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A Xianbei leader from Jicheng in Changli, style Yiluogui. They claimed Youxiong ancestry, lived beyond the frontier at Zimeng, and were known as Eastern Hu. They matched the Xiongnu in strength—two hundred thousand horsemen with parallel customs. Early Han defeat drove them onto Xianbei Mountain and gave them their tribal name. Mohuba earned Wei's trust against the Gongsuns and planted Murong power north of Jicheng. A hat nicknamed him Buyao until listeners corrupted it into Murong. Another etymology ties Murong to reverence for Heaven, Earth, and the luminaries. Muyan served as Left Wise Prince. Shegui won the Shanyu title for Liucheng and guided the clan toward Chinese ways.
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Even young he stood eight chi tall—striking, heroic, broad. Zhang Hua said, "When you grow up you will be an instrument for the age—one who rectifies disaster and aids the times." He gave Hui his cap pin and turban as farewell gifts. Uncle Nai seized power and hunted him until kinsmen restored Hui. The tribe slew Nai and enthroned Hui.
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初，涉歸有憾于宇文鮮卑，廆將修先君之怨，表請討之。 武帝弗許。 廆怒，入寇遼西，殺略甚眾。 帝遣幽州諸軍討廆，戰於肥如，廆眾大敗。 自後復掠昌黎，每歲不絕。 又率眾東伐扶余，扶余王依慮自殺，廆夷其國城，驅萬餘人而歸。 東夷校尉何龕遣督護賈沈將迎立依慮之子為王，廆遣其將孫丁率騎邀之。 沈力戰斬丁，遂復扶余之國。 廆謀於其眾曰：「吾先公以來世奉中國，且華裔理殊，強弱固別，豈能與晉競乎？ 何為不和以害吾百姓邪！」 乃遣使來降。 帝嘉之，拜為鮮卑都督。 廆致敬於東夷府，巾衣詣門，抗士大夫之禮。 何龕嚴兵引見，廆乃改服戎衣而入。 人問其故，廆曰：「主人不以禮，賓復何為哉！」 龕聞而慚之，彌加敬憚。 時東胡宇文鮮卑段部以廆威德日廣，懼有吞併之計，因為寇掠，往來不絕。 廆卑辭厚幣以撫之。
He sought imperial blessing to avenge Shegui's feud with the Yuwen. The western Jin court refused. He lashed out with raids across western Liaoxi. Imperial troops routed him at Feiru. He kept harassing Changli afterward. He shattered Buyeo, drove its king to suicide, and dragged captives home. He Kan tried to crown a new Buyeo king while Murong ambushed the escort. Jia Shen killed Sun Ding and restored Buyeo. He urged submission to Jin, saying, "Since our forefathers we have honored China; Chinese and barbarian orders differ and strength is uneven—how can we vie with Jin? Why not make peace rather than harm our people!" He sent envoys west to surrender. The court named him commander over the Xianbei. He appeared at He Kan's yamen in scholar dress. When Kan lined up troops, Hui donned armor instead. He said, "If the host shows no courtesy, what should a guest do!" Kan swallowed his pride and deferred. Yuwen and Duan rivals feared annexation and raided endlessly. He bought quiet with gifts and soft words.
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In Taikang ten he moved to Green Mountain on the Tu River. He rebuilt Greater Jicheng on Zhuanxu's legendary capital. He taught farming and Jin-style statutes. Yongning floods opened his granaries to Youzhou. The emperor rewarded him with court robes.
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Tai'an brought Yuwen raids he smashed personally. Su Yan's hundred thousand terrified Jicheng. He dismissed Su Yan's rabble as leaderless, saying, "Though Yan herds dogs and ants together, his host lacks discipline—I already hold him in my plan. You gentlemen need only fight hard—have no fear." He personally crushed Su Yan and harvested ten thousand heads.
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永嘉初，廆自稱鮮卑大單于。 遼東太守龐本以私憾殺東夷校尉李臻，附塞鮮卑素連、木津等托為臻報仇，實欲因而為亂，遂攻陷諸縣，殺掠士庶。 太守袁謙頻戰失利，校尉封釋懼而請和。 連歲寇掠，百姓失業，流亡歸附者日月相繼。 廆子翰言於廆曰：「求諸侯莫如勤王，自古有為之君靡不杖此以成事業者也。 今連、津跋扈，王師覆敗，蒼生屠膾，豈甚此乎！ 豎子外以龐本為名，內實幸而為寇。 封使君以誅本請和，而毒害滋深。 遼東傾沒，垂已二周，中原兵亂，州師屢敗，勤王杖義，今其時也。 單于宜明九伐之威，救倒懸之命，數連、津之罪，合義兵以誅之。 上則興復遼邦，下則併吞二部，忠義彰於本朝，私利歸於我國，此則吾鴻漸之始也，終可以得志于諸侯。」 廆從之。 是日，率騎討連、津，大敗斬之，二部悉降，徙之棘城，立遼東郡而歸。
Yongjia opened with his claim to Great Shanyu. Pang Ben's murder of Li Zhen let Sulian and Muqin devastate Liaodong. Yuan Qian stumbled while Feng Shi begged truce. Endless raiding sent refugees streaming to Murong lands. Murong Han urged royalist war on the bandit chiefs, saying, "Nothing secures a lord like aiding the king—every founder has relied on it. The slaughter exceeded anything earlier chaos had shown. The warlords wore Pang Ben as their excuse. Feng Shi's execution of Pang Ben bought no peace. Ruined Liaodong cried out for loyal arms. He called for sanctioned campaigns against Sulian and Muqin. Above we restore Liaodong; below we annex both tribes—loyalty shines at court while profit stays with us: this begins our rise among the lords." Hui adopted the plan. He executed both chiefs, resettled tribes at Jicheng, and drew up Liaodong commandery.
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Wang Jun's honors could not buy him. Emperor Min offered guard-general rank and twin ducal patents. Early in Jianwu, Emperor Yuan, acting under provisional authority, appointed Hui Bearer of the Staff, Supernumerary Palace Attendant, commander of the Liaozuo mixed tribes and displaced people, General of Dragon Soaring, Great Shanyu, and Duke of Changli; Hui declined and would not accept. Lu Chang argued only imperial seals could awe rival tribes, saying, "Both capitals have fallen and the Son of Heaven wanders; Langye rules Jiangdong by interim decree—the mandate of life and death rests there. Murong prestige needed Jiankang's mandate. Send envoys to Langye urging enthronement, then proclaim imperial orders and punish the guilty—who would disobey?" He sent Wang Ji across the sea to urge enthronement. Ming's envoy Tao Liao could not force ducal robes on him.
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Clear rule drew refugee elites carrying children on their backs. Hui therefore established commanderies to govern the displaced people: those from Ji Province became Jiyang Commandery, those from Yu Province Chengzhou Commandery, those from Qing Province Yingqiu Commandery, and those from Bing Province Tangguo Commandery. He therefore promoted men of talent and entrusted them with government: Pei Yi of Hedong, Lu Chang of Dai, and Yang Dan of Beiping served as his chief advisers; Feng Xian of Beihai, You Sui of Guangping, Xifang Qian of Beiping, Feng Chou of Bohai, Song Shi of Xihe, and Pei Kai of Hedong were his arms and legs; Feng Yi of Bohai, Song Gai of Pingyuan, Huangfu Ji of Anding, and Miao Kai of Lanling, all distinguished for literary talent and ability, held key posts; Zhu Zuoche of Kuaiji, Humu Yi of Taishan, and Kong Zuan of Lu, respected for their old virtue and pure standing, were brought in as guests and friends; and Liu Zan of Pingyuan, broadly learned in the classics, was appointed libationer of the Eastern Academy, where his heir Murong Huang led the sons of the state in bringing tuition gifts and receiving instruction. He audited the school himself until courtesy songs filled the roads.
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時平州刺史、東夷校尉崔毖自以為南州士望，意存懷集，而流亡者莫有赴之。 毖意廆拘留，乃陰結高句麗及宇文、段國等，謀滅廆以分其地。 太興初，三國伐廆，廆曰：「彼信崔毖虛說，邀一時之利，烏合而來耳。 既無統一，莫相歸伏，吾今破之必矣。 然彼軍初合，其鋒甚銳，幸我速戰。 若逆擊之，落其計矣。 靖以待之，必懷疑貳，迭相猜防。 一則疑吾與毖譎而覆之，二則自疑三國之中與吾有韓魏之謀者，待其人情沮惑，然後取之必矣。」 於是三國攻棘城，廆閉門不戰，遣使送牛酒以犒宇文，大言於眾曰：「崔毖昨有使至。」 於是二國果疑宇文同於廆也，引兵而歸。 宇文悉獨官曰：「二國雖歸，吾當獨兼其國，何用人為！」 盡眾逼城，連營三十里。 廆簡銳士配皝，推鋒於前； 翰領精騎為奇兵，從旁出，直沖其營； 廆方陣而進。 悉獨官自恃其眾，不設備，見廆軍之至，方率兵距之。 前鋒始交，翰已入其營，縱火焚之，其眾皆震擾，不知所為，遂大敗，悉獨官僅以身免，盡俘其眾。 於是營候獲皇帝玉璽三紐，遣長史裴嶷送於建鄴。 崔毖懼廆之仇己也，使兄子燾偽賀廆。 會三國使亦至請和，曰：「非我本意也，崔平州教我耳。」 廆將燾示以攻圍之處，臨之以兵，曰：「汝叔父教三國滅我，何以詐來賀我乎？」 廆懼，首服。 廆乃遣燾歸說毖曰：「降者上策，走者下策也。」 以兵隨之。 毖與數十騎棄家室奔於高句麗，廆悉降其眾，徙燾及高瞻等於棘城，待以賓禮。 明年，高句麗寇遼東，廆遣眾擊敗之。
Cui Bi waited for refugees that Murong had already welcomed. Bi enlisted Goguryeo, Yuwen, and Duan against Murong territory. The triple alliance trusted Bi's fiction—ripe for divide-and-rule, he said: "They trusted Cui Bi's lies for quick gain—this is a flock without cohesion. Discord doomed their coalition. Fresh allies wanted a quick pitched battle. A hasty sally played into their trap. Delay would breed mutual suspicion. First they will suspect us colluding with Bi against them; second each ally will fear Han-Wei-style betrayal among themselves—when morale collapses we strike and win." He locked Jicheng and proclaimed to the host, "Cui Bi had envoys here yesterday." Two allies suspected Yuwen treachery and marched home. Siduguan vowed to seize their lands alone, saying, "Though both allies retreat, I alone shall annex their lands—why need others!" He stacked thirty li of camps around Jicheng. He gave Huang crack troops for the van. Murong Han struck the flank with elite horse. Hui rolled forward in formation. Siduguan's overconfidence left camps wide open. Han's raid fired Yuwen tents and shattered their host. Captives yielded imperial seal cords sent south to Jiankye. Bi feigned congratulations through nephew Tao. The allied envoys blamed Pingzhou inspector Cui Bi, saying, "This was never our intent—Inspector Cui Pingzhou urged us." Hui trapped Tao and said, "Your uncle taught three states to destroy me—why pretend congratulations?" Tao groveled in terror. Hui offered surrender or flight, saying, "Surrender is the best plan; flight the worst." Troops pressed Bi toward decision. Bi fled to Goguryeo while Murong settled his people at Jicheng. Murong troops beat back Goguryeo's next Liaodong raid.
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Pei Yi's return brought Pingzhou inspector titles and added fiefs. He gained staff authority, chariot-and-cavalry command, Liaodong duke with ten thousand households. Vermilion writ and iron tally let him staff Pingzhou east of the sea.
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He rebuffed Shi Le's overtures. He shipped Later Zhao envoys south to Jiankang. Shi Le answered Murong's snub by ordering Yuwen Qidegui north; Huang blocked him. Huang split wings—Pei Yi and Suotou on the right, Ren circling from Pinggu—crushing Qidegui. They looted the Yuwen capital and resettled tens of thousands southward.
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He warned that justice holds lives in the balance, remarking, "Prisons suspend men's lives—there must be no carelessness. He insisted rulers must honor worthy men. He ranked farming as the dynastic bedrock. Wine, women, and flatterers ruin virtue worst—they demand vigilance." He codified family maxims expounding those themes.
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He mourned Luoyang's fall and the court's exile south. He asserted Jin's cosmic legitimacy survived. He confessed Murong power insufficient alone while rebels threatened Jiankang. He catalogued Jin's domestic rebels beside Han villains. He reproached southern ministers for inertia against Shi Le.
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君侯植根江陽，發曜荊、衡，杖葉公之權，有包胥之志，而令白公、伍員殆得極其暴，竊為丘明恥之。 區區楚國子重之徒，猶恥君弱、群臣不及先大夫，厲己戒眾，以服陳、鄭； 越之種蠡尚能弼佐句踐，取威黃池； 況今吳土英賢比肩，而不輔翼聖主，陵江北伐。 以義聲之直，討逆暴之羯，檄命舊邦之士，招懷存本之人，豈不若因風振落，頓阪走輪哉！ 且孫氏之初，以長沙之眾摧破董卓，志匡漢室。 雖中遇寇害，雅志不遂，原其心誠，乃忽身命。 及權據揚、越，外杖周、張，內馮顧、陸，距魏亦壁，克取襄陽。 自茲以降，世主相襲，咸能侵逼徐、豫，令魏朝旰食。 不知今之江表為賢俊匿智，藏其勇略邪？ 將呂蒙、淩統高蹤曠世哉？ 況今凶羯虐暴，中州人士逼迫勢促，其顛沛之危，甚於累卵。 假號之強，眾心所去，敵有釁矣，易可震盪。 王郎、袁術雖自詐偽，皆基淺根微，禍不旋踵，此皆君侯之所聞見者矣。
He urged Tao Kan to emulate Chu loyalists against barbarians. He cited Spring and Autumn shame-forged virtue. Wu-Yue precedent proved peripheral grit could win. He contrasted Wu talent with southern lethargy. Northern expedition should sweep Shi Le easily. Sun Jian's loyalty anchored Wu rise. Sun lineage sacrifice deserved respect. Sun Quan's teamwork humbled northern power. Successive Wu kings threatened central plains. He challenged southern elites to show courage. He invoked Wu's famed commanders. Northern Chinese suffered imminent ruin under Shi. Shi Le's regime was brittle. Pseudo-emperors fell quickly before true mandate.
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He praised Wang Dao's quiet survival craft. He noted Yu Liang's cautious stance. Murong loyalty endured despite distance. Tao Kan alone could tip balance. Joint northward strike could restore Jin. Murong pledged full support from Liaodong. Coordinated fronts needed secret Jin allies. Letter ran long by necessity.
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自古有國有家，鮮不極盛而衰。 自大晉龍興，克平㟭、會，神武之略，邁蹤前史。 惠皇之末，後黨構難，禍結京畿，釁成公族，遂使羯寇乘虛，傾覆諸夏，舊都淪滅，山陵毀掘，人神悲悼，幽明發憤。 昔獫狁之強，匈奴之盛，未有如今日羯寇之暴，跨躡華裔，盜稱尊號者也。
Opening lament on dynastic cycles. Jin founding triumphs outshone antiquity. Late Emperor Hui's disasters enabled Shi Le. Shi Le exceeded ancient northern foes.
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Divine aid sustained Jin survivors. Petition praised Murong youth and loyalty. Southern courts sustained mandate. Murong fixation on restoration despite barriers. Steady tribute demonstrated virtue. Shi's realm sprawled north. Petition argued Murong deserved kingly rank to command allies.
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Communication lag hindered investiture. Geographic loss demanded counter-title. Petition requested Murong kinghood like Han vassals. Royal patent would sway northerners. Kingship empowered lawful campaigns. Murong humility delayed acceptance. Petitioners stressed practical need.
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Tao Kan praised Murong's loyalty and frontier victories in his reply, writing in gist: "The General of Chariots and Cavalry forgets self for the state—tribute baskets crowd the road; Jie bandits sued peace yet he handed envoys to court; he struck west at Duan lands, campaigned north beyond the passes, soothed Suotou tribes—distant desert peoples submitted tribute. Northern raids still troubled Murong. Eastern offices needed royal coordination before king-making. Tao cited precedent for promotion. He acknowledged logistical limits yet praised devotion. Now his memorial reaches us—delay must not tarry; Heaven's terrace decides." Jiankang stalled on investiture. Hui's death in Xianhe eight ended king talks. Murong ruled forty-nine years at sixty-five. Court gave posthumous honors Xiang. Later Former Yan canonized Wu-Xuan.
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Pei Yi bio opens—style Wenji, Hedong Wenxi. Father Pei Chang held metropolitan colonel rank. Yi was upright, principled, and capable in administration; he rose through repeated promotions to Gentleman of the Palace Secretariat, then became Yellow-Gate Gentleman and governor of Xingyang. He pursued Changli post near Murong. Death recalled him with nephew Kai. Liaoxi obstruction drove him to Murong. Early refugees wavered over Murong's regime. Pei Yi imposed order on refugee protocols. Murong made him chief strategist.
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Jiankang underestimated Liaodong. His briefing rewrote metropolitan opinion. Pei declined detention citing Jin loyalty, saying, "My house owes dynastic grace—I washed cap tints in the capital before exile drove me to wilderness. He honored imperial favor. He justified returning to Murong's restoration cause. Detention would wound Murong morale. Thus your petty servant forgets body for state—greedy only to report back." The emperor said, "You speak rightly." Pei Yi returned north. Murong told officials, "Chief Clerk Pei bears renowned weight in central court yet bends to us—is Heaven not gifting him to me?" Pei governed Liaodong then Langle.
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Gao Zhan bio—style Ziqian, Bohai Xiu. Gao stood eight chi two cun. Guangxi posting brought him to ministry. He urged abandoning Bohai for safer refuge, telling elders, "Imperial net slackens and armies swarm—this fertile coast behind rivers and sea—if famine hits war it becomes bandit ground—not where we seek safety. He pointed to Wang Jun's Yan stronghold. What do gentlemen think?" The assembly endorsed his plan. He and Uncle Yin marched thousands north toward Youzhou. Wang Jun's erratic rule drove them under Cui Bi toward Liaodong.
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Zhan warned against Cui Bi's triple alliance; Bi ignored him. After Bi's rout Zhan submitted with the refugees. Murong named him general; Zhan feigned sickness. Murong pressed him personally, saying, "Your ailment lies here, nowhere else. Murong proclaimed plans to sweep bandits from Luoyang and Chang'an and escort Jin home. He urged Zhan to shed ethnic prejudice for restoration. Moreover Yu the Great rose from western Qiang; King Wen was born among eastern Yi—only ambition matters—must foreign customs block sincere hearts!" Zhan stayed "ill"; Murong grew bitter. Song Gai baited Murong to execute Zhan. Word of the plot terrified Zhan to death.