Chen Yan (Tang dynasty)

Chen Yan (陳巖) (d. 891) was a warlord of the late Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving as the governor (觀察使, Guanchashi) of Fujian Circuit (福建, headquartered in modern Fuzhou, Fujian).

Rise to power and governance of Fujian
It is not known when Chen Yan was born, but it is known that he was from Jian Prefecture (建州, in modern Nanping, Fujian). In or around 878, when the major agrarian rebel Huang Chao was pillaging the Fujian region on his way south toward Guang Prefecture (廣州, in modern Guangzhou, Guangdong), Chen gathered several thousand men around him to protect their home territory, and named the army Jiulong Army (九龍軍). Then-governor of Fujian, Zheng Yi (鄭鎰) thus made Chen his deputy in his position as the military prefect (團練使, Tuanlianshi) of Fujian's capital Fu Prefecture (福州).

While Chen was serving as deputy military prefect, there was an occasion when Li Lian (李連) the prefect of Quan Prefecture (泉州, in modern Quanzhou, Fujian) was found guilty of a crime. Fearful of punishment, Li hid in mountainous caves and gathered troops to attack Fu Prefecture. Chen led his army and repelled Li's attack. Zheng became apprehensive of Chen's hold on the army, and he made a recommendation to then-reigning Emperor Xizong that Chen be made the governor instead. In 884, Emperor Xizong approved of the request, and Chen became governor. It was said that Chen ruled with authority and grace, and that the people of the region were pacified. (However, his rule might not have been over the entire Fujian region, as such places as Ting Prefecture (汀州, in modern Longyan, Fujian) and Jian Prefecture were not described to have fallen into line under the command of the circuit government until after Chen's death.) At some point, his family and that of Dong Chang the military governor (Jiedushi) of neighboring Weisheng Circuit (威勝, headquartered in modern Shaoxing, Zhejiang) entered into a marriage relationship.

In 886, Wang Chao, the leader of a roving army that had originated from Guang Prefecture (光州, in modern Xinyang, Henan), captured Quan Prefecture and killed its then-prefect Liao Yanrou (廖彥若). However, hearing of Chen's might, Wang did not dare to attack Fu Prefecture, and sent messengers to submit to Chen. Chen made Wang the prefect of Quan Prefecture.

Death
In 891, Chen Yan fell ill. He sent messengers to summon Wang Chao, intending to entrust the circuit to him. Before Wang could arrive, however, Chen died. Chen's brother-in-law Fan Hui (范暉) persuaded the soldiers to support him, and Fan and Wang subsequent engaged in several years of warfare. In 893, Fu Prefecture fell to the siege by Wang's cousin Wang Yanfu (王彥復) and brother Wang Shenzhi, and Fan was killed in flight. Wang took over the circuit governorship. He buried Chen with respect, and gave a daughter in marriage to Chen's son Chen Yanhui (陳延晦).

Notes and references

 * Zizhi Tongjian, vols. 256, 258.