I have been familiar with the name Murong since I was a child. Thanks to the series and wuxia novel by Jin Yong - Demigods and Semidevil 天龙八部 for that. It's a pretty uncommon name. Apparently it's not a Han ethnic Chinese name, but a Xianbei family name. Murong clan were the ruler of Yan Kingdom during the period of 16 kingdoms in China. In the novel Demigods and Semidevil 天龙八部, Murong Fu (fictious) was described as a very handsome man. Here are pictures of Murong Fu in DGSD And in history, one of the king of Yan -Murong Chong (慕容冲) the emperor of West Yan Kingdom in Sixteen Kingdoms Period, was indeed very handsome that he was probably the most handsome Chinese emperor.
It is not known when exactly he was born — as his older brother Murong Wei was born in 350,he must have been born later than that, but before 359, when he was created the Prince of Zhongshan Born as a prince he had a stunningly pretty face, much like his entire family. In the year of 370A.D, when Murong was around 12 years old, his country was destroyed by the Former Qin Kingdom. He and his brothers were made local officials throughout the Former Qin realm. The king of Former Qin -Fu Jian, was fascinated with Murong and his sister that he didn't kill people from Murong's clan. Children sang that "A female and a male phoenix, flew into the palace". Phoenix was just Murong's nickname. It was a humiliation, but Murong swallowed all of it. Most likely Fu Jian (at least around 20 years older than Murong Chong) molested him, that's why he hated him so much. (Historical accounts indicate that he had a sexual relationship with the Former Qin emperor Fu Jiān) By 384, he was the governor of Pingyang Commandery (平陽, roughly modern Linfen, Shanxi). When he heard that his uncle Murong Chui and his older brother Murong Hong had rebelled against Former Qin in light of Fu Jiān's defeat at the Battle of Fei River in 383, he rebelled as well. He was soon defeated by the Former Qin general Dou Chong (竇衝), and he joined his brother Murong Hong. In summer 384, as Murong Hong was advancing on Chang'an, Murong Hong's strategist Gao Gai (高蓋) and other officials felt that Murong Hong's reputation was not as great as Murong Chong's, and that Murong Hong's punishments were overly harsh. They therefore killed him and supported Murong Chong to be the new ruler. As Murong Wei was still alive but under Former Qin control in Chang'an, Murong Chong took the title of crown prince. Fu Jiān made a peace overture to him with an apparent sexual undertone—by sending him a robe and a message saying: "Since you came from far away, you must be in short supplies. This coat represents my heart. I treated you well in the past, why have you become so heartless?" but Murong Chong rejected the overture (probably he's more enraged because of that) Around the new year 385, Murong Wei and his cousin Murong Su (慕容肅) organized the Xianbei men within Chang'an, preparing to start an uprising to join Murong Chong, but after Fu Jiān discovered their plot, he executed them and slaughtered the Xianbei inside the city. Upon hearing news of his brother's death, Murong Chong declared himself emperor. After he took the title, he became capricious and handed out rewards and punishments at his whim. However, he did not let up his pressure against Chang'an, and Chang'an, under his siege, soon fell into a terrible famine. He also allowed his soldiers to pillage the Guanzhong region at will. In summer 385, Fu Jiān broke out to try to find food supplies to relieve Chang'an, leaving his crown prince Fu Hong (苻宏) in defense of the city—but as soon as he left, the city fell to Murong Chong, and Fu Hong fled. Despite his Xianbei people's desire to return east to their homeland, Murong Chong decided to settle in Chang'an—both because he liked the city and because he feared his uncle Murong Chui, who had by then established Later Yan. He therefore sought to get his people to decide to settle as well, but they resented him for the decision. In spring 386, his general Han Yan (韓延) assassinated him in a coup and supported another general, Duan Sui, as the Prince of Yan. He was around 28 years old when he died.
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