Yan Ding

Yan Ding, courtesy name Taichen, was a military general of the Jin dynasty (266–420). At the time of the Disaster of Yongjia in 311, Yan Ding brought the nephew of Emperor Huai, Sima Ye, to Chang'an, where a group of loyalists from Anding (安定, present-day Zhenyuan, Gansu) were in the process of retaking the region from Han Zhao forces. After the re-establishment of the Jin government, Yan Ding became a powerful member of the new regime but jealousy and suspicion would cut his career short as his peers Qu Yun and Suo Lin combined their forces to have him killed.

Yan Ding
閻鼎
Chief of Affairs to the Crown Prince (太子詹事)
In office
312–312
MonarchEmperor Min of Jin
Personal details
BornUnknown
Died312
Courtesy nameTaichen (臺臣)
In this Chinese name, the family name is Yan.

Life

Yan Ding was from Tianshui Commandary and once served the emperor's regent, Sima Yue as his Army Advisor. He managed to reach the office of Inspector of Yuzhou later in his career but had to resign due to his mother passing away. He gathered a thousand refugees in Mi County who wished to follow him back to his home but before he could leave, the emperor's nephew, Sima Ye arrived at the county. Luoyang had been captured by Han Zhao, and Emperor Huai was being held captive. Sima Ye's minister, Xun Fan established a provisional government at the county although he later moved it to Xuchang and Yingchuan to distance themselves from the enemies.[1]

Yan Ding remained in Mi County and through the support of other ministers who had fled the capital's region, Xun Fan was persuaded to make Yan the Champion General and Inspector of Yuzhou. News of resistance in Chang'an led by Jia Ya reached Mi County in 311, and Yan Ding was set on bringing the emperor over to the group. With encouragement from the Prefect of Heyin (河陰, in modern Luoyang, Henan), Fu Chang (傅暢), he began his preparations. However, ministers such as Xun Fan and Zhou Yi were against this, typically because most of them did not want to abandon their homes in the east. Yan Ding hunted them down with mixed results as they fled from his group.[2]

Yan Ding began his journey at Wan but before he went to Chang'an, he decided to make a stop of Luoyang despite Han Zhao's occupation. He wanted to pay respects to the imperial tombs and perhaps gather more refugees to expand his follower. Naturally, many believed this to be a bad idea as attacks from Han Zhao troops were very likely. Yan Ding ignored their concerns and set out with the emperor but encountered bandits at Shangluo along the way. Hundreds of his followers were killed while some chose to abandon the group. Regardless, Yan Ding regrouped his remaining forces and proceeded to Lantian. Once there, he sent a message to Jia Ya stating his arrival and Jia Ya brought the emperor and his followers to safety.[3]

Chang'an would be liberated by Jia Ya the following year. Sima Ye was declared the new Crown Prince and Yan Ding was made the Chief of Affairs to the Crown Prince, wielding significant power over the new government. Despite that, he was not content with what he had and wanted to spread his influence to Jingzhao, held by its Administrator, Liang Zong (梁綜). He and Liang battled one another, and Yan Ding killed Liang Zong in the end.[4]

His peers, Qu Yun and Suo Lin felt uncomfortable with his growing influence. They banded together, and used Liang Zong's death as a pretext for attacking him. They were joined by Liang Zong's brothers, Liang Wei (梁緯) and Liang Su (梁肅). Yan Ding was driven away and fled to Yong, but he was killed by a Di tribesman named Dou Shou (竇首). With Yan Ding and Liang Zong dead, and Jia Ya losing his life in a skirmish around the same time, Qu Yun and Suo Lin would fill the power vacuum, controlling the emperor until their downfall in 316.[5]

References
  1. (閻鼎，字台臣，天水人也。初為太傅東海王越參軍，轉卷令，行豫州刺史事，屯許昌。遭母喪，乃於密縣間鳩聚西州流人數千，欲還鄉里。值京師失守，秦王出奔密中，司空荀籓、籓弟司隸校尉組，及中領軍華恆、河南尹華薈，在密縣建立行台，以密近賊，南趣許潁。) Book of Jin, Volume 60
  2. (鼎少有大志，因西土人思歸，欲立功鄉里，乃與撫軍長史王毗、司馬傳遜懷翼戴秦王之計，謂疇、捷等曰：「山東非霸王處，不如關中。」河陽令傅暢遺鼎書，勸奉秦王過洛陽，謁拜山陵，徑據長安，綏合夷晉，興起義眾，克復宗廟，雪社稷之恥。鼎得書，便欲詣洛，流人謂北道近河，懼有抄截，欲南自武關向長安。疇等皆山東人，咸不願西入，荀籓及疇、捷等並逃散。鼎追籓不及，恆等見殺，唯顗、述走得免。) Book of Jin, Volume 60
  3. (遂奉秦王行，止上洛，為山賊所襲，殺百餘人，率餘眾西至藍田。時劉聰向長安，為雍州刺史賈疋所逐，走還平陽。疋遣人奉迎秦王。) Book of Jin, Volume 60
  4. (梁綜與鼎爭權，鼎殺綜，以王毗為京兆尹。) Book of Jin, Volume 60
  5. (洛陽傾覆，閻鼎等立秦王為皇太子于長安，鼎總攝百揆。允時為安夷護軍、始平太守，心害鼎功，且規權勢，因鼎殺京兆太守梁綜，乃與綜弟馮翊太守緯等攻鼎，走之。會雍州刺史賈疋為屠各所殺，允代其任。) Book of Jin, Volume 89
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