Murong Sheng

Murong Sheng (Chinese: 慕容盛; 373–401), courtesy name Daoyun (道運), formally Emperor Zhaowu of (Later) Yan ((後)燕昭武帝), was an emperor of the Xianbei state Later Yan. He was the oldest son of Murong Bao (Emperor Huimin), and after Murong Bao was killed by Lan Han (Murong Sheng's father-in-law) avenged his father in a coup and took the throne. For a large part of his reign, he used the title "Commoner Heavenly Prince" (庶人天王, Shu Ren Tian Wang) instead of emperor.

Murong Sheng was described as a talented strategist and general, but he overreacted to what he perceived to be his father's weaknesses—being overly lenient and weak—and was harsh in his reign, causing his officials to be constantly insecure and looking to rebel against him. In one of those rebellions in 401, he was stricken by a rebel soldier and died from his injuries. He was succeeded by his uncle Murong Xi (Emperor Zhaowen).

Murong Sheng was born in 373, to Murong Bao and his concubine Lady Ding, and was likely born in or near the Former Qin capital Chang'an, since Murong Bao was then a low-level official there. The first historical reference to him was around the new year 385, when the Former Qin emperor Fu Jiān, in response to an attempted rebellion by the former Former Yan emperor Murong Wei, ordered all Xianbei in Chang'an executed. (Murong Sheng's grandfather Murong Chui (Emperor Wucheng) had already rebelled late 383 and established Later Yan in 384.) Murong Sheng's uncle Murong Rou (慕容柔) was not executed, since he had been previously adopted by the eunuch Song Ya (宋牙), and Murong Rou presumably put Murong Sheng and his brother Murong Hui under his protection, for soon thereafter Murong Rou, Murong Sheng, and Murong Hui fled out of Chang'an and sought refuge with another former Forman Yan prince, Murong Chong, a cousin of Murong Sheng's, who had also led a rebellion against Former Qin near Chang'an.

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