Ancient China · Ruler

King Hui of Yan 燕惠王

Yan Huiwang

Attested BC 279 - BC 272

Passages: 11
Chapters: 3
Histories: 2

Overview

The translated histories identify King Hui of Yan as a royal family member and ruler. This record brings together 11 passages from 3 chapters across 2 histories, with names, dates, relationships, offices, and events preserved as source-backed claims.

Names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Personal	King Hui of Yan	燕惠王	Yan Huiwang
Title	King Hui	惠王	Hui wang
Title	King Hui	惠王	Hui Wang
Regnal	King Hui	惠王	Huì Wáng
Personal name	King Hui of Yan
Title	King Hui of Yan	燕惠王	Yan Hui Wang
Title	King of Yan	燕王	Yān Wáng

Identity

Historicity: Historical
Identification: Named
Sex: Male

Sex: male
Explicit · sanguozhi:062:s0163, shiji:082:s0012
Sex: male
Strongly inferred · shiji:080:s0029

Roles

Royal Family Member
Ruler

Life and dates

Attested activity

Source Date: Text: 子立為燕惠王...使騎劫代將 · Western Year: BC 279
Explicit event contextual date · shiji:080:s0029, shiji:080:s0033
Source Date: Text: 惠王即位 · Western Interval: Start: BC 278 · End: BC 272
Explicit event contextual date · sanguozhi:062:s0163
Source Date: Text: 惠王立 · Western Year: BC 279
Explicit · shiji:082:s0012

Family

Immediate source-linked family. Drag to pan, scroll or pinch to zoom, and select a person to open their record.

Child of King Zhao of Yan (燕昭王)
Kinship Term: father / 父 · Parentage: biological · Subject Role: father · Object Role: son
Kinship Term: son / 子 · Parentage: biological · Subject Role: father · Object Role: son
Kin of King Zhao of Yan (燕昭王)
Kinship Term: King Hui / 惠王 · Relationship State: active

Career and standing

Date Context: Source Date: Text: 惠王立 · Western Year: BC 279
Explicit · shiji:082:s0012

Places and affiliations

Label: Yan · Relation: ruled
Explicit · shiji:080:s0029
Polity: Yan / 燕 · Relation: ruled
Explicit · shiji:082:s0012

Works and attributed material

Kind: speech · Role: speaker · Other Person Id: Yue Yi (樂毅) · Mode: envoy-delivered
Explicit · shiji:080:s0040, shiji:080:s0041, shiji:080:s0042, shiji:080:s0043, shiji:080:s0044

References in the histories

Open any source group to read the Chinese and English passage in context.

Records of the Three Kingdoms, Chapter 62Volume 62: Book of Wu 17: Biographies of Shi Yi and Hu Zong · 1 passage

昔樂毅為燕昭王立功於齊，惠王即位，疑奪其任，遂去燕之趙，休烈不虧。 Once Yue Yi served King Zhao of Yan against Qi; when King Hui came to the throne he was suspected and stripped of command, left Yan for Zhao, and lost none of his renown.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 80Biography of Yue Yi · 8 passages

會燕昭王死，子立為燕惠王。 It happened that King Zhao of Yan died, his son ascended as King Hui of Yan.

惠王自為太子時嘗不快於樂毅，及即位，齊之田單聞之，乃縱反閒於燕，曰：「齊城不下者兩城耳。 King Hui of Yan, when he was crown prince, had once been displeased with Yue Yi; when he took the throne, Tian Dan of Qi heard of this and spread counter-rumors in Yan, saying: "Of Qi's cities that have not fallen, there are only two.

於是燕惠王固已疑樂毅，得齊反閒，乃使騎劫代將，而召樂毅。 Thus, King Hui of Yan was already suspicious of Yue Yi, got Qi's reverse rumors, then sent Qi Jie to replace the general, and summoned Yue Yi.

樂毅知燕惠王之不善代之，畏誅，遂西降趙。 Yue Yi understood that King Hui of Yan meant him ill by replacing him. Fearing execution, he went west and submitted to Zhao.

燕惠王後悔使騎劫代樂毅，以故破軍亡將失齊； King Hui of Yan later regretted sending Qi Jie to replace Yue Yi, for the decision had ruined the army, cost him his generals, and lost Yan its gains in Qi;

燕惠王乃使人讓樂毅，且謝之曰：「先王舉國而委將軍，將軍為燕破齊，報先王之讎，天下莫不震動，寡人豈敢一日而忘將軍之功哉！ King Hui of Yan then sent someone both to reproach Yue Yi and to apologize: "The former king entrusted the whole state to you. You defeated Qi for Yan and avenged his wrongs, until all under Heaven was shaken. How could I dare forget your merit for even one day!

樂毅報遺燕惠王書曰： Yue Yi replied by sending King Hui of Yan a letter saying:

於是燕王復以樂毅子樂閒為昌國君； Thus, the Yan king again made Yue Yi's son Yue Xian the Changguo Jun;

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 82Biography of Tian Dan · 2 passages

頃之，燕昭王卒，惠王立，與樂毅有隙。 Before long, King Zhao of Yan died and King Hui succeeded him. The new king bore a grudge against Yue Yi.

燕王以為然，使騎劫代樂毅。 The King of Yan believed the rumor and sent Qi Jie to replace Yue Yi.