↩

2. ([咸和八年]夏，五月，甲寅，辽东武宣公慕容廆卒。) Zizhi Tongjian, vol.95. ([咸和]八年，廆卒，乃止。时年六十五，在位四十九年。) Jin Shu, vol.108 ↩

3. (廆幼而魁岸，美姿貌，身长八尺，雄杰有大度。) Jin Shu, vol.108 ↩

4. Fang Xuanling. "慕容廆" [Murong Hui]. Book of Jin. Vol. 108. ↩

5. Tsui Hung. "前燕錄" [Former Yan]. Shiliuguo Chunqiu. Vol. 3. ↩

6. different character from his nephew Murong Jun ↩