Zhao Yan (趙巖) | 24 Histories

Overview

Zhao Yan was an official.

PeriodFive Dynasties

IdentityHistorical · Male

Roles

Found in

Life and dates

Attested activity

AD 923 已而梁亡
Dated from the passage context · New History of the Five Dynasties 45, passage 165

Assessments and attributes

Assessment petty man who manipulated power · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 45, passage 158

References in the histories

New History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 45Volume 45 Miscellaneous Biographies 25: Zhang Quanyi, Zhu Youqian, Yuan Xiangxian, Zhu Hanbin, Duan Ning, Liu Qi, Zhou Zhiyu, Lu Siduo · 4 passages

Open chapter

是時，末帝昏亂，小人趙巖、張漢傑等用事，凝依附巖等為奸。 The Last Emperor was lost; Zhao Yan, Zhang Hanjie, and their kind ruled. Ning rode their coattails into treachery.

而凝與彥章各自上其功，巖等從中匿彥章功狀，悉歸其功於凝。 Ning and Yanzhang each filed merit. Yan’s clique buried Yanzhang’s report and gave Ning the whole credit.

凝因納金巖等，求代彥章，末帝惑巖等言，卒以凝為招討使，軍於王村。 Ning bought Yan with gold and asked to replace Yanzhang. The Last Emperor listened; Ning became pacification commissioner at Wangcun.

明日，凝奏：「故梁奸人趙巖、張漢傑等十餘人侮弄權柄，殘害生靈，請皆族之。」 Next day he memorialized: “Liang’s villains Zhao Yan, Zhang Hanjie, and a dozen more played with power and ruined the people—exterminate every clan.”