Murong Chao - Early Life

Early Life

Murong Chao's father Murong Na (慕容納) was the Prince of Beihai during Former Yan, being a son of Murong Huang (Prince Wenming) and a younger brother of Murong Jun (Emperor Jingzhao). After Former Yan's destruction by Former Qin in 370, the Former Qin emperor Fu Jiān initially made Murong Na a commandery governor, but later Murong Na was relieved from that post and relocated, along with his mother Lady Gongsun and Lady Duan to be with his younger brother Murong De, who was the governor of Zhangye Commandery (張掖, roughly modern Zhangye, Gansu). (Murong Na and Murong De had the same mother.) Later, when Murong Na's brothers Murong De and Murong Chui rebelled against Former Qin in 384, with Murong Chui establishing Later Yan and becoming its emperor, Fu Chang (苻昌) the new governor of Zhangye arrested and executed Murong Na and all sons of Murong De and Murong Na. At that time, Lady Duan was not executed because she was pregnant, but she was imprisoned to await execution after she gave birth.

However, the jailer Huyan Ping (呼延平) was a former subordinate of Murong De's, and he took Lady Gongsun and Lady Duan and escaped to the lands of the Qiang tribes, where Lady Duan gave birth to Murong Chao. After Lady Gongsun died in 394, Huyan Ping took Lady Duan and Murong Chao to Later Liang. Later, after Later Liang surrendered to Later Qin in 403, Huyan Ping, Lady Duan, and Murong Chao were among the populace of the Later Liang capital Guzang (姑臧, in modern Wuwei, Gansu) forcibly relocated to the Later Qin capital Chang'an. There, Huyan Ping died, and Lady Duan had Murong Chao take Huyan Ping's daughter as his wife.

Murong Chao was apprehensive that his true identity would be known, and so he became a beggar and pretended to be insane. However, on one occasion, the brother of Later Qin's emperor Yao Xing, Yao Shao (姚紹) the Duke of Dongping, saw him, and thought that this was not truly an insane person—because he looked healthy and strong physically. He informed Yao Xing of this and suggested that Yao Xing give Murong Chao a minor official position to secure him. Yao Xing summoned Murong Chao to an audience with him, but Murong Chao continued the charade and intentionally gave wrong answers or no answers at all when Yao Xing asked him questions. Yao Xing was unconvinced that Yao Shao was correct, and so sent Murong Chao away.

In 405, after Murong De, who had by then established Southern Yan and become its emperor, had become aware that Murong Chao was being detained in Chang'an, he sent secret messengers to encourage him to flee to Southern Yan. Murong Chao did not dare to tell even his mother and wife, and fled to Southern Yan. On the way, he passed through the territory of the general Murong Fa (慕容法), the governor of Yan Province (兗州, modern western Shandong), and Murong Fa, believing that he was not truly of imperial descent, disrespected him, leading him to bear grudges against Murong Fa in the future.

Murong De was greatly pleased when Murong Chao arrived at the capital Guanggu (廣固, in modern Qingzhou, Shandong), and Murong Chao presented him the golden knife that Murong De left Lady Gongsun before leaving. Murong De mourned his mother and brother greatly, but created Murong Chao to be the Prince of Beihai—the same title that Murong Na had. As Murong De had no surviving sons, he considered Murong Chao his probable heir, and he selected talented men to be Murong Chao's assistants. Murong Chao, at this time, was described to be a careful server to his uncle and appropriate in all his outward actions, leading the officials and the populace all to be happy with him.

In fall 405, Murong De fell ill, and considered creating Murong Chao crown prince. During the discussion, an earthquake happened, and taking the earthquake as a bad omen, Murong De temporarily terminated the discussion, but his illness grew worse during the night, and he could no longer speak. His wife Empress Duan Jifei asked him whether Murong Chao should be summoned and created crown prince, and Murong De nodded, and so Murong Chao was created crown prince. Murong De died that night, and the next day, Murong Chao took the throne as the emperor. He honored Empress Duan as empress dowager.