The Western Yan (西燕 Xī Yān; 384–394) was a state of Xianbei ethnicity during the era of Sixteen Kingdoms in China. It was founded by Murong Hong in 384 in the aftermaths of Former Qin's defeat by Jin dynasty (266–420) at the Battle of Fei River, with the stated intent of permitting the Xianbei, whom Former Qin's emperor Fu Jiān had relocated to Former Qin's capital region after destroying Former Yan in 370. It initially also was intended to rescue the last Former Yan emperor Murong Wei, until he was executed by Fu Jiān in 385. It was a state that was characterized by extreme political instability and internal fighting, as all seven of its rulers (during a short span of 10 years) died of unnatural causes. After eviscerating Former Qin, the people of the state abandoned the Guanzhong region and headed east back toward their homeland, but eventually settled down in modern Shanxi. It was destroyed in 394 as Later Yan's emperor Murong Chui wanted to reunite the people formerly of Yan and conquered it.

Some rulers of the Western Yan declared themselves emperors while some declared themselves wang (translatable as either "king" or "prince").

Read more...: Rulers of the Western Yan  

西燕（）是中国十六国时期慕容氏诸燕之一，由鲜卑慕容泓建立的政权。共存在10年。

前秦苻坚灭前燕后，尽徙鲜卑入关中。苻坚淝水兵败后，政权陷于瓦解。晋太元九年（384年），前燕皇帝慕容暐之弟慕容泓起兵反秦，在华阴（今陕西华阴县东南）自称济北王。因其地处于后燕、南燕、北燕之西，史称「西燕」。

其弟慕容冲也起兵反秦，兵败后归于慕容泓。慕容泓兵势大振，有众10万。后谋臣高盖等因慕容泓执法苛暴，杀慕容泓，拥立慕容冲为皇太弟。

次年（385年）慕容冲称帝于阿房（今陕西西安市西），率军陷长安（今陕西西安西北），纵兵暴掠。鲜卑贵族都想东归，不愿留在关中，太元十一年（386年）杀慕容冲。此后有数位前燕贵族和将领被拥立为君主，最后慕容廆族孙慕容永立为河东王，率众东归，击败前秦苻丕，据有长子（今山西长子县西），称帝。西燕强盛时，统治南抵轵关，北至新兴，东依太行，西临黄河。

西燕中兴九年（394年），后燕发兵先胜于台壁、再陷长子，杀死慕容永及其公卿大将三十多人，西燕亡。西燕政治混乱，政变不断，国祚仅10年，经历了7位君主，除了末代君主慕容永外皆死于政变。其中386年，竟然一年之内连续5位君主被杀。

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